Minister welcomes 10-year visa move

Imran Mojib, Special Correspondent

The Indian community in the UAE gave warm welcome to India’s Minister of State for External Affairs V. Muraleedharan in Dubai on Friday, the first union minister to visit the UAE since the new government took charge under Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the general elections in May.

The minister had made a stopover in Dubai on Friday while returning to India after a three-day visit to Nigeria.

During his brief stay in the UAE, the minister had a series of meetings, attended a community reception hosted by the Consulate General of India in Dubai and had an interactive session with India’s top businessmen, hosted by the Indian Business and Professional Council (IBPC), Dubai.

During his community interaction programmes, the minister highlighted the central government’s stand on various issues related to expatriates. As the community members raised a number of issues related to passport, immigration, pension, air travel, Aadhaar card (unique identification card currently issued only to resident Indians), and voting rights for Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), he clarified the government’s stand and assured them of immediate response to their grievances.

Speaking at the IBPC Dubai gathering, the minister welcomed the UAE government’s decision to issue 10-year-visa and grant permanent residency to investors and exceptional doctors, engineers, scientists and artists.

 He said that the UAE’s decision to grant permanent residency and 10-year-visa to selected Indian community members in the UAE will go a long way in India-UAE relationship.

“Dubai continues to hold attraction for Indians to trade, invest and live in the UAE. I am glad that the UAE has recently awarded 10-year-visa as well as permanent residency to select Indians. This will go a long way. It will also enhance the image of Dubai as investor-friendly and as a destination for entrepreneurs and professionals,” said the minister.

The Indian Business& Professional Council (IBPC), Dubai, recently celebrated a Suhoor gathering with the Al Noor Training Center, Dubai, and made a contribution of Dhs100,000 for the benefit of the determined students of Al Noor Training Centre for Persons with Disabilities.

The Suhoor gathering was part of the IBPC Dubai’s annual activities,