Over two decades after first arriving in Dubai for work, Mr. J. Kumaresan received his Golden visa in 2023, an achievement made possible after the United Arab Emirates (UAE) relaxed its long-term residency program to draw global talent and investment.
The Indian oil and gas contracts manager is among many who have transitioned from one of the world’s largest economies to the Emirates.
Wealthy Indians, entrepreneurs, and skilled professionals are choosing the UAE for its tax-free policies, high living standards, and low crime rates, according to those who spoke with The Straits Times. The UAE’s proximity to India geographically and culturally makes it more appealing than the US or Europe.
“Dubai is ideal for my work in the energy sector and feels culturally familiar. By living in Dubai, I can save more for my family, given its more affordable cost of living compared to places like Singapore,” stated Mr. Kumaresan.
Feeling at home in Dubai, which hosts over half of the four million-strong Indian diaspora in the UAE, Mr. Kumaresan is among middle- and low-income Indians working in fields such as construction and hospitality.
The Emirates hosts the second-largest Indian expatriate community after the US, making up nearly 40% of the population. Trade between India and the UAE reached US$100 billion in the 2024-2025 fiscal year, up from nearly US$73 billion in 2021-2022, following an economic partnership agreement in 2022.
Now India’s third-largest trading partner after the US and China, the UAE is seeing affluent and educated Indians joining the wave of low-income migrant workers as major Western countries tighten immigration policies for South Asians. With expanded Golden visa eligibility in 2025, Henley & Partners, a British investment migration advisory firm, anticipates 3,500 wealthy Indians relocating to the UAE in 2025.
Launched in 2019, the UAE Golden visa aimed to attract business investors and property owners. It has since broadened to include scientists, artists, and doctors as the UAE diversifies its economy. Eligible individuals include retirees, outstanding students, professional gamers, and luxury yacht owners.
Unlike regular work visas, the Golden visa is not employer-bound and is valid for extended periods, vallowing foreigners to live, work, or study in the UAE without needing a local sponsor. Property ownership is not required. alid for five to ten years, the Golden visa is automatically renewable. Holders can sponsor their spouse, minor children, and sometimes parents.
In 2023, the UAE’s General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) issued 158,000 Golden visas, nearly double the 2022 figure and over triple that of 2021.
While the GDRFA did not provide nationality details of visa holders, property and relocation consultants indicated that Indians—particularly entrepreneurs, doctors, and artists—comprise a significant portion of the newly expanded long-term residency applications.
Notable Indian celebrities have also shared their visa statuses publicly. These include Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan, Tamil actor Rajinikanth, Malayalam actor Mammootty, and singer Sonu Nigam.
