According to Bahrain’s nationality law of 1963, those fulfilling the criteria could get Bahraini passports without being asked to annul their nationalities.
The Minister of Interior Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa said, in a written answer to a parliamentary proposal on how many GCC citizens with dual nationalities Khaleej Times obtained a copy of it, that those included in the royal gesture were foreign husbands and children of Bahraini mothers, members of Bahraini families, those born in the country and others with humanitarian and social cases.
He said that the nationality law of 1963 doesn’t oblige newly naturalised citizens to give up their original nationalities therefore some have
dual citizenships.
The minister refused to list the names and IDs of those naturalised to protect their privacy that is safeguarded by the constitution.
Asians topped the list with 3599 individuals given Bahraini passport, followed with 2,240 Arabs, 1,095 GCC citizens and 78 from other countries.
