You pay the Kuwait Civil ID fee online on the PACI website (services.paci.gov.kw → Card & Fine Payment) or in the Sahel app, using a Kuwaiti bank debit card through K-Net. The fee is KD 5 for a new or renewed card plus a KD 0.250 envelope fee, KD 20 to replace a lost or damaged card, and a KD 20 fine if the card was not renewed on time. You only need the 12-digit Civil ID number, payment takes about two minutes, and you can pay for family members and domestic workers too.
On this page
- Civil ID fees in Kuwait (2026)
- How to pay the Civil ID fee on the PACI website
- How to pay through the Sahel app
- When should you pay?
- Paying for family members and domestic workers
- After payment: printing and collecting the card
- Lost or damaged Civil ID: the KD 20 replacement
- Common payment problems and fixes
- Before you pay: a quick checklist
- Pay safely: avoid fake payment links
- Fees that are not paid at PACI
- Frequently asked questions
- Related guides
Civil ID fees in Kuwait (2026)
| Service | Fee (KD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| New Civil ID (first issuance) | 5.000 + 0.250 envelope | Paid after your residency is stamped and PACI registration is complete |
| Civil ID renewal | 5.000 + 0.250 envelope | Pay after the residency (iqama) is renewed; the card is printed only after payment |
| Replacement – lost or damaged card | 20.000 | A lost-card report and appointment come first |
| Fine for not renewing on time | 20.000 | Shows automatically on the payment page with the card fee |
| Home delivery (optional) | Courier fee | Chosen during payment or in the PACI delivery service |
Fees are set by the Public Authority for Civil Information (PACI). The renewal fee was raised from KD 2 to KD 5 in 2016 and has not changed since. Each card is charged separately, so a family of four renewing together pays four card fees and four envelope fees. The payment page always shows the exact amount due for that Civil ID number, so you never need to calculate it yourself.
Kuwait has no VAT, and PACI does not add a service charge for online payment. Your bank may show the transaction as “PACI” or “Public Authority for Civil Information”.
How to pay the Civil ID fee on the PACI website
- Open services.paci.gov.kw and choose Card & Fine Payment (English and Arabic are available).
- Enter the 12-digit Civil ID number of the person you are paying for and press Submit.
- The page lists what is due: card fee, envelope fee and any late-renewal fine. Click Pay.
- Choose your bank from the K-Net list, enter your debit card number, expiry date and PIN, and confirm.
- Print or save the receipt. The payment reaches PACI within minutes and the card moves to printing automatically.
You do not need to log in on the PACI website to pay; the Civil ID number is enough. This is useful when you pay for a relative or an employee whose Sahel account you cannot access.
How to pay through the Sahel app
- Log in to Sahel with your Civil ID and approve the login in Kuwait Mobile ID (Hawiti).
- Tap Services → Public Authority for Civil Information → Card Services → Card Renewal (card payment).
- Select yourself or a dependant from the list and tap Next.
- Choose your bank and complete the K-Net payment.
- Save the receipt. Sahel sends a notification when the card is printed and ready.
Sahel is the most convenient route for residents because it also tracks the card after payment and sends a message when it is ready for collection or delivery.
When should you pay?
- Renewal: pay only after the Ministry of Interior has renewed your residency. The Civil ID expiry follows the iqama, so a payment made earlier does nothing.
- New arrivals: pay once your sponsor has completed the residency and PACI registration. The fee usually appears a few days after the residency is stamped.
- Change of address or data: after an address update PACI may ask you to print a new card; the fee then appears on the same payment page.
- No change after 10 working days: check the Civil ID status page or call PACI on 1889988.
Paying for family members and domestic workers
Anyone can pay a Civil ID fee as long as they have the correct Civil ID number. Parents pay for children, and sponsors usually pay for domestic workers. Use the dependant’s own Civil ID number, not the sponsor’s. For a newborn, the child’s Civil ID number is issued when PACI registers the birth and the residency; the fee becomes payable after that.
| Who | Whose Civil ID to enter | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Spouse and children | Each family member’s own number | Pay all cards at once from the Sahel family list |
| Domestic worker (housemaid, driver) | The worker’s number | Keep the receipt with the worker’s file |
| Employee (company) | The employee’s number | Company PRO (mandoub) normally pays in bulk |
| Newborn | The child’s new number | Available after birth and residency registration |
After payment: printing and collecting the card
- Printing normally takes a few working days; the status changes to “ready for delivery”.
