TL;DR:
- A Sri Lankan woman living in Kuwait allegedly used another woman’s baby to fraudulently obtain
Kuwaiti citizenship through marriage. - A recent DNA test revealed the child was not biologically hers, prompting authorities to revoke her nationality.
- The case has sparked renewed scrutiny of Kuwait’s nationality laws and the misuse of domestic worker sponsorships.
In a case that has stunned both the public and authorities, a Kuwaiti man was deceived for more than 30 years by a Sri Lankan woman (Costa) who orchestrated an elaborate identity scam involving a fake pregnancy, another woman’s baby, and forged documents, all to fraudulently obtain Kuwaiti citizenship. The woman, who first entered the country as a domestic worker, managed to exploit legal loopholes and weak verification systems to pose as a mother and secure naturalisation under Kuwait’s Nationality Law. The truth came to light only after a DNA test, prompted by the man’s persistent doubts, revealed that neither he nor his former wife had any biological link to the child they had raised as their own. This unprecedented case has not only resulted in the revocation of citizenship for both the woman and the child but has also prompted a broader conversation about the fragility of Kuwait’s identity and citizenship systems, especially where parentage and residency claims intersect.
How the Fraud Unfolded
Costa first entered Kuwait on a domestic worker visa in 1992, but was deported in 1994 for absconding. Just two years later, she returned under a different identity, taking advantage of the lack of biometric screening at the time. After marrying a Kuwaiti taxi driver, Costa invoked Article 8 of Kuwait’s Nationality Law, which allows foreign women married to Kuwaiti men with children to apply for citizenship. To meet the criteria, she faked a pregnancy and orchestrated a scheme where another Sri Lankan woman delivered a child under Costa’s Civil ID. The baby was registered under Costa’s name, with the Kuwaiti man listed as the father, neither of whom had any biological link to the child.
Revelation and Legal Fallout
Costa obtained Kuwaiti nationality in 2000. However, in 2008, after their divorce, she admitted to her husband that the child was not his. Though he reported the deception at the time, authorities took no action until 2021, when the man filed a formal complaint. DNA tests confirmed the child had no biological relation to Costa or the Kuwaiti father. In 2024, the Supreme Committee for Citizenship Affairs ruled Costa had fraudulently acquired citizenship, triggering revocation of her Kuwaiti nationality. Authorities also annulled the citizenship of the so‑called daughter and identified her biological mother, who had been deported. Plans are underway to issue the young woman proper Sri Lankan documentation.
About Kuwait’s Nationality Law (Article 8)
Under Article 8 of the 1959 Kuwaiti Nationality Law, foreign women married to Kuwaiti men and bearing his child, can gain citizenship. The law has been used extensively for decades, often without robust verification processes. While intended to promote family unity, the case of Costa reveals how this provision can be manipulated. Revocation is permitted under legal grounds for fraud and misrepresentation, as reflects in Costa’s case.
Why It Matters
- Systemic Vulnerabilities Exposed: Kuwait’s past lack of biometric controls and weak parentage verification allowed identity fraud to go undetected for 33 years.
- Legal Integrity at Risk: The case has sparked calls for post-citizenship audits, stricter ID checks, and reform of Article 8 provisions to protect national identity systems.
- Rights and Statelessness Concerns: The daughter is now stateless under Kuwaiti law due to citizenship revocation; only recently identified and likely without legal status during growing up.
- Policy Trigger for Reform: Authorities are reviewing other long-term naturalisation cases for similar fraud risks and discussing strengthening safeguards against identity abuse.
This extraordinary case, spanning more than three decades, spotlights serious flaws in Kuwait’s nationality system especially in verifying parentage and identity during the naturalisation process. While authorities have revoked citizenship and annuled documents, the fallout serves as a cautionary tale: identity systems must rapidly evolve to prevent exploitation and protect the integrity of citizenship. In the wake of this scandal, Kuwait faces growing pressure to overhaul verification procedures and safeguard legal citizenship pathways with modernized biometric and audit mechanisms.