UAE is the land of opportunities. It attracts businessmen and entrepreneurs from all over the world because of its favorable environment, low crime rate, tax exemption, and more. Investors try to get UAE citizenship by investment for a secure and promising future. Before diving into the process, the question arises: What does UAE citizenship mean?
UAE Citizenship
Citizenship means a person officially belongs to a particular country and can reside there after the local authorities’ acknowledgment. If someone acquires citizenship in the UAE, it means they are a citizen of the UAE. It provides them their right to vote, reside, access and utilize services, and have an Emirates passport.
Benefits of UAE Citizenship
Below are some glaring benefits of UAE Citizenship
- High-Quality Life
- Tax Exemption
- Business Opportunities
- Educational Benefits
- Visa-Free Access To Many Countries
- Friendly Atmosphere
- Easy Processing
How can you become a UAE citizen?
Are you wondering how can you become a UAE citizen? Don’t worry. This article will explain the process of getting UAE citizenship by investment. According to the UAE citizenship policy, an individual can get citizenship only in three particular ways. It includes
- Individuals from any other country can acquire UAE citizenship if they have stayed for more than 30 years in UAE and can speak Arabic fluently. Also, if they have citizenship in any other country, they have to give it up.
- The second criterion is the marriage of women/ men with UAE citizens. The condition of the second criterion is the duration of marriage, which should not be less than seven years.
- The third and last way is if the leaders of the UAE provide an Emirates passport to someone as an honor.
In recent developments, one can keep UAE dual citizenship.
Eligibility Criteria for UAE Citizenship
The rules and conditions mentioned above were set by the UAE authorities for foreign individuals. The rules were changed in favor of investors till 2071. According to a recent law, investors and talented individuals can also get UAE citizenship by investment.
Any entrepreneur and businessman can be a citizen of the UAE if they have great investments and the potential to make a difference in the UAE’s economy. The other individuals that can also fall into this category are scientists, qualified students, and physicians.
Qualified Students
If a student has an international achievement award, a recommendation letter from an authority, and inventions that are patented can become a citizen of the UAE
Physicians
Physicians can also be considered if they have a minimum of ten years of experience in a particular field, a complete understanding of the techniques and methods being used in UAE, are affiliated with organizations, and have worked on scientific research projects.
Scientist and Professionals
A scientist can also apply for citizenship if they are professional, experienced, have done work in research projects, and can provide a recommendation letter.
Investors and Entrepreneurs
For investors, there are no particular criteria mentioned in the citizenship policy. Any investor can become a citizen if they have
- Good financial state
- Good health condition
- Passed a language proficiency test
- Submitted the required documents
- Paid the necessary fee
UAE Citizenship by Investment
As mentioned above, there are several options that you can choose to apply for citizenship. It can be through investments, skills, education, or career achievements. The investment required to become a citizen varies with the program and the emirate, as each emirate has different rules and requirements.
For the real estate investment route, you can acquire citizenship if you have
- A letter from the Department of Land and Real Estate confirming that the applicant owns the property. The value of the property should be more than AED 2,000,000
- Proof of housing
- Obtained a loan from the local bank to purchase property
Application Procedure for UAE citizenship by investment
The application procedure for citizenship consists of three main steps that are followed to approve or deny citizenship
Reviewing Applications
In the first step, a responsible organization named The Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship forms advisory committees and subcommittees that are involved in assessing each applicant separately without any influence of other applicants.
Pre-Approval
In 2nd step, only subcommittees are involved in rechecking the data submitted by the applicants for citizenship and filtering the ones who meet the criteria for citizenship.
Verification and Approval
The third and final step is verification, and then the application is transferred to an advisory committee consisting of several members, with one from each emirate. The final decision is made by the cabinet on whether to approve or deny citizenship.
In case the cabinet or rulers deny the citizenship, you have another option of UAE golden visa to reside in UAE.
Application Process for UAE Residence
In the residence application, the first step is to fill out the paperwork in the typing office. Staff will be there to assist you to make it smooth. Depending upon the nature of your passport, you can visit the UAE for 30 days without the need for a visa. The passport that requires a visa also allows 30 days or 90 days to complete the paperwork.
For a businessman looking for residence who has invested in retailing, real estate, or other sectors, the UAE allows a visa of 6 months that can be renewed. The cherry on top is that you can start this process through an online system instead of arriving in the UAE.
In Dubai, software systems are specified only for handling applications of residence. To get an Emirates ID card, it is necessary to clear medical and security examinations. This particular step ensures that the applicant meets the criteria and is eligible for residence in Dubai.
Conclusion
Entrepreneurs and investors can secure their future and get benefits of UAE citizenship by getting emirates passport. However, this is not an easy process as it has multiple conditions and requirements that should be fulfilled to acquire citizenship. Individuals can also contribute to the economy of the UAE by different routes.
