What is a Golden Visa?

Golden Visa Meaning & How It Works

By definition, A golden visa is a residency-by-investment program offered by various governments. It grants foreign individuals and their family members long-term residence rights, provided they follow the specific protocol. However, there are a few unique features that makes it different from other visas:

Golden Visa Means More Than Just Residency

A golden visa comes with long-term residence, which can be a great opportunity for exceptional talent to expand their lifestyle and optimise their net worth. However, it often leads to citizenship opportunities, depending on the visa holder's intent and the host country's citizenship laws.

Many countries like the UAE, Portugal, Italy, Thailand, etc. offer golden visas to foreign nationals who are interested in living in these countries. These people may want to invest, work, retire, or simply reside in the host country after fulfilling the host country's requirements.

One special characteristic of this kind of visa is that the visa holder does not have to reside in the country permanently or even full-time. Under this visa, the applicant and their family are granted the right to access that country's educational system, the right to work, the right to study, and more, depending on the benefits.

Purpose of Golden Visa

The primary use of golden visa programs includes:

• Global Mobility: Offers visa-free travel across certain regions (such as the EU Schengen Area).
• Family Security: Extend long-term residency benefits, schooling, and healthcare access to your spouse and children.
• Business & Tax Expansion: Optimise corporate taxes and expand wealth into stable international markets.
• Flexible Residency: Unlike traditional visas, most programs do not require you to live in the host country permanently or full-time.

Who Qualifies for a Golden Visa?

Depending on the country offering the golden visa, foreign investors, exceptional talents, entrepreneurs, and outstanding graduates can apply for it.

While exact criteria differ country to country, who qualifies for a golden visa typically falls into one of these main categories:

• Real Estate Investors: Individuals purchasing residential or commercial property above a set monetary threshold.
• Capital & Business Investors: Indian entrepreneurs founding local companies, buying equity, or depositing funds into government-approved accounts abroad.
• Skilled Professionals & Specialised Talents: Senior executives, healthcare professionals, scientists, tech innovators, and artists meeting specific income or achievement benchmarks.
• Outstanding Students & Graduates: Exceptional achievers from top-ranked local or global universities.

Countries Offering Golden Visa Programs

These are some of the most popular countries offering golden visa to Indians:

1. UAE / Dubai Golden Visa

The UAE offers a renewable 10-year residency pass popular among foreign entrepreneurs and skilled professionals.

• Minimum Investment: AED 2 Million (~INR 4.66 Crore) in real estate, bank deposits, or public investments.
• Government Fees: Total costs range from AED 4,600 to over AED 10,500 (approx. Dubai golden visa price in INR: 1.05 Lakh to 2.41 Lakh).
• Key Requirements: Fulfilling core UAE golden visa requirements and purchasing compliant golden visa health insurance for all sponsored family members.

2. Portugal Golden Visa

Portugal remains one of Europe's top residency routes, granting visa-free access across the Schengen Zone.

• Minimum Investment: EUR 500,000 in approved venture capital/investment funds or EUR 250,000 in cultural heritage preservation. The earlier direct real estate investment was permanently phased out.
• Stay & Citizenship: Requires an average physical presence of just 7 days per year (14 days every 2 years). Visa holders become eligible for EU citizenship after 5 years.

3. Malaysia Golden Visa (MM2H)

The Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) initiative offers long-term residency passes through multiple routes: SEZ, Silver, Gold, and Platinum.

• Minimum Investment: Fixed bank deposits range from USD 65,000 (~INR 54 Lakh) in Special Economic Zones to USD 150,000 - 1,000,000 for mainland tiers. 
• Tax Benefits: Foreign-sourced income is generally exempt from local taxation.
• Residency Term: Grants renewable 5-year to 20-year multiple-entry passes depending on the selected tier.

4. USA Investor Visas (EB-5)

The EB-5 visa provides a direct pathway to a U.S. Green Card for investors and their immediate family members.

• Minimum Investment: USD 800,000 (~INR 6.68 Crore) in a Targeted Employment Area (TEA) or USD 1.05 Million in non-TEAs.
• Requirements: Must create or preserve at least 10 full-time jobs for U.S. workers.

5. Antigua and Barbuda Golden Visa

This is a popular Caribbean program that offers rapid processing and direct citizenship to high-net-worth investors.

• Minimum Investment: USD 230,000 (~INR 1.92 Crore) non-refundable contribution to the National Development Fund or USD 300,000 in government-approved real estate. It takes 3 to 4 months to process.
• Physical Stay: Applicants must reside in the country for at least 5 days during their first 5 years of citizenship.

6. Mauritius Golden Visa

An attractive option for foreign investors seeking long-term residency in Africa.

• Minimum Investment: USD 375,000 (~INR 3.13 Crore) in qualifying real estate or commercial business ventures.
• Benefits: Grants a 20-year permanent residence permit to live, work, or retire in Mauritius, with the option to extend to family dependents.

7. Canada Start-Up Visa

Canada's residence-by-investment route is made for innovative founders looking to establish global businesses.

• Minimum Investment: Foreign entrepreneurs must secure a minimum investment of CAD 75,000 from a designated angel group or CAD 200,000 from an approved venture capital fund.
• Benefits: Offers direct Permanent Residency (PR) in Canada upon approval for the founder and core team members.

Wrapping it Up,

Golden visas come in many forms and serve different purposes for different people. Some people may seek these visas for a full-time residence or as a part of their retirement plan. From a plethora of career, business, healthcare and lifestyle opportunities, people can opt for these programmes as well as let their families avail of these benefits. Many countries also need the applicants to have valid international insurance protecting them or their families. If you're planning to reside temporarily in another country, don't forget to buy suitable travel insurance for that duration.