The approval by the Cabinet of the amendments to the Naturalization Law proposed by the Shoura Council in May puts an end to speculations and uncertainties in the minds of Saudis as well as those who were hoping to get Saudi citizenship.
Not surprisingly, the basic criterion is that those who are to be awarded citizenship should be able to contribute to the development of the Kingdom. They should have a profession and the skills that the country needs. While specific details have not been spelled out, it is obvious what that means: Scientists, managers, engineers, inventors, educationists and others who are the real engines that drive a nation’s progress are the ones to be considered. While there are Saudis who perform these key functions now, the vast majority are foreign nationals. However, qua foreign nationals, some of them may feel that have no stake in this country’s future. While most work with total commitment and devotion, some may work for the money they earn and plan for a future in which Saudi Arabia does not figure at all. This is not the foundation on which a country can build itself. For that, its managers, planners, scientists and every other person involved in the building, no matter how lowly his role, must feel that they have a stake in what this country becomes, that their children will enjoy the fruits of their toil.
The experience of the developed world, of the Untied States in particular, bears out the truth of this. The greatest contribution to America’s achievements in every field from science to arts to diplomacy has come from naturalized talent, not from native-born citizens. They are the ones who have won the more number of Nobel Prizes, have made more discoveries and have contributed more to what America is today. It is the same rationale that is behind the Kingdom’s naturalization program.
Another provision, which represents a toughening of the earlier conditions, is that an expatriate should have been living in the Kingdom for a period of not less than 10 years to apply for citizenship. This doubling of the previous requirement of five years may disappoint those who, with the required skills and professions, have been hoping for a quick resolution of the uncertainty they were facing. Nevertheless, it is easy to see the logic of this condition. The Kingdom with its own customs and traditions has to make sure that those who accept to discharge the responsibilities of citizenship and are granted its privileges have lived long enough in this society to be able to merge into it. One should welcome the decision to give Saudi women who marry non-Saudis the choice to either keep their Saudi nationality or adopt that of their husbands. This will bring relief and happiness to many homes.
While the new law is already on the statue book, it might take years before its effects could be properly assessed in practice. Both the administration and those who might apply for citizenship under the new rules would need a period of adjustment that could also reveal the weaknesses and strengths of the proposed code.
