Tough terms for Saudi citizenship
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If you are a resident and lived permanently in Saudi Arabia for 10 years, and you got a certification from the preacher of the local mosque that you attend for regular worship, you are granted a citizenship of Saudi Arabia!
Posted by Haitham Sabbah
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25 Comments on “Tough terms for Saudi citizenship”
The requirements are certainly more stringent than you report. Among other things, one must have advanced degrees in a very narrow range of professional specialties.
The decision to grant saudi citizenship is a great news for the expatriates, but the news is not what they need they need the citizenship if they would get one any time.
You must also be fluent in reading and writing Arabic. Funny because I know many Saudis who are not fluent in writing Arabic.
u mean u cannot get a saudi citznship unless you can read and write Arabic?
you can get in the heavens before you can become a ssaudi citizen.
you have to be lucky to get one .the citizenship is granted by the king or a powerfull prince.
keep on dreaming ….
My two nephews were BORN in saudi arabia, but cannot get citiznship. To hell with the Kingdom!
it’s one big lie no one get it yet, my father has a PhD. Degree for more than 24 years he is working in saudi & they wont give it to him.
I know some people who are fifty year+ residents & they would treat them like a one day residents….
& lets not forget that almost all of the arab countries are like that…
Who ever qualifies for Saudi can easily qualify for Canadian immigration. A Canadian citizen can enter all european, common Wealth, America and other’s like japan, korea etc. without a visa. It gives you a huge network to go easily and pursue educational or business ambitions. What does saudia gives, ONLY GULF I BELIVE.
Good luck in your visa application for the above countries !
Hi my name is yasir, i was born in saudia arabia and did my basic education from saudia arabia, my father was a director in saudia textile company, and you can find the name of my father in WORLD TRADE DRICTORY.I was in USA FOR THE LAST 13 YEARS AND NOW IN PAKISTAN BECAUSE OF 9/11, BECAUSE USA IMMIGRATION AND NATURALIZATION SERVICE THOUGHT THAT I WAS BORN IN SAUDIA ARABIA SO I SHOULD HAVE SAUDI PASSPORT BUT I HAVE A PAKISTANI PASSPORT BECAUSE MY FAMILY ARE FROM PAKISTAN, SO NOW I AM REQUESTING THE KNGDOM OF SAUDIA ARABIA THAT PLS GIVE ME THE CITIZEN SHIP OF SAUDIA .
Hey everybody,i have a couple of questions to ask.I would be thankful if someone answers them:I am an American Immigrant with Indian citizenship,presently i am compleating my education with science as my major,by the time i finish my education i would get my american citizenship but i like to be a Saudi citizen and reside in Saudi Arabia.Also i am unmarried,so will i or my children get Saudi Citizenship if i marry a Saudi Girl or is there any other way by which i can be a permanent resident of Saudi Arabia.
Firstly Muddassir, Saudi Arabia does not allow duel citizenship (the article below claims you can ask permission for this, but to my knowledge this is rarely granted IF at all,) Secondly, only if you are a Muslim could you marry a Saudi girl AND you would have to be granted permission by the Saudi government to do this, because Saudi citizens are NOT allowed to marry citizens from other countries without permission. It is much more common for a Saudi male to marry a foreign female than the other way around, although Saudi females marrying foreigners has become slightly more common. Saudis MIGHT marry foreigners without permission, but that doesn’t mean KSA will recognize it. If this is the case and your marriage is done outside the kingdom you would not be allowed to go there UNLESS it is recognized. Many people have tried getting their marriages acknowledged after the fact and have failed to get the acceptance. Thirdly, you have to RESIDE in Saudi Arabia for a LONG time before KSA would even consider granting you citizenship (minimum ten years) which they RARELY do. This article says it will be easier for expats to apply http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1§ion=0&article=58980&d=14&m=2&y=2005
BUT, at the same time, KSA is going through a stepped up Saudization plan which seeks to limit foreign workers because for one thing unemployment in the kingdom has become so high and KSA feels they should employ their OWN citizens before employing foreigners. Under the Saudization plan, foreign workers are being limited in the amount of time they are allowed to stay in the country.If you were a MALE Saudi, your children would automatically get citizenship. If your children were born outside the country you would have to get the proper paper work to apply for it AND your child would NOT be allowed duel citizenship with any other country. IF you travel to KSA with a Saudi passport with another passport also in your possession, it will be confiscated. Also, you MUST have an exit visa to leave KSA if traveling on a foreign passport. That is the information I have and if any one else has other information reading here I would like to hear it myself. (bottom line is that getting Saudi citizenship is DIFFICULT-most foreign wives who I know keep their own citizenship and have to deal with residency visas, exit visas etc.)
i want saudi’s citizenship how can i get it.i’m an indian an want to go to saudi with saudi’s citizen ship .i’m a muslim will i get saudi’s citizenship
Or you could have lots and lots of money and slip in a envelope full of cash to move your file to the top? lol.
