For most foreigners, and for many locals, the path to citizenship will remain blocked
Such stories are common in the Gulf. Of the 59m people who live in the six-member Gulf Co-operation Council , about half are foreigners. Some stay for a few years; others spend entire careers. Almost all, however, arrive with the understanding that they must eventually depart.
This is slowly changing. In January the United Arab Emirates announced that certain foreigners, such as doctors, inventors and scientists, could be nominated for citizenship. Saudi Arabia said in November that it had naturalised an undisclosed number of expats. Most Gulf states now offer long-term residence visas that do not require work. A new scheme in theNone of this is a “path to citizenship” as many liberal democracies would define it.
If rights are unclear, so are responsibilities. Since 2014 Emirati men have been required to perform military service. The law does not say if naturalised citizens face the same burden—though perhaps not, since there seems to be no requirement that they know Arabic. They will be allowed to keep their original nationality, whereas native-born Emiratis cannot hold a second passport. Some fret the government has created a two-tier model of citizenship.over the past year.
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