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Recently, legendary actor Rajinikanth was honoured with the UAE Golden Visa, presented by the Department of Culture and Tourism.
"I am deeply honoured to receive the prestigious UAE Golden visa from the Abu Dhabi government. My heartfelt thanks to the Abu Dhabi government, and also to my good friend Mr Yusuff Ali, CMD of Lulu Group, for facilitating this visa and for all the support," Rajinikanth said in a video that has been circulating on X.
Mr. Yusuff Ali is the Chairman and Managing Director of the Lulu Group. This global conglomerate owns the LuLu Hypermarket chain and the LuLu International Shopping Mall. Rajinikanth was seen taking a ride in Mr Yusuff's Rolls Royce and also visited the headquarters of the Lulu Group.
The Golden Visa, introduced in 2019, is a special long-term residency permit offered by the UAE to foreign talents, allowing them to study, work, or reside in the country. The Golden Visa is available to entrepreneurs, investors, frontline heroes, scientists, film stars, athletes and exceptional students among others.
Typically granted for 10 years, the visa offers benefits like multiple entry visas and the freedom from needing a sponsor. Golden visa holders can sponsor family members for residence visas. They can also let their family members stay in the UAE if the primary holder passes away before the visa duration ends. Additionally, UAE golden visa holders qualify for exclusive healthcare and insurance packages.
Before Rajinikanth, several other prominent Indian figures have been granted Golden visas in Dubai. Among them are actors namely Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Ranveer Singh, Varun Dhawan, Kriti Sanon, Mammootty, and Kamal Hassan. Additionally, singer Neha Kakkar along with her husband Rohanpreet Singh have also been bestowed with this honour.
Beyond film stars, Anand Kumar, the Founder of Super 30, was awarded the Golden Visa earlier this year. Kumar is known for his dedication to educating underprivileged students for exams such as JEE-Main and JEE-Advanced.