No Business, No Property? No Problem – UAE Opens Doors To Lifetime Residency For Indians
For years, wealthy Indians dreaming of living in Dubai or Abu Dhabi had to buy properties worth crores or pour money into businesses. No papers, no penthouses, no visa. But that rulebook just got a rewrite.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has rolled out a nomination-based Golden Visa for Indians. You do not need a trade license. You do not need to purchase property. You do not even need to set foot in the UAE before your visa gets stamped.
All you need is AED 1,00,000 (about Rs 23.3 lakh) and a clean slate. No criminal records. No money laundering. No social media skeletons.
It is a pilot. India and Bangladesh are the first to get a seat at this new table. And the UAE is not doing it out of charity. This move is tied to growing partnerships, especially the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with India that kicked off in May 2022. The Golden Visa has gone from being an elite prize to a soft-power tool.
The paperwork is not a free-for-all. Rayad Group, a UAE-based consultancy, has been appointed to manage the nomination process. They are running background checks – deep ones. Think financial trail, legal history and digital footprint. Once done, they will forward the names to UAE officials for final approval.
'This is a golden window for Indian professionals, thinkers, creators and even retirees. You do not need to be a tycoon to live in the Emirates anymore,' said Rayad Kamal Ayub, who heads the group.
Applications can be filed through One Vasco centres in India and Bangladesh or online via Rayad's portal. The numbers are already ticking. Over 5,000 Indians are expected to apply in just the first three months.
And it is more than just a visa. It is a lifetime card. It gives you the right to live, work, sponsor family members, hire domestic help and do business. Unlike the earlier property-based system, this new visa does not vanish if you sell your house or shut your company.
That is a big shift and a calculated one. The UAE wants more Indians. More long-term residents. More ties that go beyond weekend tourism and Expo selfies. The Gulf country is reshaping who it wants inside its borders, and India is clearly in its top picks.
The plan does not stop here. China and other CEPA nations are next. The message is the Gulf is open for long-term bonds, not just short-term profit.
For tens of thousands of Indians looking westward, this a lifeline and a statement. The gates have opened – this time, without a price tag on property deeds.
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