S. Arabian nationality: tough terms dampen fervour
By Our Correspondent
RIYADH, May 4: The number of people applying for Saudi citizenship has fallen considerably after the initial rush as most of the applicants realised that it was difficult for them to fulfil many conditions for citizenship that have been set by local authorities. “The most important conditions are that the applicant must have higher education in medicine or engineering, must have stayed in the Kingdom continuously for at least 10 years and have had close family relations with Saudis,” said Zaid al-Tamimi, director of the Saudi Civil Affairs Department, while talking to the press.
According to Al-Tamimi, the number of applicants in Jeddah had dropped by 60 per cent from 10,000 to 4,000 on the second day after the people were given details of conditions required for the Saudi citizenship.
Many of the applicants included South Asian immigrants from Pakistan, India and Bangladesh. In one particular office of the civil affairs department in the southern Jizan region, about 80 per cent of the applicants were Yemenis, according to the al-Madinah Arabic daily.
Official sources said here that more than 100,000 copies of application forms had been distributed on the first day, mainly in Jeddah and Makkah. An 87-year-old Yemeni, Muhammad Khaled, hoped that his application would not be rejected by the authorities. “I have been living here for more than 25 years. All my children were born here and have married Saudis. All my assets are here,” he was quoted as saying in the newspaper.
The Saudi cabinet had announced amendments to the naturalisation law on April 23, which led many to believe that Saudi citizenship was now open to all.
Many of the Asian expatriates were disappointed once they realised that they did not qualify for the citizenship. The prospective applicants included taxi drivers and restaurant workers. Many of these workers feel worried about the prospect holding on to their jobs in the Kingdom, owing to the Saudiization pressure, especially on limousine companies.
Hence many drivers of these limousine companies, mostly from Pakistan and Bangladesh, were seen queuing up for nationality forms, perhaps without realising that they stand very slim chance of acquiring Saudi nationality in its current form. Newspapers here have been saying that many people find the new naturalization laws ‘disappointing’.
