DESK REVIEW ON POPULATIONS AT RISK OF STATELESSNESS b. A person is deemed to have maintained his normal residence in Kuwait even if he resides in a foreign country if he has the intention of returning to Kuwait. 2. Any person born in, or outside, Kuwait whose father is a Kuwaiti national shall be a Kuwaiti national himself. 3. Kuwaiti nationality is acquired by any person born in Kuwait whose parents are unknown. A foundling is deemed to have been born in Kuwait unless the contrary is proved. The children of Kuwaiti women are not citizens of Kuwait. However, where the father is unknown or paternity is not legally established, citizenship may be conferred when they reach the age of majority, but only by Decree upon the recommendation of the Minister of the Interior. Naturalization is only granted to Muslims and in very limited circumstances, by Decree upon the recommendation of the Minister of the Interior, to only those persons “of full age satisfying the following conditions:” 1. that he has lawfully resided in Kuwait for at least 20 consecutive years or for at least 15 consecutive years if he is an Arab belonging to an Arab country; 2. that he has lawful means of earning his living, is of good character and has not been convicted of an honour-related crime or of an honesty-related crime; 3. that he has knowledge of the Arabic language; 4. that he possesses qualifications or renders services needed in Kuwait; 5. that he be an original Muslim by birth, or that he has converted to Islam according to the prescribed rules and procedures and that a period of at least five years has passed since he embraced Islam before the grant of naturalization. Nationality thus acquired is ipso facto lost and the Decree of naturalization rendered void ab initio if the naturalized person expressly renounces Islam or if he behaves in such a manner as clearly indicates his intention to abandon Islam. In any such case, the nationality of any dependant of the apostate who had acquired it upon the naturalization of the apostate is also rendered void. By law, a Committee of Kuwaiti nationals is appointed by the Minister of the Interior, to select from those who apply for naturalization, the applicants whom it recommends for naturalization. Under Article 5, exceptions to the previous conditions for naturalization may be made by Decree upon the recommendation of the Minister of the Interior for: UNHCR / April 2021 43