How to Get UAE Citizenship – The Complete Guide

Sovereignty – both national and personal – shapes ambition, secures wealth, and defines status in a shifting global order.

For the high-achieving global citizen, acquiring a second or even third passport is more than a lifestyle upgrade; it’s a strategic move in long-term financial and geopolitical positioning.

 But not all citizenships are created equal – some carry a prestige so rare they seem almost unattainable.

Emirati citizenship is one such example. Long regarded as one of the world’s most exclusive passports, it wasn’t for sale; it wasn’t earned through investment. It was conferred almost exclusively by birthright.

 The appeal of Emirati citizenship means different things to different people.

For an investor, it acts as the ultimate financial stronghold – a complete shield from personal income, capital gains and inheritance taxes. 

For investors, it represents a formidable shield: no personal income tax, no capital gains tax, no inheritance tax – a fiscal fortress within one of the world’s most stable jurisdictions.

For families, it promises elite healthcare, top-tier education, and a society rooted in safety, stability, and innovation.

For those born into weaker passports, it’s a dramatic elevation, unlocking near-unrivalled global mobility with visa-free access to approximately 180 countries.

Yet the value of the UAE passport lies not just in what it offers but in how tightly it’s controlled. Unlike the transactional nature of many citizenship-by-investment programs in the Caribbean or Europe, an Emirati passport has always been prized for its exclusivity.

Unfortunately, this distinction is often lost in misleading articles that confuse long-term residency or golden visas with true citizenship and the rights that come with it.

Until recently, the door to naturalisation was firmly shut to foreigners regardless of wealth, talent, or national contribution. But that’s changed.

 Amendments to the UAE’s citizenship laws have introduced a narrow, discreet, and highly selective route to naturalisation.

This program is not open to all, nor does it accept direct applications. It is a nomination-based process offered only to exceptional individuals such as entrepreneurs, scientists, creatives, and investors deemed valuable to the nation’s strategic interests.

 This in-depth guide explores who qualifies, how the process works, and what’s truly at stake when pursuing one of the world’s most elite citizenships.

Benefits and Drawbacks of the UAE Passport

Every strategic decision in life often comes with a set of pros and cons. 

The Emirati passport is no exception. 

Pros of the UAE Passport

The appeal of the UAE passport is best understood as the potential to fundamentally restructure your life. 

Its primary advantage lies in granting a level of frictionless mobility that few other documents can. Holding it grants visa-free, visa-on-arrival or eTA access to 179 nations, from the UK to the Schengen Area and China, a collection of destinations rarely accessible under a single, non-Western passport.

This global mobility is matched by an attractive set of tax incentives. With no income, capital gains or inheritance taxes, living here can protect your wealth and income against the fiscal reach of other states. 

Finally, these benefits are built on a foundation of national stability. 

The UAE operates with a level of security and long-term vision that gives its citizens a predictable and safe harbour – an invaluable asset in an increasingly uncertain world.

Cons of the UAE Passport

The drawbacks, while few, are notable and speak to a different philosophy of citizenship. 

The biggest downside is the potential renunciation of all prior nationalities – a point of no return. Unlike countries such as Switzerland or the United Kingdom that comfortably permit dual loyalties, for most, the UAE demands an indivisible allegiance.

Furthermore, the permanence of citizenship itself is not absolute in the way a Westerner might assume. The state can withdraw naturalised citizenship, introducing a factor of conditionality that’s absent in most other cases.

For those planning across generations, it’s also best to keep in mind that the ability to pass citizenship on to children may not be automatic, adding another layer of complexity.

Does the UAE Allow Dual Citizenship?

The issue of dual citizenship in the United Arab Emirates is now more nuanced than in the past. 

For decades, the nation’s laws compelled foreign nationals who naturalised as UAE citizens to renounce their original passports. 

That long-standing position underwent a major change in early 2021. 

The UAE amended its citizenship law to permit dual nationality for the first time, although this change isn’t a universal right.

The new rules are highly selective and designed to attract and retain people who can contribute to the nation’s development. Some examples are investors, doctors, scientists, inventors, intellectuals and their immediate families. 

How to Get UAE Citizenship

As we already mentioned, getting UAE citizenship is a selective process without a standard citizenship route available to everyone. 

However, there are certain circumstances when people may acquire citizenship, and thankfully, they’re well-defined.

UAE Citizenship by Nomination or Exceptional Merit

Acquiring a UAE passport through nomination is best understood as a sovereign invitation, not a standard immigration process. 

An investor, for instance, doesn’t simply purchase citizenship. Instead, a substantial and proven economic contribution might lead to them being identified and put forward by the authorities. 

The same principle applies to pioneering doctors, acclaimed scientists and leading intellectuals whose work can contribute to the country’s progress. 