I hear non-arabs are generally looked down upon, but westerners in particular americans are treated like god status overthere. Most probably hearsay, but i doubt it.
salam,jamal here..i m a muslim & i was born in saudi-arabia in 1986 & lived there for almost 10 years , i have my saudi birth certificate.. so can i get saudi citizenship now???
forgive me for being abrupt here, but saudi citizenship isnt worth da SHIT—its 2 overrated—i cant believe y many ppl above mostly from pakistan or india wana get saudi citizenship when they treat ur citizens like dirt—it would be betteroff trying 2 get EU, canadian, or australian citizenship—saudi passports dont hold da same value they used 2 about a decade ago—and whatever was left, 9/11 took it away—and ppl here r so naive that they think once they get a saudi passport, they will automatically becum rich—-rite now, i personally know through some friends and family that unemployment is quite high among saudi youth—u would think the govt. gives each of its youth high stipends 2 help them out but its not as common as portrayed—dont fool urself—in fact saudi citizens who r of no good r secretly encouraged by govt. officials 2 immigrate 2 canada or australia and da govt. since they dont want such burden in their own country—plz think twice and then again what u wish for.
Watch out.. Saudis do have oil but its the worst place and the Saudis as people are just arrogant and narrow minded. I am a muslim and visited Saudi Arabia for Hajj. My causin lived and raised his kids there to only have to leave after retiring from Abdu’aziz university in Jeddah.
So they have money, but the last place on earth you would want to be. Horrible justice if you’re not Saudi.
Nothing personal for the Saudi Citizens.
This is to response to zani and more—basically most of the people dont think that getting Saudi passport would change their destiny and people know that Saudi passport isnt as strong as of US,UK and other EU countries…infact expatriates do want Saudi nationality to make Saudi Arabia as their permanent home since they have been living here for long time. I am 26 and we came here when i was just 5 years old, naturally i would like to make Saudi Arabia as my home…but unfortunately this seems to be just a dream. I studied abroad…my friends used not to beleive that as i was staying in Saudi Arabia for long and dont have Saudi passport.
Actually i dont want a saudi passport what i want is permanent residence which i can use to leave and come back freely, build a home and have some rights,Saudi government should introduce some solution like this. But Saudi people (..not government) are still not that mature like western people to accept the foreign people to take even citizenship…it will take decades for them to understand.
Can anybody please state the LATEST requirements for obtaining the Saudi citizenship (I am an non-Arab Pakistani-Canadian with Pakistani and Canadian citizenship. I am a sunni muslim male with no Saudi relatives):
the following is the requirements I keep on hearing:
Must be PhD in either medical or engineering sciences….How about computer science? What if I only have computer science bachelors or masters?
Must have a job required by Kingdom….what the heck does that mean?
Must contribute to the public sector….some examples of this please?
Have lived there 10-20 years…big deal, time will pass by.
Must read and write Arabic…if at local level, sure but do they mean poetic level or what???
Also,
As a non-Saudi citizen,
Is it possible for me to bring to Saudi Arabia my parents with me (on family visa) so they can live with me as I am their only son?
I really want my parents to be with me.
To all,
Majority, almost all who want Saudi citizenship understand the other side of getting one. However, if you notice, almost all, including me, are those who have lived in Saudi Arabia for a long time and now are not in Saudi at the moment and are young.
We don’t care about the societal problems (they exist everywhere whether you are in Saudi or Pakistan or Canada)…just different ones. For us, Saudi Arabia is a very attractive option due to the closeness to Pakistan, and the huge population of Pakistanis there to mingle with (Saudis are great too). Other than that, it is also the birthplace of Islam and if you live in Jeddah, you can drive frequently to Islam’s holiest cities to cleanse your spirit again and again…tell me, is there any XYZ country which can do this for muslims? The reward of being near Islam’s holiest sites yet at the sametime to live in a World class economy is worth any sorts of consequences.
I don’t even want any of the benefits offered to Saudi citizens, just the citizenship so I can live there for the rest of my life and work there. That is all.
Hi, this is a very interesting issue. You can call me Piper, I am from one of Asian countries, known as the largest Moslem population in the world. Currently I live in USA where I met my boyfriend-from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. We have loved each other so much, until last month he told me that our relationship will not last forever because he said “SAUDI nationality CAN NOT marry OTHER nationality”. I want to know if this is true. Please explain, I’d really appreciate it.
