Dubai firm claims Indians can get UAE Golden Visa for ₹23 lakh, apologies after govt warning

A Dubai-based private company has apologised for disseminating “incorrect” information suggesting that Indians could obtain lifetime UAE Golden Visas for a fee of around ₹23 lakh, after the United Arab Emirates’ immigration authority dismissed the claims and warned against misleading the public.

One of the major ways to get Dubai's Gold Visa has been to invest in property valued at at least AED 2 million (around ₹4.66 crore, or to invest a substantial amount in a business in the country.

Rayad Group, a visa advisory firm headquartered in Dubai, had earlier claimed that Indians could get the UAE’s coveted Golden Visa under a new nomination-based policy by paying AED 100,000 (approximately ₹23.30 lakh) without the need for property or business investments.

The firm also claimed that over 5,000 Indians were expected to apply within the first three months and said the consultancy selected to implement the pilot project in India.

However, the UAE’s Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) denied the reports, clarifying that Golden Visa applications are processed only through official government channels within the UAE and no external consultancy is authorised to provide or facilitate such visas.

“The Federal Authority has denied the accuracy of rumours circulated by some local and international media outlets and websites regarding the UAE granting lifetime Golden Visas to certain nationalities,” ICP said in a statement.

Following the warning, Rayad Group issued an apology, taking “full responsibility” for causing public confusion. It said it would discontinue its private advisory services for Golden Visas.

“We apologise unreservedly for the public confusion caused by recent reports and commentary, and we take full responsibility for ensuring future communications are clear, accurate, and consistent with the UAE’s stringent regulatory frameworks,” the company said.

Rayad Group further clarified that certain public comments made by its Managing Director were “misplaced” and contributed to misinterpretation of its role and the nature of the initiative in question.

“These statements did not accurately reflect our intent, our scope of services, or the limitations of our authority in relation to the UAE Golden Visa programme,” the company said, reiterating that no guaranteed visa, fixed-price programme, or lifetime UAE residency product currently exists.

The ICP urged the public to verify such information directly from official sources via its website or smart application and warned of legal action against any party exploiting people’s aspirations for UAE residency through unverified claims.