UAE’s ‘first’ female Indian doctor receives gold card residency visa

The UAE’s first female Indian doctor, Zulekha Daud, has become the latest expatriate in the country to receive a gold card permanent residency visa.

The 81-year-old chairperson of the UAE-based Zulekha Healthcare Group was granted the visa in honour of her service to the country’s healthcare sector, The National reported.

The Zulekha Healthcare Group includes two multidisciplinary hospitals in Dubai and Sharjah, as well as three UAE medical centres and three pharmacies. It also has a hospital in Nagpur, India.

“I am grateful for the long-term visa privilege given to us. This makes us more responsible for the nation’s well-being as healthcare professionals and we will do our best,” she was quoted as saying.

The 10-year visas were also granted to the group’s co-chairperson and Daud’s daughter, Zanubia Shams and managing director Taher Shams, the report said.

The UAE launched the permanent residency scheme for expatriates in May this year, targeting investors and exceptional doctors, engineers, scientists and artists.

The first batch of 6,800 recipients includes expats who have made total investments of over Dhs100bn.

Indian businessman M.A Yussufali, the chairman and director Lulu Group, became the first expat in the UAE to receive the gold card permanent residency in June.

Read: Indian businessman becomes first expat to get UAE gold card residency

Gold card holders are granted a 10-year residency visa covering them and and their families (spouse and children) without the need for a sponsor, which will be automatically renewed provided all the conditions are met.

They can freely move in and out of the country and investors can also employ three workers and obtain residence for a senior employee, advisor or manager.

Read: UAE unveils ‘golden card’ permanent residency scheme for expats