More families receive UAE citizenship

Dubai: In a continuing campaign, 930 more families across the country are being granted UAE nationality following the 1,117 who were granted Emirati status last month in Abu Dhabi.

It may be recalled that the leadership had earlier directed that children of Emirati women married to foreign nationals be accorded citizenship.

The General Department of Naturalisation and Residency at the Interior Ministry granted citizenship to several of the beneficiaries of the order yesterday in Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah.

Major General Nasser Al Awadi Al Menhali, Assistant Undersecretary for Naturalisation, Residency and Ports Affairs, said the total number of beneficiaries could exceed 4,000.

He said that all families chosen for the honour would receive documents notifying their new status by next month. "The first 1,117 families were granted citizenship in Abu Dhabi but now we come to them in each one of the emirates in order to hand them the citizenship."

Dubai ceremony

Major General Al Menhali was addressing a ceremony held at the General Directorate for Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) in Dubai.

"President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan has issued decrees granting citizenship to children of UAE women married to foreigners who satisfied requirements for citizenship," he said.

Child beneficiaries would be eligible for citizenship once they turned 18, he said. A committee was charged with implementing directives issued by Shaikh Khalifa reflecting a series of resolutions to mark the UAE's 40th National Day, he added.

He said the committee had tasked the Ministry of Interior with collecting names of people born to Emirati women married to non-UAE nationals and putting together the final list of names that qualified for UAE citizenship.

"We are sure that the people granted Emirati citizenship will be responsible and they will work hand in hand in order to develop, protect and secure the country," he said.

The ceremony was attended by Major General Mohammad Ahmad Al Merri, Director General of GDRFA in Dubai, Brigadier Obaid Bin Surour, Deputy Director of GDRFA, Colonel Ahmad Al Muhairi, Director of Dubai Naturalisation department, Colonel Matter Al Shamsi, Director of the General Directorate for naturalisation in addition to senior officials from GDRFA in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

In all, 22 families were granted citizenship during the ceremony in Dubai.