Saudi Arabia is on the path of gradual change, recently the government has announced it will be granting its citizenship to certain individuals based on a decision to be issued by the Prime Minister Mohammad Bin Salman (also the Crown Prince of Kingdom) following recommendations by the Minister of Interior (MoI).
The decision was initially announced on the official Twitter account of the Emirate of Mecca Province and on firday the same got published in the official gazette “Um Al Qura” involves the amendment of Article Eight of the Saudi Nationality Law.
This shows a change from the previous regulations, as Article 28 of the Executive Regulations of the Saudi Nationality Law, which required the Minister of Interior to issue necessary decisions to grant nationality in accordance with Article 8.
Article 8 of the Saudi Arabian Nationality System state that, ” A person who is born in the Kingdom to a foreign father and a Saudi mother may be granted Saudi citizenship if certain requirements are met…”.
The conditions include “that the person needs to be fluent in the Arabic language; must have permanent residence status in the Kingdom when he comes of legal age; he has to be of good conduct and sound character; should not have any criminal convictions or imprisonment for a period exceeding six months for any indecent act”.
