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| Arabia |
| Saudi Arabia: A Million Expatriates to Benefit From New Citizenship Law |
| 2004-10-21 |
| Expatriates of all nationalities are entitled to apply for Saudi citizenship and their travels abroad with re-entry visas will not disqualify them, press reports said yesterday quoting senior officials. Unless, of course... Nasser ibn Hamad Al-Hanaya, undersecretary for civil status at the Interior Ministry, said the executive bylaw for the Kingdom's amended naturalization law would be ready within four months. "We will look into applications only after the executive bylaw is issued," Okaz Arabic daily quoted Hanaya as saying. We will take our bloody time, too... we don't have enough Indian clerks as it is, sheesh! So much to read and write and stuff, so few expats to do it! More tea? He estimated that more than a million expatriates would benefit by the amended law, which was passed by the Council of Ministers on Monday. There are nearly 8.8 million expatriates, mostly Asians and Arabs, in the Kingdom. So about 1 out of 8 will likely qualify. Hmmm, I wonder if he'll apply? |
| Posted by:.com |
| #11 As crazy as it may seem to many of us, there are plenty of folks from poor, poor places (think Bangladesh poor) who'd willingly become citizens. Subcontinentals in general can't bring families into Kingdom, etc. Kingdom's health care is pretty good, too. Note there doesn't seem to be a mention of religious affiliation in deciding who is to become a citizen. Correct? Part of me says it's about time; the other part can't understand what's going on. |
| Posted by: chicago mike 2004-10-21 2:34:15 PM |
| #10 What kind of a idiot would want to become a citizen of "saudi" Arabia on purpose? Saudi naturalization official: "Hello, suckers!" Applicant: "What was that?" Saudi naturalization official: "I said, hello strangers!" Applicant: "Sounded different the first time." (stolen from an old Bullwinkle cartoon) |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2004-10-21 1:05:51 PM |
| #9 You answered your own question, Barbara. An idiot. Just.your.plain.old.run.of.the.mill.idiot. Heh heh. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2004-10-21 11:50:19 AM |
| #8 What kind of a idiot would want to become a citizen of "saudi" Arabia on purpose? |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2004-10-21 11:06:50 AM |
| #7 "apply for servitude within" |
| Posted by: Frank G 2004-10-21 9:53:47 AM |
| #6 It's a typo. The actual law reads "neutralized citizens." |
| Posted by: Seafarious 2004-10-21 9:51:50 AM |
| #5 Oops. Thraing Ulaiper1666 is me. |
| Posted by: Spot 2004-10-21 9:01:03 AM |
| #4 If the Arabs let Paleos become citizens, who'll be left to push the Jooos into the sea? The Arabs are happy to let the Paleos do their dirty work and suffer for it. So much for Arab solidarity and the ummah. |
| Posted by: Thraing Ulaiper1666 2004-10-21 9:00:00 AM |
| #3 the Arab League has instructed that Palestinians living in Arab countries should not be given citizenship When Allan created the universe, one of his main ideas was that Palestinians should not be given citizenship in any other Arab countries. . |
| Posted by: Mike Sylwester 2004-10-21 7:47:55 AM |
| #2 …the naturalization law would not be applicable to Palestinians… Only thing we want less than them (smelly) Palestinians is Jooz. |
| Posted by: Sock Puppet of Doom 2004-10-21 7:27:54 AM |
| #1 how will they be able to withstand the tidal wave of applicants? /sarcasm off |
| Posted by: PlanetDan 2004-10-21 7:18:42 AM |