Saudi Arabian Citizenship System - Refworld

1 Kingdom of Saudi ArabiaMinistry of InteriorMinisterial Agency of Civil AffairsSaudi Arabian Citizenship System : The Saudi Citizenship System was approved by the Cabinet according to the Decision no. 4 dated in 25/1/1374 Hijra, as follows:1- This System is called the Saudi Arabian Citizenship System2- This System has no retroactive effect, and all decisions and procedures executed according to the previ-ous systems are considered valid. In addition, the citizenships granted according to the previous systems are considered The following expressions in the System indicate the description below: The Saudi is whoever follows the Government of His Majesty the King according to this System s regula-tions.

2 The Saudi by naturalisation is whoever acquired the Saudi Arabian Citizenship according to its regula-tions. The foreigner is the Non- Saudi . The minor is : underage crazy insane Age of maturity is according to the terms mentioned in the Islamic Shari>ah. Kingdom of Saudi Arabia includes lands, water and atmospheric layer under the sovereignty of the Saudi Arabian . In addition, it includes ships and aircrafts that have the Saudi Arabian The Saudis Are:a- Whoever acquired an Ottoman Nationality in year 1332 Hijra 1914 of original Saudi Arabian land>s Ottoman Citizens born in Saudi Arabian land or residents inside the Kingdom from 1332 Hijra 1914 until 22/3/1345 Hijra and did not acquire a foreign Citizenship prior to this Non-Ottoman Citizens who resided in the Saudi Arabian land from 1332 Hijra 1914 until 22/3/1345 Hijra and did not acquire a foreign Citizenship prior to this date.

3 5- The Term in Paragraph (a) of the 4th Article is valid for original female inhabitants inside the Kingdomof Saudi Arabia who applied for the Saudi Citizenship recovery after their divorce or the husband>s After one year of this System s validity; requests to acquire Saudi Citizenship Certificates are rejected forindividuals matching the Paragraphs (b) and (c) of the 4th Article regarding an underage who he reached the legal age for more than one Individuals born inside or outside the Kingdom from a Saudi father, or Saudi mother and unknown father, or born inside the Kingdom from unknown parents (foundling) are considered Saudis.

4 The foundlinginside the Kingdom is considered born in it unless the opposite is Individuals born inside the Kingdom from Non- Saudi father and Saudi mother may be granted Saudi Citizenship by the decision of The Minister of Interior in case of the following conditions:a- Having a permanent Resident Permit (Iqama) when he reaches the legal Having good behaviour, and never sentenced to criminal judgment or imprisonment for more than six Being fluent in Applying for the Citizenship after one year of reaching the legal Saudi Citizenship can be granted for foreigners if the following conditions are met:a- The applicant must be above the legal age while The applicant must not be crazy or While applying, the following conditions must be considered.

5 1- He must have permanent Resident Permit (Iqama) inside the Kingdom for five years continuously He must have good Never sentenced to criminal judgment or imprisonment for more than six He must poof that his income is applicant>s permanent Resident Permit and legal passport (or any other valid document) must be attachedto the Citizenship application. In addition, all documents that prove the requirements of this System must be attached. 10- Saudi Arabian Citizenship is granted by the Prime Minister according to the guidance of the Minister of Interior.

6 However, the Minister of Interior has the right to reject the application of Saudi Citizenship without mentioning the reasons prior to providing the guidance mentioned Saudis are not permitted to acquire any foreign Citizenship without the permission of the Prime Minis-ter. If a Saudi Citizen acquired a foreign Citizenship without this permission, he will be considered Saudi unless the Saudi Government dropped his Saudi Citizenship according to the term of Article (13).12- If the Saudi Citizen acquired a foreign Citizenship after the permission; his wife loses her Saudi Citi-zenship if the statutory laws of the new Citizenship require that she follows her husband>s nationality, unless she requested (within one year as maximum) to keep her Saudi Arabian Citizenship .

7 Though, his underagechildren follow his new Citizenship (if the statutory laws of the new Citizenship required) and lose their Saudi Citizenship , and they have the right to restore their Saudi Citizenship within one year after reaching the Saudi Citizenship may be withdrawn by a Decree in case of the following:a- If the Saudi Citizen obtained another Citizenship and violated Article (11) of this If the Saudi Citizen worked at the Armed Forces of any foreigner Government without obtaining the permission of the Saudi If the Saudi Citizen worked for the benefit of a foreign Government during its wartime with the King-dom of Saudi Arabia.

8 D- If the Saudi Citizen accepted working for a foreign Government or international Organisation, and remain working for them despite the Saudi Government>s order for him to all cases mentioned in Paragraphs (a, b, c, d) of this Article, the Saudi Citizen must be warned 3 months in advance before withdrawing his Citizenship . According to this System , clearance of his possessions must take place in accordance with the real estate possession System , and he may be deprived of residing in the Saudi Arabian If the foreigner obtained a Saudi Arabian Citizenship ; his wife will obtain it as a result unless she de-cided within the first year to keep her original Citizenship .

9 Underage children residing in Saudi Arabia are con-sidered Saudis if their father obtained the Saudi Citizenship , and they have the right to recover their father>s original Citizenship within one year from reaching the legal age. However, if they were residents outside the Kingdom; they are considered foreigners and they have the right to acquire their father>s Saudi Citizenship within one year from reaching the legal The Saudi naturalised individual can apply for each female under his guardianship to acquire the SaudiCitizenship. 16- The foreign wife of a Saudi may acquire the Saudi Citizenship if she abandoned her original nationalityand required the Saudi Considering Articles (132 133)

10 Of Legal Civil Procedures System , the Saudi female does not lose her Saudi Citizenship if she married a foreigner, unless she is allowed to leave the Kingdom with her husband, and joined her husband>s nationality according to statutory laws of this Saudi wife of a foreigner has the right to recover her Saudi Citizenship in case of divorce and returning to the If an individual lost his Saudi Citizenship , the following terms apply to his wife and children:a- Wife of the individual who have lost his Saudi Citizenship according to the Article (13) have the right whether to follow her husband>s new nationality or to keep her Saudi Nationality, and she has the right to re-cover her Saudi Citizenship in case of divorce.