First Non-Nationality-Based Pathway to Citizenship Announced
February 2, 2021
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At a Glance
- Select categories of foreign nationals will soon be eligible to obtain Emirati citizenship, opening the first non-nationality-based pathway to citizenship in the country. It is not yet clear when the law will go into effect.
- Eligible categories of foreign nationals are expected to include creative talents; doctors and specialists; inventors; investors; and scientists.
- Foreign nationals will be able to retain their other citizenship(s) when obtaining Emirati citizenship.
The situation
The Cabinet of the United Arab Emirates has announced that select categories of foreign nationals will be soon be eligible to obtain Emirati citizenship. It is not yet clear when the law will go into effect.
A closer look
The below table outlines the categories of foreign nationals who are expected to be eligible for the citizenship program, as well as the expected eligibility requirements for each category:
| CATEGORIES | GENERAL ELIGIBILITY CONDITIONS |
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Creative Talents (e.g., artists) |
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Doctors and Specialists |
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Inventors |
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Investors |
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Scientists |
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Other information
- Process for obtaining citizenship. It is expected that eligible foreign nationals will receive a nomination from the government, based on recommendations from the Rulers and Crown Princes’ Courts, Executive Councils and the Cabinet. Foreign nationals will be required to swear to an oath and commit to abiding by the country’s laws.
- Dependent eligibility. It is expected that legal opposite-sex spouses and children of individuals who acquire Emirati nationality will also be eligible to obtain citizenship.
Impact
Foreign nationals who obtain citizenship are expected to benefit from various privileges and rights that are currently reserved for Emiratis, including preferential bank loans, access to social programs, and potentially unrestricted access to property ownership, among other benefits. However, citizenship can be revoked upon a breach of conditions, which have not yet been described.
Background
- Current restrictions. Currently, the United Arab Emirates has a very strict nationality law which only grants Emirati citizenship in narrow circumstances based on birthplace and ancestry or marriage.
- Nationality laws in the Middle East. The United Arab Emirates’ current narrowly-tailored nationality law is commonplace in the Middle East as many of the countries in the region have generous welfare programs which grant benefits to permanent residents and citizens.
- Oil prices affecting permanent residence and citizenship laws. As a result of countries in the region seeking to diversify their economies away from the oil and gas industry, many countries, including Saudi Arabia and Qatar, have implemented permanent residence programs to attract highly-skilled and wealthy foreign nationals to their countries.
Looking ahead
Foreign nationals may be particularly interested in obtaining citizenship during the COVID-19 pandemic, since entry restrictions often only allow permanent residents and/or citizens to enter the country. This could provide an important pathway to entry to the United Arab Emirates that is currently unavailable, especially considering that the United Arab Emirates, like many countries, has and will likely continue to exempt its own citizens from certain entry and health requirements.
Further details of the new law are expected to be released in the coming weeks. Fragomen will provide updates as soon as they are available.
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].
