UAE residency unaffected by new citizenship, GDRFA says

HOLDERS OF INVESTMENT PASSPORTS MUST ABIDE BY HOST COUNTRY RULES

- BY ABDULLA RASHEED Abu Dhabi Editor

Expats residing in the UAE with valid visas and residency permits are eligible to apply for citizenship by investment (CBI) programmes offered by certain countries, Lt Gen Mohammad Ahmad Al Marri, Director-General of Dubai's General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA Dubai), said.

Several Caribbean nations and some Latin American countries grant citizenship or residency to foreign investors under specific conditions.

Al Marri noted that some individuals who obtain such investment-based passports do so with the intention of migrating to Europe or North America. He emphasised that these individuals become subject to the laws and entry requirements enforced by the host country.

Legal residency in UAE

He clarified that as long as individuals maintain legal residency in the UAE — by holding valid visas and complying with immigration laws — they may continue living in the country, regardless of any new nationality acquired, whether through investment or employment within the UAE.