Ten years, renewable, no employer sponsor, no language test. For most professionals in the Emirates, that is the end point. Citizenship exists on paper after 30 years, and in practice through a nomination you can’t apply for.
Issued by the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) and renewed automatically while you still qualify. The two routes most working professionals look at:
| Skilled professional | MOHRE occupational level 1 or 2, a bachelor’s degree, and a monthly salary of at least AED 30,000. Whether that means basic salary or total pay is disputed between sources, and a January 2026 change was reported. check with ICP |
|---|---|
| Property owner | Property worth at least AED 2,000,000. Bank-financed and approved off-plan property can count. ICP lists this route as 10 years; the government portal u.ae still says 5. conflicting sources |
| Other categories | Investors, entrepreneurs, scientists and specialists, exceptional talents, outstanding students, humanitarian pioneers and frontline workers. |
| Language requirement | None listed. |
The Green Visa is the more reachable rung. It is self-sponsored, so it isn’t tied to one employer, and it comes with up to six months’ grace after it expires.
| Skilled employee | MOHRE level 1, 2 or 3, a bachelor’s degree and at least AED 15,000 a month. |
|---|---|
| Freelancer | Self-employment income of at least AED 360,000 a year for the previous two years. |
| Investor / partner | Also eligible. |
| Language requirement | None listed. |
Under Federal Law 17/1972, a non-Arab needs 30 years of residence before applying (7 for Arab nationals), plus proficiency in Arabic. We couldn’t reach the official law text to confirm the exact Arabic wording. Article 15(c) withdraws Emirati citizenship from anyone who takes another nationality.
Since 2021 there has been a second route for investors, doctors, specialists, scientists, inventors and creative talents. You cannot apply for it. Nominations come from the Rulers’ and Crown Princes’ Courts, the executive councils or the Cabinet. Doctors, specialists and scientists need ten years’ experience or more, and investors must own property in the UAE. Unusually for the Gulf, people naturalised this way may keep their original nationality.
Keeping the original nationality depends on your own country too. India doesn’t allow it, so an Indian who becomes Emirati, even through the nomination route, loses Indian citizenship automatically.
Checked against the sources below in October 2026. Gulf rules change often — confirm the current figure with the official body before you act on it.
Indian citizens: taking any Gulf nationality ends your Indian citizenship automatically (Citizenship Act, Section 9). What that means, and what OCI does and doesn’t give you →