The UAE has the highest Indian population in the Gulf and has, in recent years, remained the most sought after Gulf country for Indians to settle in.

In recent years, other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries have started to offer similar long-term residency plans to expats with the objective of attracting skilled professionals and investors to strengthen their economies -- Saudi Arabia’s Premium Residency (also known as the Saudi Green Card), Bahrain’s own Golden Visa program being the most notable ones.

This is an attempt to provide an overview of some of the key features of the Golden Visas being offered by the above countries and highlight the important features of each.

Golden Visa: UAE, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain

UAE’s Golden Visa: Not restricted to just investors

While all three of the countries offer a zero income tax and cover family members under the primary application or self-sponsorship, the UAE’s Golden Visa program seems to be the most flexible option, which targets more than just investors, having more than 10 categories including scientists, researchers, medical professionals and healthcare specialists, top professionals in engineering, IT and AI as well as creative talents and graduates of top universities and more. Yet, on the other hand, Bahrain’s Golden Visa has the practical advantage of not having a continuous stay requirement. Bahrain is also attractive due its comparatively lower investment threshold combined with its lower cost of living on the face of it. Saudi Arabia’s residency program also offers a one-time payment, appealing to those seeking long-term security without periodic renewals.

However, it must be noted that these are not the only factors to consider when we seek to evaluate which Golden Visa program is worth choosing. Factors like overall economic opportunities, social conditions and increasing cultural vibrancy are important factors and the UAE scores relatively higher on these accounts.

For instance, while Saudi Arabia’s Premium Residency does offer a one-time investment for a lifelong gateway to the country’s economic and residential sectors, it also comes with an incredible amount of restrictions. While many social reforms have been introduced in Saudi Arabia, the UAE remains the most open socially and it has taken several steps to emerge as a pluralist society.

UAE’s economic advantages 

In comparison with Bahrain, the UAE also has the advantage of being more economically stable  and having established a place for itself in the global economy, all while being known to be a startup hub for emerging entrepreneurs, including from India. Furthermore, it has been forecasted that the UAE’s economy would maintain a higher growth than previous year where it projected a 3.9 % growth, as per the World Bank. Comparatively, Bahrain only showed a 3.5 % growth in the last year. 

The UAE has 3 of the top 5 cities in the world when it comes to safety, and offers quality education, hosting branches of various top universities like New York University and France's Sorbonne University, all while having established its own prestigious institutions making a mark in global rankings. Also, for aspiring scientists,  the UAE is making a mark in cutting-edge scientific innovation, filing more patents annually than Bahrain. UAE has also been making concerted efforts to attract talented students, from other countries, to its higher education institutions. It would be pertinent to point out that in recent years, UAE has also risen significantly in terms of its Soft Power ranking.

Thus, it can be said that despite the competitiveness of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, the UAE continues to stand out as the most holistic and inclusive destination for Indian nationals seeking long-term residency in the Gulf.

The UAE has several advantages vis-à-vis Golden Visas being offered not just by other Gulf countries, but countries in other regions as well. Indians, like nationals of several other countries, are likely to be more attracted towards the UAE’s Golden Visa given not only the several advantages which UAE possesses, but also the flexibility of the UAE’s golden visa.

(Tridivesh Singh Maini is a faculty member at The Jindal School of International Affairs, OP Jindal Global University, Sonipat. Karmanye Thadani  heads the Citizens' Foundation for Policy Solutions (CFPS), a Delhi-based think tank.Views expressed are personal. They can be reached at tsmaini@jgu.edu.in )