Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — Saudi Arabia has introduced a new amendment to the Saudi Arabian Nationality System.

Higher authorities in the Kingdom have approved an amendment to Article 8 of the Saudi Arabian Nationality System, granting the prime minister the authority to give the citizenship.

The amendment replaced the phrase of “by decision of the Minister of Interior” in the Article 8 with “by an order of the Prime Minister based on Minister of Interior proposal”.

Article 8 of the Saudi Arabian Nationality System stipulates that Saudi citizenship may be granted to a person born in the Kingdom of a foreign father and a Saudi mother, if conditions are met.

The conditions include that he has the status of permanent residence in the Kingdom when he comes of legal age, and he is of good conduct and sound character and has not been convicted of a crime or with imprisonment for a period exceeding six months for an indecent act and fluent in the Arabic language.