In an era of digital identity, increased global mobility, and geopolitical movement, citizenship no longer remains a fixed legal designation defined by lineage or birth, but is undergoing a profound change. For ambitious countries and global hubs with a voluminous proportion of international population, like the UAE, these shifts hold far-reaching effects.

The true definition of citizenship is reimagined in the UAE, thanks to the golden visa schemes, inclusive programs for expatriate families, and merit-based citizenship reforms.

The New Paradigms of Citizenship

Previously, citizenship was often anchored in jus sanguinis (citizenship by blood) or jus soli (birth on territory). But today, countries and communities are introducing alternative models that transcend traditional concepts:

• Conditional Citizenship – Granted based on fulfilling certain predetermined conditions, which vary significantly between states.
• Digital Citizenship – Extending beyond the tangible borders, such models deal with rights and responsibilities in the digital realm.
• Developmental Citizenship – It grants an individual the capacity to embrace the roles and responsibilities of being a citizen.
• Citizenship by Investment (CBI) – Where specific economic contribution to a state’s economy grants a nominated individual or investor full nationality.

Drivers Remodeling Citizenship Globally

Several factors play a crucial role in modeling and re-conceptualizing citizenship granted by states. Key factors include:

1.    Foreign Investment & Economic Diversification

Resource-rich countries open selective paths to citizenship to target global network expansion, entrepreneurship, and large-scale capital.

2.    Talent Acquisition & Demographic Pressures

Countries facing aging populations or the lowest population growth rate see citizenship as a carrot to retain top talent and open pathways for skilled immigrants and young professionals.

3.    Dual Nationality & Geopolitical Mobility

With dual nationality and migration becoming common concepts, states are reanalyzing their citizenship models. This prompts them to accept dual or multiple nationalities to cater to global citizens.

4.    Blockchain & Digital Identity

Digital residency, blockchain identity systems, and global databases enable countries to separate the right of access from an individual’s physical presence in the country. This enables hybrid models of citizenship, where a digital ID is issued by the government without requiring the individual to live there.

Strategic Mobility & The Globalization of Citizenship

In a report published by Henley Global Citizenship in 2024, a shift has been encountered from the traditional notion of nationality towards a global mobility framework. Under the new framework, citizenship is now seen as a strategic asset, while more than 110 states in the world link citizenship or residency to economic contribution.

Another report by UN DESA World Migration in 2024 underscored the surging number of international migrants. At least one in thirty people worldwide does not live in their homeland, highlighting policy reforms across the Gulf and Asian region. Countries like the UAE, Singapore, and Saudi Arabia are now leveraging selective or nomination-based citizenship to attract global talent and maintain long-term competitiveness.

Citizenship in the UAE

Until 2021, nationality in the UAE was predominantly anchored by descent and expats had primarily no pathway to citizenship. However, shifts in global conditions and adoption of advanced policies allow the country to alter its citizenship models.

Nomination-Based Citizenship Process & Dual-Nationality

The UAE nationality law was amended in 2021 for the first time, enabling foreign nationals to apply for nomination-based citizenship. However, the pathway had been designed for certain exceptional merit, including investors, artists, doctors, and scientists. Under this law, foreigners falling under the merit-based citizenship criteria can access full rights of nationality without abandoning their original nationality.

Parentage & Gender Reforms

Historically, children born to Emirati mothers and foreign fathers were not granted UAE nationality. To address this inherited inequality, legal adjustments introduced a pathway to citizenship. In 2017, the UAE allowed children born to an Emirati mother and a non-Emirati father to apply for nationality after reaching 18 years of age.

Long-Term Residency & Golden Visa Schemes

While citizenship remains tightly guarded, the expansion of long-term residency and Golden Visa schemes over the property investment opportunities above a specified threshold opens up thriving possibilities for foreigners and minorities of special talent.

However, nationality is not directly attained through these programs, but rather a more stable lifestyle, long-term rights, and eventual approach toward citizenship nomination are among the crucial benefits. These unrivaled gains attract many high-net-worth individuals to buy and sell luxury properties in Dubai and become eligible for long-term residency in one of the world’s dynamic cosmopolitan hubs.

Real Estate as a Gateway to Residency

In the UAE, real estate investment has become one of the most accessible pathways to secure long-term residency, especially for high-net-worth individuals. Buyers of off-plan properties in Dubai – particularly those investing in projects above AED 2 million can now qualify for the 10-year Golden Visa, offering enhanced stability and business freedom. This model has positioned the UAE as a top destination for those seeking both property returns and a potential future citizenship nomination.

Implications of the Remodeled Citizenship on the UAE

Integration and Demographic Balance

Once a less populated Emirati state now stands at the zenith of social cohesion and demographic balance. Thanks to the amendments in the nationality law, which enabled a high-profile, selective pool of expats to transition to citizenship. However, as more expatriates spend decades in the country, more strategies will be required to reassure integration, loyalty, and retention.

Dual Identity & Split Loyalties

As the UAE now allows dual nationality to select nominees, newer citizens might still sustain bonds with their original homelands. While this hybridity translates to cultural and social richness of the Emirate on one side, it may also raise doubts regarding civic participation and allegiance on the other side.

Innovation & Economic Booms

Selective citizenship can reinforce talent in key sectors like healthcare, R&D, and creative industries, meaning massive global capital flow in the UAE. The result is a streamlined path for Emirates to achieve its goal of becoming a global hub for culture, finance, innovation, and knowledge.

Strengthened Global Presence & Soft Power

Allowing a global talent citizenship grant in the UAE echoes its soft power narrative of an advanced, open society that supports innovation and merit. It can also bolster the country’s presence as a future-forward, metropolitan nation.

Closing In!

The future of citizenship is neither static nor consistent, but is becoming conditional, contestable, and flexible. For a country like the UAE, where citizenship was limited to descent and lineage, the evolving concept of nationality and opening borders to expats emerged as a toolkit to capture global talent and massive investment.

While exclusive initiatives are introduced to expand its global dynamism and preserve social balance and cultural identity, the overall success still hinges on transparency, clear eligibility frameworks, and migration policies.