International Desk: For the first time, the United Arab Emirates has announced the granting of citizenship to foreign nationals, provided they contribute to the developmentof the Gulf states of the region.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the country's vice president and ruler of Dubai said, those considered eligible for citizenship would include investors, specialised talents, doctors, engineers and artists. They and their families will be able to hold dual nationality, he added.

According to a BBC report, low-income workers are less likely to meet these strict criteria. Sheikh Mohammad said their goal is to attract people who can contribute to the development of his country. There is no procerure for applying for citizenship, but the UAE royal family or officials will decide who to be granted citizenship.

He said the UAE cabinet would then decide who are eligible. The announcement came amid the Corona epidemic and falling oil prices. Thousands of foreigners have recently left the country.

The Abu Dhabi-based newspaper The National said the new system would allow experts and foreign investors to build a deeper foundation in the country.

The rise of the Gulf state as a financial and tourism hub depends entirely on the expatriates. Foreign workers are usually given a renewable visa that is valid for several years and that visa is primarily associated with employment.

Where low-income workers are neglected, the UAE offers long-term opportunities for certain categories of people, including investors, students and professionals. In 2019, Sheikh Mohammed introduced the Golden Card Visa system, which allows doctors, scientists, and students who have done well in school to stay with their families for 10 years. A good number of people were given this opportunity last year.

Under the new citizenship scheme, investors must own property in the UAE, physicians must specialize in a field that has high demand, inventors must obtain patents approved in the UAE, and creative individuals must apply in their respective fields, according to a list published by WAM News Agency.

The country spends billions of dollars on free education, health care, housing loans and grants for its estimated 1.4 million citizens.

Citizenship is not usually granted to residents of Gulf countries. It is given only to the wives of Emirati men and the children of Emirati fathers. Children of Emirati mothers married to foreigners do not get citizenship but instead they have to apply, the process can take several years.

Sun News