Rayad Group, the Dubai-based firm embroiled in the recent Golden Visa controversy, issued an apology taking full responsibility for circulating inaccurate claims that the UAE government was offering a lifetime residency visa.
According to reports, in recent days the United Arab Emirates launched a new Golden Visa scheme offering lifetime residency in return for a one-time payment of approximately Rs 23 lakh (around AED 100,000).
The apology came after the UAE’s Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) dismissed reports quoting Rayad Group’s claims that lifetime Golden Visas were being offered to certain nationalities through external consultants or commercial entities under relaxed conditions.
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In response, Rayad Group issued a clarificatory statement saying, "We apologise unreservedly for the public confusion caused by recent reports and commentary, and wetake full responsibility for ensuring future communications are clear, accurate, and consistent with the UAE's stringent regulatory frameworks."
"We also wish to take this opportunity to acknowledge that certain public comments made by Rayad Group’s Managing Director were misplaced and have contributed to the misinterpretation of our role and the nature of the initiative in question," the group adds.
"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 program. To reiterate with full clarity: no guaranteed visa, fixed-price program or lifetime UAE residency product currently exists, and the Rayad Group does not offer, support, participate, or endorse any such arrangement.
Due to the confusion caused, the Rayad Group is discontinuing private advisory services for Golden Visas..
Rayad Group MD Rayad Kamal Ayub described the UAE Golden Visa as a prime opportunity for Indian applicants. However, the company issued a clarification stating that all visa approvals are exclusively determined by UAE government authorities.
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"We concur with the statement issued by the UAE's Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP), which affirms that all Golden Visa applications must be processed through official, government-approved channels," the group adds.