Nominations are handled exclusively by the highest state bodies, such as the courts of the rulers and the Crown Princes. 

Importantly, successful nominees can now keep their original citizenship, which removes a roadblock for those with strong connections to other countries.

UAE Citizenship by Descent and Marriage

Principles of patrilineal heritage govern UAE citizenship through family ties, mostly prioritising lineage through the father.

A child born to an Emirati father secures citizenship as an automatic birthright, regardless of their place of birth. 

For a child of an Emirati mother and a foreign father, however, the path is not guaranteed. They may be able to apply for citizenship later in life, but the process is discretionary and reflects a more recent, cautious evolution of the law.

Similarly, a foreign woman who marries an Emirati man can eventually be naturalised. The required years of marriage, which are shortened if she has children, serve as a period to demonstrate her integration into the family and the nation. 

In contrast, the law does not provide a route to obtain citizenship for a foreign husband married to an Emirati woman, a direct reflection of the nation’s paternal framework.

UAE Citizenship by Naturalisation

For the vast majority of long-term expatriates, the path to UAE citizenship through naturalisation is the most arduous and uncertain. While this route exists in law, its application in practice is exceedingly rare.

For starters, an individual must demonstrate at least 30 years of continuous and lawful residency, maintain a legal source of income, and have a flawless reputation with no criminal record. 

Fluency in Arabic is also a firm condition.

Meeting these stringent criteria, however, does not create an entitlement to a passport. It merely makes one theoretically eligible to be considered. 

The granting of a passport through this route remains a matter of discretion, making it an unreliable and improbable goal for most residents.

The UAE Citizenship Application Process

To speak of a UAE citizenship application ‘process’ is, in itself, a slight misnomer. 

The process does not begin with the candidate but with the state. 

The power to identify potential citizens rests exclusively with senior Emirati leadership, specifically the Courts of the Rulers and Crown Princes, the Cabinet or the members of the Executive Councils.

Once a nomination is made, the file is referred to federal authorities for an extensive and discreet vetting process. 

If the candidate clears all checks and is deemed a worthy addition to the nation, the approval is formally granted by the highest level of government.

How to Get a UAE Golden Visa

While the path to a UAE passport is reserved for a select few, the country has a clear pathway for long-term residency, known as the UAE Golden Visa. 

The UAE Golden Visa program is a 10-year renewable permit permitting people to benefit from the country without the need for citizenship. 

Here are the different investment pathways for this residency by investment-based scheme:

Real Estate Investment

You can secure the visa by purchasing residential property valued at AED 2 million or more. 

RBI via real estate is a good fit for investors seeking a tangible, lifestyle-integrated asset in the UAE. 

The rules are flexible enough that you can choose either a single property or a portfolio of smaller ones. 

A key recent change and a valuable opportunity is that off-plan properties from approved developers now qualify. 

Public Investment Fund

An alternative to property is a capital deposit of at least AED 2 million (around US$545,000) into an accredited UAE-based investment fund.

This path is a good fit for the hands-off investor who wants a purely financial commitment without the responsibilities of managing a physical asset.

The key condition for this route is that the capital must remain invested for a minimum of two years and cannot be used as collateral for a loan.

Company Formation

Entrepreneurs can also qualify by founding a company in the UAE that generates annual revenues of at least AED 1 million (around US$273,000).

This option is designed for active business owners who are building a real enterprise in the country, not for those seeking a passive investment.

The first step in this process is securing approval from an official business incubator or the Ministry of Economy. They will assess the business’s viability and its value to the UAE, therefore, making a strong business plan a must for success.

How to Get UAE Citizenship: FAQs 

Go Where You’re Treated Best 

The pursuit of a second residency or citizenship is the ultimate expression of the Nomad Capitalist philosophy. It’s the act of choosing your desired home, tax rate and lifestyle with intention. 

The UAE, with its zero personal tax regime and world-class infrastructure, is a powerful example of a country that treats high achievers well.

But the world is vast, and the UAE is just one piece of a global puzzle. 

The principle of ‘going where you’re treated best’ demands a holistic strategy, and other options offer their own distinct advantages. 

Neighbouring Oman is a stable and culturally rich Gulf alternative with its own long-term investor visas.

Further afield, the Bahamas provides a tax-neutral home base in close proximity to the Americas, while Singapore’s Global Investor Programme secures a foothold in Asia’s premier financial hub. 

Each of these options can have different strategic advantages for your future.

Professional guidance becomes essential for navigating these complex, high-stakes decisions. The difference between a good outcome and a great one lies in creating a bespoke plan that is perfectly aligned with your specific financial goals, business needs and lifestyle choices.

The Nomad Capitalist team is here to help you create that plan.