Indians account for significant share of UAE’s Golden Visa programme

The UAE is currently home to an estimated 4 million Indians – the country’s largest expatriate community and one of the largest concentrations of Indians in West Asia

The Golden Visa programme of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has emerged as one of the most sought-after long-term residency options for Indian nationals, who account for a significant share of such visas issued to investors, entrepreneurs, innovators, scientists, and outstanding academics and artists.

Boats decorated with luminous garlands sail past a portrait of Dubai's ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum hung on the Gulf Emirate's municipality building, during celebrations on the first day of Diwali, on October 17 (AFP FILE)

While the Golden Visa programme has usually attracted high net worth individuals such as investors and entrepreneurs, the UAE embassy too has nominated people with specialised talents, such as academics, scientists, journalists, athletes and humanitarian activists.

This is in line with the UAE’s transformation from an employment destination to a sustainable hub for innovation, entrepreneurship and cross-border opportunity for Indian talent, people familiar with the matter said. The UAE doesn’t publish nationality-wise figures, though Indian applicants represent a “significant share” of applicants for Golden Visas, driven by interest from high net worth individuals and professionals seeking long-term stability and tax-efficient access to global markets, they said.

“The remarkable interest in the UAE’s Golden Visa programme from Indian nationals is a testament to the depth and diversity of our bilateral relationship, one that extends far beyond business and trade into culture, education, science and innovation. It reflects the enduring people-to-people connections that continue to strengthen the UAE–India partnership, and our shared vision for a future built on opportunity and collaboration,” said UAE ambassador Abdulnasser Alshaali.

The UAE is currently home to an estimated four million Indians – the country’s largest expatriate community and one of the largest concentrations of Indians in West Asia – underpinning the commercial and cultural connections between the two sides. Two-way trade touched its highest level of $100 billion in 2024-25, making the UAE India’s third-largest trade partner and second largest export destination.

Since the Golden Visa programme’s expansion in 2022, the scheme witnessed exponential growth. In Dubai alone, the number of Golden Visas issued almost doubled from around 79,600 in 2022 to roughly 158,000 in 2023. The programme offers a five or 10-year visa to eligible foreigners without a sponsor.

Investors who deposit two million UAE dirhams in an accredited investment fund are eligible for a Golden Visa for 10 years, while investors owning properties valued at two million UAE dirhams can be granted a Golden Visa for five years. New categories have been introduced, including for contributors to charity work and Waqf donors, enabling individuals with significant philanthropic or endowment contributions to qualify for 10-year residency.

Persons with outstanding specialised talents, such as doctors, scientists, inventors, STEM specialists, creative artists, executives, engineers and athletes can be granted 10-year visas, provided they have requisite approvals from UAE authorities. Outstanding students can be granted visas for five or 10 years while pioneers of humanitarian work are eligible for 10-year visas.

The people maintained that the Golden Visa programme isn’t positioned as a tax break and beneficiaries do not become residents, with the focus more on ease of travel and setting up of businesses.

The UAE embassy in New Delhi directly processes all Golden Visa applications, while working with specialist service providers to enhance efficiency. The role of service providers is limited to facilitating the submission and verification of documents, and all visa decisions remain with UAE government authorities.

“Given the number of individuals eligible for this programme in India, the embassy is supported by a select group of legitimate service providers, which assist with document collection and related administrative functions,” the ambassador said. “These authorised service providers may contact eligible candidates nominated by the Embassy to facilitate the process. While all applications continue to be processed directly by the Embassy, this support helps manage the high volume of enquiries and ensures the integrity of the initiative. Should there be any doubts regarding the legitimacy of a service provider, individuals are encouraged to verify directly with the embassy.”