If the American dream is white picket fences, married with kids, a 9-5 job with stable income, then the Indian dream is moving abroad. It’s the ultimate goal to earn in a foreign currency and live in an unknown land. Everyone you know has an NRI cousin; and for decades, that cousin has stayed in the US or UK. But last week, when news spread of paying Rs 23 lakh (approx) to get a Golden Visa in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), there was a happy buzz everywhere of people wanting to move to Dubai, a city whose name is used almost interchangeably with the UAE. But them, it turned out that the news was fake. The Golden Visa does exist though — it is a Green Card equivalent for residence in the UAE. It offers 5-10 years of residency in the country. You can also sponsor your own family through it. However, it’s only open to doctors, scientists, executive directors, athletes, doctorate holders, creative artists, inventors, or students with outstanding performance. Even the immigration policy makes it clear that the UAE is open to skilled, educated, and talented people only. 

In an environment where US President Donald Trump has created a fear of immigration in the minds of so many, moving to Dubai is becoming the dream of many more. Sunday mid-day investigates what might be causing this sudden interest.

According to 2024 data from the Indian Embassy of UAE, the Indian expatriate community is the largest ethnic community in UAE, amounting to about 43 lakh Indians, constituting roughly about 35 per cent of the entire population of the country.