Saudi Arabia has announced a major change in its citizenship law that will allow certain individuals to obtain Saudi nationality by order of Prime Minister and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The amendment was published in the official gazette on Friday and came into effect immediately.
The new rule states that Saudi nationality may be granted by order of the Prime Minister upon a proposal from the Minister of Interior.
This is a significant departure from the previous regulations, which required the Minister of Interior to issue decisions to grant citizenship in accordance with Article 8 of the Saudi Nationality Law.
The amendment also affects children of Saudi women who are married to expats. They can now apply for citizenship after the age of 18, according to a news report. This is expected to benefit thousands of families who have been living in Saudi Arabia for generations but have not been able to acquire citizenship.
The change in citizenship law is seen as part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s vision to modernize and diversify the kingdom’s economy and society.
It also comes amid growing criticism from human rights groups over Saudi Arabia’s male guardianship system, which restricts women’s rights and freedoms.