Piper,
I hate to break it to you, but NOT true. Without sounding like an advise column writer, I would seriously wonder if I were you why he told you something that is not true, especially having a relationship in which you “loved each other so much”. There are rules about this, but cultural practices are another thing. PERHAPS he knows his family wouldn’t be accepting of him marrying a foreigner and this is why he told you this. If you are a Muslim yourself, it should make things easier though if his family is very traditional. Good luck whatever happens.
Saudi Marriage Restrictions to Foreigners
When it comes to a Saudi marrying a foreigner government permission is required and the marriage must be approved, recognized and registered with the government in order for the couple to have full rights and benefits. If the Saudi wishes for his wife or her husband to live or travel to the Kingdom it is essential to have a sanctioned approved marriage. Otherwise, among other things, the husband would not be viewed as a legal ‘mahrem’ (guardian) and therefore prohibited from being publicly together. Even if a couple marries outside the Kingdom they should still want the marriage registered with the Saudi courts for inheritance reasons as well as other rights. Saudis who wish to marry a foreign spouse are supposed to obtain government approval PRIOR to the marriage. In numerous cases it does not work out that way. Many couples face difficulties and rather than be apart or “live in sin†they will marry either in an Islamic, civil or other type of marriage ceremony without waiting for the official government approval. However, until government approval is obtained and the spouse has an iqama which identifies the Saudi spouse as the sponsor, forget about coming to the Kingdom.
http://xrdarabia.org/2007/12/25/saudis-marrying-foreigners/
Also: “Marrying foreigners is a burden on some citizens”
http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1§ion=0&article=108605&d=5&m=4&y=2008
I want to know how to get a permanent resident visa in Saudi Arabia. I am born in Saudi Arabia. I was recently hired by a company in Al-khobar but they required me to get a permanent resident visa. I dont know how to get one. my parents is in Saudi Arabia. I want to know if I qualify to be a permanent resident in Saudi Arabia. my father is an architect and my mother is a medical technologist. I am a bit confused about KSA laws on immigration. please help me in my predicament. thank you.
Yo!!!!!
Well Sheryne, you need to speak to your employer who is giving you job inorer to get you a work permit visa.. which is basically allow you to eneter into Saudi and work. Once you enter into Kingdom then your employer will apply a resident permit on your behalf then u are Temp. Perm Resident. which means you can only stay inthe Kingdom untill you have job with your employer who got you the resident permit. well.. wish you all the best..
Now for all of those who have reaised so many question regarding saudi nationality..
My father working here for last 25 years and well educated speak english and arbic even write arbic.. but when is time to apply belive me they will not not consider at all.. just one word u can hear from there mouth YALLAAAH YALHAAA Bukraaa.. that mean go go tomorrow and that Bukra ( tomorrow never comes lol )
Now let me put this very straight now saudi people are getting better getting education from EU or american university and coming back to saudi to work and which is fair thats there country plus dont forget is tax free country if any boyd have problem living in Kingdom i think they should go back to their homeland and work where they dont get even glass of water or even electric in their house.. i.e India, Bangladesh.. i will not include Pakistan coz i been to pakistan and belive me its DON DADDY place.. and i been to INDIA its full or RAT and shit hole…no harm to Indian its all Indian govt fault..
let me go back to my main point..regarding Saudi Nationality.. belive me YOU DONT WANT that.. you better of staying with your nationality… even you get Sajudi nationality you still be INDIAN OR PAKI OR BANGALIII LOL so forget about it.. it will take decades for these people to understand human rights.. first they need to understand islam coz they dont even let women to drive the car where no where in ISLAM OR in Quran says women cannot drive… this is just all f********* CRAP.. so you know what.. just do you job work hard make tax free income and get your yard in ur home land and have fun… you get me.. now go back to your normal life and make the most of it.. also my wife just said I am loner coz at 2:00 am i am talking about saudi nationality in this blog… lol.. what ever…
Ta.
Aslamualikum to all.
i am a pakistani & 39 years old i want to live in saduia arabia with my family how i can get citizan ship of KSA. i am working with oil & gas multinational company in pakistan may i get job in the related field
This Kingdom clearly sucks: a bunch of lazy unproductive, rascist fat slobs squandering billions over billions and saying Yes and Amen to their US-Zionist masters, Screw them!! who wants to live there? expats, stay true to ur home country!
Well i am a pakistani.. ive been in saudi for abt 12 years now & frankly speaking.. i love the country..i love the tax free income & i love the peace but i hate saudis and as pakwarrior said “BUNCH OF LAZY, UNPRODUCTIVE N RACIST FAT BASTARDS” so guys forget abt the citizenship bullshit!!!!