UAE announces citizenship for investors, doctors, skilled professionals

DUBAI: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has approved law amendments, allowing investors, professionals, people with special talents and their families to acquire the Emirati nationality and passport under certain conditions.

The Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, announced in his Twitter messages, “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.”

“The UAE cabinet, local Emiri courts & executive councils will nominate those eligible for the citizenship under clear criteria set for each category. The law allows receivers of the UAE passport to keep their existing citizenship.”

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

According to Emirates News Agency (WAM), the UAE approved amendments to the Executive Regulation of the Federal Law concerning Nationality and Passports allowing investors, professionals, special talents and their families to acquire the Emirati nationality and passport under certain conditions.

The categories that can qualify to acquire the Emirati nationality include investors, doctors, specialists, inventors, scientists, talents, intellectuals, artists and their families (spouse and children), meanwhile the amendments allow retaining the current nationality.

Acquiring the Emirati citizenship will be done through nominations from Rulers and Crown Princes Courts, Executive Councils, and the Cabinet based on federal entities nominations.