3 yıl önce

UAE to offer citizenship to investors and other professionals

"Investors, specialised talents and professionals including scientists, doctors, engineers, artists, authors, and their families" would be eligible for naturalisation under the new amendment, said Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashed Al Maktoum.

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A picture taken on January 22, 2021 shows Burj Al Arab in Dubai, the United Arabic Emirates.

The United Arab Emirates has adopted amendments that would allow the Gulf state to grant citizenship to investors and other professionals including scientists, doctors and their families, the government said.

"The UAE cabinet, local Emiri courts and executive councils will nominate those eligible for the citizenship under clear criteria set for each category," Dubai's ruler and UAE Vice President Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said in a Twitter post on Saturday.

"The law allows receivers of the UAE passport to keep their existing citizenship," Sheikh Mohammed added.

We adopted law amendments that allow granting the UAE citizenship to investors, specialized talents & professionals including scientists, doctors, engineers, artists, authors and their families. The new directives aim to attract talents that contribute to our development journey.
— HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) January 30, 2021

Changing policy

It was unclear if new passport holders would benefit from the public welfare system.

The UAE spends billions of dollars each year on free education, healthcare, housing loans, and grants for its estimated 1.4 million citizens.

Foreigners in the UAE usually have renewable visas valid for only a few years tied to employment.

The government in recent has made its visa policy more flexible, offering longer residencies for certain types of investors, students, and professionals.

Last year, the government extended its "golden" visa system – which grants 10-year residency in the Gulf state – to certain professionals, specialised degree-holders, and others.

An oil and gas producer, the UAE’s economy has been hit by the coronavirus pandemic and low oil prices, prompting tens of thousands of expatriates to leave.

SOURCE: Reuters