Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabian Nationality Law

Date of adoption

23 September 1954

Last amended: 14 February 1985

Entry into force

1954

Text versions

Arabic

Source:

– Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, accessed: 21 May 2013.

Abstract

Art. 4 Saudi nationals to be:

a) Any person who was an Ottoman national on 1332 H/ 1914 G who was member of the indigenous people of Saudi Arabia.

b) Ottoman subjects, who were born on the territories of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and who were residing therein in 1332 H/ 1914 G and who continued to reside in these territories till 22/3/1345 H without acquiring, any other nationality before this date.

c) Any person who was not an Othman subject and was residing in the territories of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on 1332 H/ 1914 G and whose residence in these territories extended up to 22/3/1345 H without acquiring any foreign nationality before this date.

Art. 7 considers to be a Saudi any person born in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia or abroad to a Saudi father; or to a Saudi mother and a father of unknown nationality or no nationality; or who is born in the Kingdom to unknown parents. A foundling is considered to be a Saudi national unless otherwise proven.

Art. 8 sets the conditions that must be fulfilled by a person born in the Kingdom to a Saudi mother and a foreign father to be eligible for Saudi Arabian nationality. Those conditions include permanent residence at the time of maturity; good conduct which includes not being punished for a penal crime or imprisoned for more than six months for a crime against morality; good command of the Arabic language; and submitting his application for nationality within one year of coming of age.

A foreigner may be granted Saudi Arabian nationality if he meets the following conditions:

a) He must have reached the age of maturity at the time of submitting the application and has been a permanent resident of the Kingdom for 10 consecutive years.

b) He must be of sound mind.

c) He must have a record of good conduct, which means having never been convicted of a criminal offense or imprisoned for more than six months for committing a crime against public morals.

d) He must work in a profession needed by the country.

e) He earns his living in legal ways.

f) He has a good command of the Arabic language including speaking, reading and writing

The applicant must submit along with his application his residence permit, passport or its accepted equivalent, and every document connected with the nationality he is renouncing as well as any other document required by the provisions of this act (Art. 9).

Art. 14 lists the consequences of a foreigner acquiring Saudi citizenship for his wife and children.

Art. 16 grants the Minister of Interior the authority to grant a foreign woman married to a Saudi man or his widower the Saudi nationality if she applies for it and renounces her former nationality.

Art. 20 states that any person who has resided in the Kingdom for the required amount of time for citizenship acquisition and applied for it, shall lose that amount of time if he leaves the Kingdom before acquiring citizenship using his original passport for over a year. Those who have spent the required residence period in the Kingdom but left before applying for citizenship for more than six months (the maximum validity period for a return visa) shall his lose his right to apply for citizenship.

A naturalized person may lose his Saudi citizenship within 10 years if the Council of Ministers decrees it based on a suggestion by the Minister of Interior in any of the following cases:

a) If he is sentenced to either imprisonment for over one year or a punishment in accordance with Islamic Shariah for an act against honor or integrity.

b) If a judgment is issued against him for committing or participating in a crime threatening security in the Kingdom or committing an act that renders him persona non grata (Art. 21).