JEDDAH, 8 May 2004 — The Shoura Council will debate this week the Kingdom’s new naturalization law, which could allow foreigners who have been living in the country for at least 10 consecutive years to apply for Saudi citizenship.
The 120-member body will examine the new bill after having debated the issue about six months ago, when some members called for the revision of the entire law — first issued 50 years ago — not just the eight articles submitted to the council.
The security affairs committee gave its opinion on new proposals in the draft law in light of comments by the Interior Ministry.
Applicants for Saudi citizenship must be fluent in written and spoken Arabic and have a profession that is needed in the Kingdom, the new proposals say.
They must not have served more than six months in jail and must show evidence that they have been earning their livelihood in a legitimate manner.
During the Shoura debate in October, some members challenged the Muslims-only stipulation.
“We do not want to be seen as prejudiced people, especially since Saudi Arabia is in the spotlight at the moment,” said one prominent member.
But other members emphasized that Saudi Arabia was the birthplace of Islam and home to its two holiest mosques.
“The fact that the government only wants to grant citizenship to Muslims is a matter of pride, not prejudice,” one member said.
Another disputed topic was an article that states citizenship can be withdrawn within 10 years if a naturalized citizen commits a crime which carries a prison term of more than one year or if they are convicted of a felony related to national security.
“This is totally unfair,” said one member. “First we ask the foreigner to give up his current nationality so we can grant him Saudi citizenship. And then we strip him of it because he commits a crime in the following 10 years,” he said.
Dr. Hamoud Al-Badr, the Shoura’s secretary-general, said the new proposals were aimed at solving the problems facing some official agencies and citizens.
According to Al-Jazirah daily, Saudi Arabia naturalized 15,058 people in the four years between 1989 and 1992. “This indicates that the government is giving citizenship to more people,” the paper said.
