Second Passport Options for Expatriates Living in the UAE

Expatriates living in the UAE cannot apply for UAE citizenship: nationality is granted only by nomination through the Rulers’ Courts and the Cabinet, and residence of any length does not lead to it. A UAE resident who wants a second passport therefore looks elsewhere, usually to Caribbean citizenship by investment from US$230,000, Türkiye from US$400,000, Argentina from US$350,000, or an EU residence program that leads to naturalisation. Which of these is open depends first on the applicant’s own nationality, because several of the largest expatriate communities in the UAE come from countries that restrict dual citizenship.

At a glance

• UAE residence, including the Golden Visa, never leads to UAE citizenship.
• Indian nationals lose Indian citizenship automatically on acquiring another; they generally pursue residence rather than a second passport.
• Pakistan permits dual nationality only with a list of countries; Egypt permits it with official permission; Lebanon permits it.
• Fastest second passports: the Caribbean (four to nine months) and Türkiye (around six months).
• Strongest long-term passports: EU citizenship through Greece (seven years) or Portugal (ten years) of actual residence.

Why does UAE residence not lead to a passport?

The UAE amended its nationality law in 2021 to allow citizenship by nomination for a small number of investors, professionals and talented individuals, but there is no application route. A Golden Visa gives ten years of renewable residence and a stable base, not a path to nationality. For the millions of expatriates who have built their lives in the UAE, the passport they travel on is still the one they arrived with.

Does your nationality allow a second citizenship?

This is the first question, and the answer differs sharply across the UAE’s main communities. Indian citizens lose their nationality automatically under section 9 of the Citizenship Act when they voluntarily acquire another, and Overseas Citizenship of India is a status, not citizenship. Pakistan allows dual nationality only with a defined list of countries, mostly Western states. Egypt allows its citizens to acquire another nationality with permission from the Ministry of Interior. Lebanon permits dual nationality, as do the United Kingdom, Nigeria and most Western countries.

Passport Legacy’s guide to dual citizenship lists the position country by country. For nationals whose law does not allow a second citizenship, the right answer is usually a second residence rather than a second passport.

Which second passports are open to UAE residents?

Caribbean citizenship by investment grants a passport in four to nine months: Grenada from US$235,000, St Lucia from US$240,000 and St Kitts and Nevis from US$250,000, with interviews for every adult and, since September 2026, a shared regional regulator. Antigua and Barbuda, from US$230,000, is named in the US entry proclamation of December 2025, which matters to anyone who travels to the United States. Türkiye grants citizenship for a US$400,000 property purchase held for three years. Argentina’s new program opens in the fourth quarter of 2026 from US$350,000. Each gives a second travel document; the Caribbean passports give visa-free access to the Schengen area and the United Kingdom.

What about a European passport?

For families who want an EU passport for the next generation, the route runs through residence. Greece grants a Golden Visa for property from €250,000 and naturalises after seven years of living in Greece; Portugal grants residence for a €500,000 fund investment and naturalises after ten. Both require actual residence and language for citizenship, so they suit families who intend to move, perhaps when children reach university age.

How do UAE residents usually combine the options?

The most common structure among Passport Legacy’s UAE clients is a UAE Golden Visa as the home base, a Caribbean citizenship for travel and security, and a European residence where the family wants a future in Europe. The order depends on what the family needs first: mobility, a fallback, or a long-term move.

Frequently asked questions

Can I get UAE citizenship through the Golden Visa?

No. The Golden Visa is residence only. UAE citizenship is granted by nomination and has no application route.

Can an Indian living in Dubai get a second passport?

An Indian citizen who acquires another nationality loses Indian citizenship automatically. Most Indian clients therefore choose residence programs such as the Greek or Portuguese Golden Visa instead.

What is the fastest second passport for a UAE resident?

Caribbean citizenship by investment, at four to nine months, for nationals whose law permits dual citizenship.

Passport Legacy advises UAE residents from its Dubai office on citizenship and residence options worldwide. To find out which routes a specific nationality allows, contact the team.