- Collect the card from a PACI self-service kiosk, the South Surra headquarters or a distribution point, or choose home delivery.
- The digital Civil ID in Kuwait Mobile ID (Hawiti) is updated with the new expiry date and is accepted for most daily transactions.
- Cards not collected within six months of printing are destroyed and you will have to pay again.
Read more about offices, kiosks and timings in our PACI Kuwait guide.
Lost or damaged Civil ID: the KD 20 replacement
If your card is lost, stolen or physically damaged, the replacement costs KD 20. A lost card first needs a report, and PACI may require an appointment, which is booked through the Meta platform – see Meta Kuwait login. Once the request is accepted, the KD 20 fee appears on the payment page and you pay it exactly like a renewal. A card that is only expired is not “damaged” – it is renewed at the normal KD 5 fee.
Common payment problems and fixes
| Problem | Likely reason | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| “No fees due” | Residency not yet renewed, or the fee is already paid | Check residency status and the Civil ID status page |
| K-Net payment fails | Online payments disabled on the debit card, or daily limit reached | Enable e-commerce in your bank app and retry |
| Money deducted but status unchanged | Bank and PACI not yet synchronised | Wait a few hours; do not pay twice; keep the K-Net reference |
| Credit card rejected | PACI uses K-Net debit cards | Use a Kuwaiti bank debit card |
| Wrong person paid | Typo in the Civil ID number | Contact PACI with the receipt to correct it |
Before you pay: a quick checklist
- The 12-digit Civil ID number of each person – it is printed on the old card and shown in Kuwait Mobile ID.
- A Kuwaiti bank debit card with online (e-commerce) payments switched on, and your mobile phone for the bank’s confirmation.
- Confirmation that the residency has been renewed – your sponsor, company PRO or the Sahel residency service can tell you.
- The delivery address registered at PACI, if you want home delivery rather than kiosk collection.
- A few minutes on a stable connection: if the K-Net page times out, check the status before trying again.
Pay safely: avoid fake payment links
Fraudsters regularly send SMS and WhatsApp messages claiming that your Civil ID is “blocked” or that a small fee is due, with a link to a look-alike page that steals card details. PACI does not collect fees through links sent by text message. Type the address yourself, use only paci.gov.kw, services.paci.gov.kw or the official Sahel app, and check that the K-Net page shows your own bank’s name before you enter a PIN. If you entered card details on a fake page, call your bank immediately to block the card.
Fees that are not paid at PACI
The Civil ID payment covers only the card. The expat health insurance fee (KD 100 a year, paid with the residency) and residency fees go to the Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Health systems, usually through the employer or Sahel. Traffic and residency fines are paid to the Ministry of Interior. If you are preparing a renewal, see our guides to Dhaman health insurance and residency fines.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the Civil ID fee in Kuwait?
KD 5 for a new or renewed card plus a KD 0.250 envelope fee. A lost or damaged card costs KD 20 to replace.
How do I pay my Civil ID fee online?
Go to services.paci.gov.kw → Card & Fine Payment, enter the Civil ID number, click Pay and complete the K-Net payment. You can also pay in the Sahel app.
Can I pay the Civil ID fee with a credit card?
No. PACI accepts K-Net, which works with Kuwaiti bank debit cards. Foreign and credit cards are not accepted.
Is there a fine for late Civil ID renewal?
Yes, KD 20 if the card was not renewed on time. It is added automatically to the amount on the payment page.
Why does the payment page say no fees are due?
Usually because the residency has not been renewed yet, or the fee was already paid. Check the residency and the Civil ID status.
Can I pay my wife’s or housemaid’s Civil ID fee?
Yes. Enter their own Civil ID number on the PACI payment page or select them in Sahel, then pay by K-Net.
How long after payment is the Civil ID ready?
Usually a few working days. Sahel sends a notification when the card is ready for collection or delivery.