UAE’s first Indian doctor Zulekha gets gold visa

  DUBAI – The UAE’s first Indian doctor and founder of Zulekha Healthcare Group has received a gold visa for her contribution to medical care in the Gulf. Dr. Zulekha Daud, or Mama Zulekha as she is popularly known, was honored by Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation. The UAE implemented a permanent residency scheme in May, allowing gold visa holders to stay in the UAE permanently. The card needs to be renewed every 10 years. Daud, 81, founded two hospitals in Sharjah and Dubai. A gynecologist, she has delivered about 10,000 children since moving from Kuwait to the UAE in 1964. “This has been my home for decades and we are privileged to be a part of this progressive nation and play a key role in the well-being of the UAE residents as healthcare pioneers,” Dr. Daud said. Her daughter, Zanubia Shams, also received the gold visa, joining hundreds of expatriates who have benefitted from the permanent residency scheme. The permanent visa is available to foreign investors, businessmen and individuals with “exceptional talents and skills”, including executives with a monthly salary of Dh30,000. The spouse and children of the cardholder will also benefit from the scheme. Applicants must meet any of these requirements: 1. Must have a deposit of not less than Dh10 million in an investment fund in the UAE. 2. Must have a company with a capital of Dh10 million, or be a partner in a company with a capital of not less than Dh10 million. The total share in the partnership must not be less than 60 percent of the total company capital. 3. Must invest in real estate with a property value of not less than Dh5 million. These three conditions must also be met: 1. The investment amount should not be loaned from any financial institution, and applicant must provide proof of retaining the amount for at least three years. 2. The applicant’s financial liability should not be more than his total assets of Dh10 million. 3. The applicant must have comprehensive health insurance for himself and immediate family members.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