After the passing of a new law, Saudi Arabia has announced its intention to grant citizenship to certain foreign nationals. The law permits Prime Minister and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to do so upon proposal from the Minister of Interior.
The Ministry of Interior announced the decision on the official Twitter account of Makkah Al-Mukarramah, with the amendment published in the official gazette Um Al Qura on Friday. As per the amendment to Article Eight of the Saudi Nationality Law, a person born to a Saudi mother and foreign father may apply for citizenship if they are over 18, fluent in Arabic language, possess good conduct, and have not been imprisoned for more than six months.
Some activists have raised concerns that this amendment will make it harder for Saudi women to naturalise their children due to additional legal obstacles. Currently, children with a Saudi father automatically receive citizenship, which is also the case in most states in the region. The kingdom introduced a formal naturalisation programme for foreigners with specialised skills in November 2021, following in the footsteps of the UAE.
تُمنح الجنسية العربية السعودية بأمر من رئيس #مجلس_الوزراء بناءً على اقتراح #وزير_الداخلية. pic.twitter.com/RH5oaeVCmW
— إمارة منطقة مكة المكرمة (@makkahregion) March 17, 2023
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