The Ways of Getting UAE Citizenship

The UAE is a country attracting foreign investors and migrants. According to statistics, less than 20% of Dubai’s population is indigenous. Until 2021, non-residents could obtain UAE citizenship predominantly by naturalization. An individual had to reside in its territory for a minimum of 30 years to become a state’s citizen. However, recently, the authorities adopted amendments to the Citizenship and Passport Law to make nationality more accessible for several categories of foreigners. We have developed a mini-guide to the primary ways non-residents can acquire the status of UAE citizens.

Advantages of Citizenship in the UAE

As in other countries, UAE natives possess greater advantages than expats and stateless migrants.

Citizenship gives the opportunity to receive a number of benefits from the state. Passport holders can count on financial assistance to pay for utilities. Depending on each emirate’s policy, upon the marriage or the birth of a child, natives can obtain a fairly large cash payment or a land plot. In addition, they receive free school and university education.

In most cases, citizens traditionally occupy higher posts and, correspondingly, can claim a larger salary. The subjects have a right to open their own businesses. They are eligible to retire with 20 years of work experience.

The children of UAE passport holders automatically get Emirate citizenship.

The UAE’s subjects don’t have to pay tax on income. The fee rates for citizens are quite low.

The UAE’s passport gives its owner the chance to visit more than 170 states without a residence visa. The list of countries includes the members of the Schengen Area, Great Britain, Canada, etc.

The Ways of Receiving Dubai Citizenship

The current legislation provides for five ways to get citizenship.

Descent

The easiest way to receive nationality in the UAE is to be born into a family of full-fledged natives. Since citizenship is passed down by blood, the child gets a status regardless of which country they were born in. If both parents are foreigners, the kid doesn’t receive nationality by birth. The exception refers only to children whose parents were not identified.

If the child’s father is a UAE citizen, the baby also gets this status, even in case the mother is a foreigner. However, if the father is non-resident, the kid doesn’t receive nationality regardless of the mother’s status. The child becomes a native if the mother has an Emirates’ passport and the father is unknown.

Investing

It is possible to get UAE citizenship by way of investment. The primary condition is to be the owner of real estate in the country. The government doesn’t disclose the minimum property’s value required to get nationality. It considers all applications on an individual basis. In most cases, the investors allocate more than AED 10,000,000 ($2,700,000) to the real estate to receive citizenship.

In addition to the opportunity to get citizenship by way of investment in Dubai, the amount of invested money also affects the duration of a residence visa. For instance, to obtain a two-year visa, it is enough to purchase a housing option worth AED 750,000. To receive a permit for a period of five years, investors buy property whose value exceeds AED 1,000,000. There is also an opportunity to receive a 10-year entrance permit, known as a golden visa. It is available for investors who purchase property worth AED 2,000,000.

Marriage

According to legislation, the UAE citizenship requirements state that only women can count on the Emirates’ passport after marriage to a UAE citizen. A foreign girl is eligible to apply for a passport after 7 years of marriage if the couple has a child or after 10 years if they are childless. The woman retains the status even in the case of divorce.

Naturalization

Since the Dubai citizenship benefits are obvious, most migrants seek to obtain a UAE passport. Getting nationality by naturalization is only available to those who have been permanently residing in the state for 30 years. The terms are reduced for people with Arab roots. For instance, those whose parents have lived in Bahrain, Oman, or Qatar are eligible to submit an application for nationality after three years of life in the UAE. In other cases, they must wait for 7 years. Another exception refers to foreigners who carry out honorable service in the state. They can obtain nationality immediately.

Foreigners apply for the status on the basis of official employment, leading entrepreneurial activity, or training. Dubai citizenship requirements state that foreigners that intend to get a passport by naturalization have to:

• know fluently the Arabian language;
• stay in the Emirates for 30 years;
• corroborate the legal source of revenue;
• provide the address of residency;
• confirm that they have a higher education;
• provide a police statement of trustworthiness.

The applicant must be fully integrated into the UAE’s society and have a good reputation confirmed by one or two individuals in the UAE. Foreigners who plan to obtain a passport have to comply with the Emirates’ laws. Each application is thoughtfully checked by the UAE Security Service. After the application’s approval, the foreigner must swear fealty to the Emirates and refuse citizenship status in other countries. Then, they can count on all the benefits of UAE citizenship.

Outstanding Services

Accelerated naturalization in the UAE is available for talented foreigners with outstanding services. Highly-qualified specialists with significant achievements in the fields of information technology, medicine, sport, science, and art can claim citizenship. The amendments to the law don’t specify the duration of residence in the UAE before application. Applicants must have a minimum of 10 years of work experience in the sphere of activity and possess patents, awards, and prizes that confirm the special contribution to science or culture. All candidates are considered by sheikhs, Emirates’ councils, and the UAE Cabinet.

• Doctors should corroborate affiliation with a reputable institution to obtain rapid UAE naturalization.
• Scientists provide a letter of recommendation from recognizable scientific establishments in the UAE.
• Inventors must receive a minimum of one patent from the UAE or an international organization to get UAE citizenship.
• Representatives of the creative professions may be laureates of international accolades and should prove the originality of their works.

The process of applying for UAE citizenship is not facile. In most cases, it requires not only a package of documents but also plenty of time. Among the comfortable and rapid ways of getting a status is investing in real estate.

If you intend to receive a UAE passport for a foreigner by investing money in property, contact our experts. The real estate agency Golden Bee provides a complex of services and helps you select and buy property in the Emirates. We’ll offer you only high-quality housing options from reliable developers. Our specialists will prepare all the documents for the deal, provide legal support for the transaction, and give advice on all the nuances of applying for UAE nationality.