The following expressions are defined as:
a. Law: The Saudi Arabian Nationality Law issued by the Royal Order no. 8/20/5604 dated 22/2/1374 AH in addition to amendments.
b. Citizenship: The Saudi Arabian citizenship.
c. Age of majority: Eighteen years old.
d. Minor: Any individual who does not reach the age of majority.
e. Year: Lunar Hijri year.
f. Children: Males and females.

Birth in Saudi Arabia shall be proven by the Birth Certificate or any official document issued by the competent authority. If it is unavailable, the birth is proven by one or more of the common proving methods such as certificates and testimony of witnesses if they are sanctioned by the Mayor or any official identifier.

According to this Law, citizenship applications shall be accepted only from the applicant or his legal representative, and the Civil Affairs Department or the Saudi authorized representative abroad may request his presence in person.

Citizenship requests shall be submitted according to Article 8 of the Law to the Civil Affairs departments within one year from reaching the age of majority.

The year required for citizenship application shall be calculated from the next day of reaching the age of majority.

The permanent residence stipulated in Article 8 of the Law is the continuous actual residence that shall be proved by the residence permit (Iqama), or by one or more means of proof such as testimony of witnesses, academic certificates or passport registrations.

• In light of the information provided by the applicant, his application is evaluated by a committee composed of the Naturalization Department in the Civil Status Branch in the region through (5) elements distributed as follows:

  • A- If his residence is permanent in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia upon reaching adulthood, he receives (1) point.

  • B- If he holds an educational qualification not less than a high school certificate, he receives (1) point.

  • C- If the applicant's maternal grandfather and paternal grandfather are Saudis, he receives (6) points, but if only her father is Saudi, he receives (2) points.

  • D- If the applicant has one or more Saudi brothers or sisters, he receives (2) points.

• If the applicant obtains a minimum of (7) points, the committee recommends proceeding with the study of his application, and if he does not obtain this minimum, the committee raises a recommendation to archive his application if there is no directive, with informing the applicant of this.

First: The Ministry of Interior Agency of Civil Affairs shall receive and register applications directed to the Minister of Interior to acquire citizenship under Article 9 of the Law by filling in the specified form.
Second: These applications shall be initially reviewed by a committee formed of three members, each shall not be less than the 8th Grade, and one of them shall be qualified in Sharia or law. The committee shall review the following:
1. The applicant's arrival to Saudi Arabia shall be legal, and he holds a valid passport allowing him to return to his country without any restrictions or conditions.
2. The applicant's residence duration shall be for ten consecutive years as minimum under a legal residence permit (Iqama) in accordance with its provisions.
3. The applicant's profession shall be among those needed in Saudi Arabia.
Third: According to the information submitted by the applicant, the committee shall evaluate the applications through three elements that present 33 points distributed as follows:
1. Residence for a period of not less than ten consecutive years (10 points).
2. The applicant's profession, which is proven by the educational qualifications he has in the specialties needed in Saudi Arabia, and the total of points shall not exceed 13 points. Only one educational degree shall be balanced as the following:
a. A Ph.D. degree in medicine or engineering (13 points).
b. A Ph.D. degree in other sciences (10 points).
c. A Master's degree (8 points).
d. A Bachelor's degree (5 points).
3. Family ties which confirm that the applicant has Saudi relatives, and the total of points shall not exceed 10 points distributed as follows:
a. If the applicant's father is Saudi, he shall acquire 3 points.
b. If the applicant's mother and the mother's father are Saudis, he shall acquire 3 points. However, if the mother only is Saudi, the applicant acquires 2 points.
c. If the applicant's wife and the wife's father are Saudis, he shall acquire 2 points. However, if the wife only is Saudi, the applicant shall acquire 1 point.
d. If the applicant has more than two Saudi children and siblings, he shall acquire 2 points. However, if they are two or less, he shall acquire 1 point.
Fourth: When the applicant acquires 23 points as a minimum, the committee shall recommend reviewing the application. But when he does not acquire this limit of points, the committee shall recommend closing the application.
Fifth: Procedures of any applications recommended by the Committee to be reviewed shall be completed according to Article 9 of the Law, and submitted to the Naturalization Committee formed by the Ministry's decision no. 2577 dated 13/10/1423 AH, in order to issue and submit the final recommendation to the Minister of Interior.

The residence status provided for in Article 9 of the Law shall be proven only by the residence permit (Iqama) in accordance with the provisions thereof. Residence without a permit and the period of illegal residence, no matter how long it takes, shall not qualify for applying for Saudi citizenship.

The condition of mental and physical good health mentioned in Article 9 of the Law shall be proved by a medical report issued by a governmental hospital.