Fact Check:Misleading Claims About Lifetime UAE Golden Visa for Indians and Bangladeshis Goes Viral

A sensational news item claiming the UAE is offering lifetime residency through a Golden Visa for just Dh100,000 (₹ 23 lakhs) went viral on Monday, July 7. The claim was covered by most mainstream media and generated a lot of buzz on social media with influencers and users posting content regarding the purported development.

These reports also mention the involvement of a consultancy firm, Rayad Group, which is supposedly facilitating the applications under a pilot programme targeting India and Bangladesh.
Media houses which published reports about the alleged new development included the Times of India, Hindustan Times and Mint.

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Fact Check/Verification

A preliminary keyword search, led us to a report from the Emirates News Agency, also known as WAM, the official news agency of the United Arab Emirates, on July 8,2025, clarifying that the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) has denied the claims circulated by some local and international media outlets and websites regarding the United Arab Emirates granting lifetime Golden Visas to certain nationalities as ‘rumours.’

ICP clarified that the categories, conditions, and regulations of the Golden Visa are clearly defined in accordance with official laws, legislations, and ministerial decisions. “Interested individuals can find the official information on the Authority’s website or smart application,” the report said.

“It emphasised that all Golden Visa applications are handled exclusively through official government channels within the UAE, and that no internal or external consultancy entity is recognised as an authorised party in the application process,” the report further clarified.

The ICP statement clearly means that they have denied that the golden visa was being extended to certain nationalities only and that  they have entrusted any agencies for this. It is also clear that they have not denied the fact that the system of golden visas existed. 

The Rayad Group, the consultancy at the centre of the viral reports, has issued a public apology for spreading incorrect information. They admitted that their statements about a fixed-price, lifetime Golden Visa were misplaced and misleading. The group has now discontinued its private advisory services for Golden Visas and clarified that no such guaranteed or fixed-price lifetime visa exists.

News report from the Khaleej Times dated July 8,2025, saying On Tuesday, July 8, the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security (ICP) debunked rumours “circulating in some local and foreign media and websites about the UAE granting a lifetime Golden Visa for a number of nationalities.”

“Khaleej Times did not carry the news and immediately sought an official statement from ICP on Monday, July 7,” the report further clarified, the report added.

We also visited the official website of the ICP to find out about the conditions and criteria for getting a golden visa.

Though there were various categories, which underlined several conditions that one needs to meet to obtain a golden visa, we did not find any such information about the government offering golden visas for lifetime for Dh100,000 (₹ 23 lakhs).  We also did not find anything in the website saying that the golden visas were extended only to Indian and Bangladeshi nationals.

The website says: “Under this service, people who meet the conditions can apply for a long-term residency for a period of five to ten years. This new system in the UAE allows residents, foreign expatriates and their families to come to work, live and study in the country, and to have the possibility of enjoying a long-term residency without the need for a sponsor within the country, and it is automatically renewed.

Furthermore, this system enhances the environment that supports business growth and success in the country.”

“As part of the authority’s keenness to support the golden visa system, the long-term residency visa system has been activated by a decision of the Council of Ministers, which aims to attract the investor who invests his money in the country, the entrepreneur who runs an economic project, and the talented or skilled person, or the leader in different fields of science, knowledge or sports, and the outstanding students who graduated from high school or from accredited universities in the country with a GPA of 3.8 or more, and all PhD holders, doctors and engineers in the fields of computer engineering, electronics, programming, electricity and biotechnology, and those who hold specialized degrees in artificial intelligence, big data or epidemiology and viruses,” ICP website adds.

As per the report in the Outlook Traveller dated July 10,2025 nomination-based UAE Golden Visa is not a new aspect and has been an integral part of the programme since its launch in 2019.

We also found an Instagram story by Abdulnasser Alshaali,Ambassador of the UAE to India,saying that UAE denies rumours about lifetime golden visas for certain nationalities.

We have also sent emails to Abdulnasser Alshaali and  the  embassy of UAE to India,seeking clarifications on the claims on the new golden visa rules. We will update the article once we get their response.

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Conclusion

Hence, we find that the viral posts about the UAE offering lifetime golden visas for Rs 23 lakh to only Indian and Bangladeshi nationals are false for Indian and Bangladeshi nationals. The maximum period of a golden visa is ten years and is available for citizens of all nationalities.

Sources
News  report from the WAM dated July 8,2025
News report from the Khaleej Times dated July 8,2025
official website of the ICP
Instagram story by Abdulnasser Alshaali
News report from Economic Times dated July 10,2025
News report in the Outlook Traveller dated July 10,2025