Are you dreaming of a lifetime Golden Visa and planning to take the plunge? Hold on—there’s a twist in the tale.
The UAE has a bold ambition: to become a global magnet for talent, investment, and innovation. To achieve that, it launched the Golden Visa programme in 2019. The programme offers long-term residency to investors, innovators, and professionals chasing new opportunities.
By 2021, the UAE expanded its vision further. It amended its citizenship laws to allow select investors and skilled professionals to gain citizenship itself.
And in 2025 came the big buzz. Reports of a ₹23 lakh lifetime Golden Visa for Indians began circulating widely. Social media exploded. Many believed it was a once-in-a-lifetime escape route from the chaos back home.
But now, the UAE’s Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security, or ICP, has burst the bubble.
In a sharp statement, the ICP said: “The Authority has recently observed news articles from a consultancy based in another country, claiming lifetime Golden Visas could be obtained under simplified conditions. These claims have no legal basis and were made without coordination with UAE authorities.”
Calling it misinformation, the ICP warned of legal action against those spreading such rumours to scam hopeful applicants. It clarified that these false promises were attempts to illegally collect money from people aspiring to live in the UAE, exploiting their dreams of a better life.
The ICP urged everyone to be cautious and avoid falling for such false claims. It also advised visa aspirants not to share documents or pay fees to anyone claiming to offer guaranteed Golden Visas.
