UAE amends citizenship law, offers citizenship for selected expatriates; All you need know

The UAE has adopted amendment to some of the provisions of the Federal Law on Citizenship and Passports which will now grant Emirati citizenship to selected expatriates. The new amendment allows for the retention of the current nationality of the holder.

The UAE Vice President and Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum announced on Saturday the momentous new law of which eligible expats includes foreign investors, doctors, scientists, artists and talented people and their families and their families.

The applications will be channelized through the offices of rulers, crown princes and the executive council of each of the seven emiratesor cabinets. However, the government is yet to proclaim how eligible emigrants would be nominated.

Here are the requirements for granting of nationality for each category as specified in the regulations

Investors are required to own a property in the UAE.

Doctors and specialists need to be specialized in a unique scientific field or disciplines of scientific importance to the Arab State. He/she should have a membership in a prestigious organization in the specialized field and also not less than 10 years of practical experience.

Scientists must be an active researcher in his field of expertise in a university or any respective institutions with minimum work experience of 10 years in the same field. They must have contributed to their field such as attaining a prestigious scientific award or substantial research funding and must also be recommended by internationally-recognized institutions.

Inventors are required to have an approved patent of the UAE Ministry of Economy or any reputed international body for their inventions and also a recommendation letter from the UAE Ministry of Economy.

Meanwhile, talented individuals such as intellectuals or artists should be a recipient of one or more international awards in their field and a recommendation letter from the competent government authorities in these fields.

The step aims at assessing and empowering the competencies and those with talents and achievements within the social fabric of the UAE.