Granting citizenship to all expatriates who did not leave Saudi Arabia before that date.. Are you one of them?
In the current days, happy news has spread about the issuance of a royal decree in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia according to which Saudi nationality is granted to foreign expatriates and expatriates who have not left Saudi Arabia within a certain period of time. This news sparked a great interaction among expatriates who dream of obtaining Saudi nationality and benefiting from the benefits that a Saudi citizen obtains.
Amending the Nationality Law in Saudi Arabia
Within the framework of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s endeavor to achieve the goals of its National Vision for the year 2023, and its keenness and concern for its citizens and the country’s renaissance and progress, the Kingdom has made new amendments to several laws, including the Naturalization Law. The Kingdom has opened the door to naturalization for many scientists, innovators, talents, distinguished people, and holders of scientific degrees and competencies who will contribute to the renaissance and development of the Kingdom.
Conditions for obtaining Saudi nationality
To obtain the Saudi nationality, the willing persons have to fulfill some specific conditions and requirements. Below we will review some of these conditions:
- Legal residence: The person must have legal residence in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and fulfill all requirements and laws related to residence.
- Residence period: The applicant must have spent a specified period of time in the Kingdom without leaving it, according to the period specified in the royal decree issued in this regard.
- Good Behavior: The applicant must display good behavior and have a good reputation in the community, and comply with local laws and customs.
- Contribute to development: Obtaining Saudi citizenship requires that the applicant make tangible contributions to the economic, social and cultural development of the Kingdom, whether through scientific research, innovative projects, or charitable and voluntary work.
Benefit from the Saudi nationality
Once a person obtains the Saudi nationality, he is entitled to take advantage of the many advantages and benefits that a Saudi citizen enjoys. Among these advantages:
- Social rights: Saudi citizens have the right to benefit from social services provided by the state, such as health care, education, and social security.
- Economic rights: Saudi citizens enjoy wider job opportunities in various sectors, and can enjoy the benefits and labor rights specified in the Saudi Labor Law.
- Political rights: Saudi citizens have the right to participate in the political process, vote in elections, and participate in national efforts.
- Traveling with a Saudi passport: Saudi citizens can travel to many countries with a Saudi passport with greater ease and flexibility.
summary
The step of amending the Nationality Law in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a positive sign towards achieving the goals of the Kingdom’s Vision 2023 and its comprehensive development. Granting Saudi nationality to scholars, talents and competencies enhances the country’s renaissance and reflects the Kingdom’s commitment to attracting distinguished human cadres. Obtaining Saudi citizenship requires meeting specific conditions that include legal residency and the period of residence in the Kingdom, in addition to good behavior and contribution to national development. Among the advantages available to Saudi citizens is benefiting from social services and economic opportunities and participating in the political process.
Those eligible for citizenship:
Specific categories of persons who can obtain Saudi nationality if they meet the required conditions. These categories include:
- People who were subject to the Ottoman Empire in 1332 AH corresponding to 1914 AD and were the original inhabitants of the territory of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
- Ottoman subjects who were born in the lands of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and were residing in it from 1332 AH to 1914 AD and did not acquire a foreign nationality before a certain date.
- Persons who were not Ottoman subjects and were residing in the territory of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the period from 1332 AH to 1914 AD and maintained their residence in the Kingdom and did not acquire a foreign nationality before a certain date.
According to the new amendment in Article Eight of the Saudi Nationality Law, Saudi nationality can be granted to persons born in the Kingdom of a Saudi mother and a foreign father, provided that the required conditions are met.
The most important conditions that must be met to obtain Saudi nationality include reaching the age of majority, acquiring residency status for 10 consecutive years, being mentally and physically sound, of good conduct and behavior, not having been sentenced to imprisonment for a moral crime, and having a required profession. in the country, and to be fluent in the Arabic language.
The passport or any other documents recognized by the competent authorities must be presented, in addition to any documents related to the nationality to which the person belongs and any other documents that support his claim to obtain Saudi nationality.
It should be noted that Saudi Arabia has approved the privileged residency system within the framework of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, which provides benefits to beneficiaries in return for a fee paid to obtain permanent or temporary residency. Saudi Arabia also announced the granting of Saudi citizenship to a number of distinguished competencies and rare experiences, in line with Vision 2030.
I hope that is clear and useful to you. If you have any other questions, feel free to ask.
Those eligible to obtain Saudi nationality
The new system appears to include specific categories of workers and professionals who can apply for Saudi nationality. According to the professions mentioned in Article 9 of the system, the covered categories are:
- engineers.
- Scientists.
- innovators.
- Pharmacists.
- Energy experts.
- Technologists.
- sectors of atomic energy.
- space field.
- Internet.
The conditions for applying for Saudi nationality include:
- Entry of the applicant to Saudi territory in a legal manner.
- Possession of a valid passport through which one can return to the country of origin.
- Having a residence permit valid for at least 10 consecutive years according to the regular residence permit he holds.
- The applicant must be one of the professions needed by the Kingdom.
- The applicant must obtain a total score of at least 33 points, and the points are distributed as follows:
- 13 points for the required residency period of at least 10 consecutive years.
- Additional points are allocated to the profession proven by the applicant through the educational qualification, where the number of points is determined according to the level of education (13 points for a doctorate in medicine or engineering, 10 points for a doctorate in other fields, 8 points for a master’s degree, 5 points for a bachelor’s degree).
- 10 points related to family ties if there are Saudi relatives of the applicant (3 points for a Saudi father or mother, 2 points for the applicant’s wife if she is Saudi, 2 points for Saudi children and brothers, and 1 point for one brother).
- The minimum score is 23 points.
Steps to apply for Saudi nationality
The steps to apply for Saudi nationality include the following:
- Log in to the “Absher” platform through the available link and log in using your account data.
- Select the “My Services” icon, then click on the “Book an Appointment” icon among the available options.
- Select the Civil Status Department closest to you to submit the application. Then select the reason for the reservation and select “Submit a naturalization application”.
- Submit all required official documents that support your application as per the Ministry’s requirements.
- Select the date of submission of the citizenship application, write your registration number, submit all required official documents and fill in all required data.
- The request will be studied and you will be notified of a response in case of approval or rejection. In case of refusal, the reason for refusal will be explained.
