Obtaining and registration of UAE citizenship

The UAE is synonymous with wealth, stability and economic growth. The authorities of this country carefully guard the luxurious life from migrants. Is it possible to obtain citizenship in the UAE? It is almost impossible to become a full-fledged citizen of this country, but if there are good reasons, it is still worth trying.

UAE law: who can obtain citizenship

According to the Constitution of the state, the following can become owners of a UAE resident's passport:

• The wives of Arab subjects;
• Persons born into a family of Arab citizens;
• Foreigners who have lived in the country legally for at least 30 years;
• Migrants who have distinguished themselves by special services to the state.

Different emirates have an identical algorithm for acquiring citizenship. The only difference is the number of years that a migrant must live in the country in order to issue a citizen certificate. So, for Bahrain, Qatar and Oman this is 7 years, for the rest of the emirates, including Dubai - from 30 years old.

Who is prohibited from applying for citizenship

Certain categories of foreigners are completely prohibited from claiming citizenship. So, citizenship will never be obtained:

• Asians and black migrants;
• Immigrants from Israel;
• Indigenous Jews;
• Foreign husbands of UAE citizens;
• Individuals who do not intend to renounce their original citizenship.

Grounds for obtaining Arab citizenship

There are several grounds that are considered significant for the assignment of UAE citizenship. This:

1. Conclusion of an official marriage between a UAE citizen and a foreigner;
2. Citizenship by birth and descent;
3. Naturalization;
4. Special services to the authorities of the country (for scientists, athletes, creative people).

The Arab state does not need financial investments from foreigners, so it will not be possible to obtain citizenship on the basis of investments. The same goes for buying real estate.

Citizenship by birth and descent

By birthright, Arab citizenship is automatically granted. This rule mainly applies to minors.

So, a child becomes a citizen of the UAE if:

• Both of his parents are nationals of the country;
• His father is a UAE citizen;
• He was found on the territory of the country, and his parents are unknown or stateless;
• His mother is a citizen of the UAE, his father is a citizen of another country or is unknown (in this situation, the child himself applies for citizenship when he turns 18 years).

Citizenship by origin is assigned to persons who were born into a family of two UAE citizens. And it doesn't matter where the birth took place - within the country or in any other state.

Marriage

The method is relevant only for foreign women who are going to marry Arab men. However, a wedding does not automatically imply citizenship.

Several conditions are required:

1. Newlyweds must live together for at least 5 years. This requirement changes regularly, in 2019 this period was increased to 7 years;
2. In marriage, two children must be born;
3. The woman first renounces her original citizenship;
4. Obtaining citizenship requires permission from the Arab Ministry of Internal Affairs;
5. The prospective spouse must obtain approval from all family members of the future husband;
6. If your new spouse is serving in the military, you will also need permission from the Department of Defense.

Religion allows Arab men to marry only girls who practice Christianity, Islam or Judaism. At the same time, UAE citizens are prohibited from marrying young people not of their nationality.

Important! A girl may lose the citizenship acquired after marriage if she files for divorce and remarries with a subject of another state.

Naturalization

The process is the longest, but it makes it possible to obtain a UAE passport without family ties with the citizens of the country. To apply for citizenship, a migrant from Russia or other CIS countries must come to the UAE on a resident visa and remain on good grounds.

This could be:

• Buying real estate value more than 270 million dollars;
• Outstanding services to the country (relevant for athletes who compete in international competitions from the UAE);
• Employment (getting a job in the UAE is almost impossible, but rare specialists sometimes succeed).

To obtain citizenship through naturalization from a migrant, the following conditions must be met:

1. Having a stable high income from legal sources. It should be enough to provide for all family members;
2. Fluency in Arabic at a conversational level;
3. Living in the country not less than 30 years legally. For residents of Oman, Bahrain and Qatar, the period is shortened up to 7 years old;
4. Excellent reputation in society, no criminal record.

Nuances

The UAE passport, which is handed over to Russian migrants, does not at all endow them with the rights of citizens of the country. This is a residence permit that allows you to freely visit other countries.

A real passport of an Arab citizen can only be issued by persons who apply for citizenship by birth / descent or have extraordinary merit to the country.

Double citizenship

The United Arab Emirates categorically does not accept dual citizenship. A migrant will have to give up their home country passport in order to become a UAE citizen.

Citizenship process

If a foreigner has lived in the country for a sufficient time or has other special conditions, he has the right to start the procedure for obtaining a passport.

To begin with, he will have to collect an impressive package of documents:

• Written application for the conferment of citizenship addressed to the President of the UAE;
• Passport with copies;
• Proof of the basis for legal stay (marriage / birth certificate, certificate of special merit, employment contract or real estate purchase);
• Family book, which lists all the wives of the head of the family and his children;
• A testimony from the employer and neighbors, proving the integrity of the applicant;
• Proof of 30-year residence in the UAE;
• Police clearance certificates;
• State duty check;
• Income Tax Return (Applicant's monthly earnings must be from 5000 dollars).

The applicant will have to pass an examination on knowledge of the culture, history and laws of the UAE. Language proficiency is tested through an interview and a written examination. Also, the foreigner will have to participate in several conversations that will help the officers to establish the identity of the applicant.

Where to submit documents

The collected papers with certificates of passing the exams, the foreigner must submit to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the country. However, the final decision always rests with the head of state. If the president has approved the migrant as a new UAE citizen, he is invited to take the oath.

Cost and terms

The amount of the state duty for obtaining citizenship is constantly growing, so the current figure needs to be clarified with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. If the issuance of citizenship is refused, the money paid will not be returned.

Consideration of an application can take up to three years, in rare cases even longer. If typos, errors or unconfirmed information were found in the documents, the papers are returned for reissuance.

In this case, for re-filing, you will have to pay the fee again.

Why they can refuse and what to do

Officials have the right to refuse to issue a certificate of citizenship to a migrant if:

• He is not going to renounce his previous citizenship;
• The foreigner is a soldier of another state and has not coordinated this issue with the Arab authorities;
• You have an outstanding conviction, a suspended sentence, or an active criminal case in which the applicant is a witness;

False information or forgeries were found in the documents;

• The migrant's income is lower than necessary;
• A foreigner has spent more than 4 years outside the country after applying for citizenship.

The foreigner cannot appeal against the final decision of the authorities. He has two choices - to reconcile and forget about obtaining citizenship or to apply again. The state fee will have to be paid again, but they do not take money for filing papers, so you can apply an unlimited number of times. However, such persistence threatens a foreigner with deportation from the country.

Obtaining UAE citizenship is an almost insoluble task for a migrant. You will have to spend a lot of effort, time and money to try to get a citizen certificate.

Therefore, many foreigners live in the country as residents. This allows them to enjoy many government benefits, as well as legally live and work in the country.