Upper City citizenship is separate from wealth and permission to work. A prosperous Lower City trader cannot acquire the right to live above merely by buying property.
A child can inherit citizenship through either legally recognized and registered citizen parent. Marriage or a relative's later admission does not automatically confer citizenship on other family members.
Applicants from outside the Upper City generally face a demanding process involving work, means and sponsorship by an established citizen. Approval is uncommon, and status can divide families as well as neighborhoods.