Cabinet Approves Draft Decree-Law Amending the Notarization Law - Sarmad
The Cabinet approved amendments to the Notarization Law to simplify procedures and develop electronic linking.
Translated by Qiyas from سرمد — Original source
(KUNA) – The Council of Ministers, in its meeting today chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, approved a draft law decree amending certain provisions of Law No. 10 of 2020 concerning Notarization, aiming to simplify procedures, develop electronic integration among competent authorities, and enhance official records and documents while preserving existing legal statuses.
In a statement following the meeting, the Council clarified that the draft law decree aims to organize and develop notarization procedures at the Notarization Department of the Ministry of Justice through two main pathways. The first involves abolishing the authority of the government notary to notarize corporate documents and transferring this function to the Commercial Registry Unit at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, while regulating coordination and record exchange between the two entities.
The second pathway pertains to the notarization of personal status matters, including marriage, divorce of all types, reconciliation (ruju’), and related prerequisites such as prior marriage qualification and pre-divorce reconciliation attempts, alongside the regulation of remote electronic notarization.
The Council noted that the draft law decree seeks to protect family rights by mandating the notarization of marriage facts, divorce of all types, and reconciliation, linking them to prior qualification and reconciliation attempts, while keeping pace with technology by establishing remote electronic notarization and connecting judicial records.
It was further specified that the draft law decree mandates that a marriage contract cannot be notarized unless both parties have completed the Marriage Prospects Qualification Program. A decision by the Minister of Justice will determine the program’s curriculum, duration, completion requirements, and the implementing authority.
The Council of Ministers has submitted the draft law decree to His Highness the Amir of Kuwait, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, may God protect and guard him.
