UAE tops Global Residence Index Rankings

UAE makes it to the 13th spot among 19 countries assessed for residence attractiveness index, according to the latest The Global Residence and Citizenship Programmes – 2016 report. UAE rankings have climbed up by two slots from 15th to 13th since last year. Marco Gantenbein, Managing partner - Henley & Partners in the Middle East, opined that UAE is an attractive destination for residence globally and specifically in the Middle-East and North African regions. It ranks high on their annual index because of certain benchmark factors for residence like standard of living, taxes, reputation, processing quality and times for residence. UAE ranked first, consecutively for the third time for its “Ease of doing business” in the Middle East region by The World Bank report. The report that assesses the ease of doing business for investors, among 189 states, ranks UAE at the 31st spot globally; one slot above than last year’s ranking. Dubai has been identified as the most attractive destination among the Gulf cooperation council members, for wealthy investors in property and real estate, by the real estate company - Cluttons. The Cluttons study that surveyed high net worth individuals across the middle-east region, discovered that Dubai ranked first among the top three destinations with 27% of respondents voting for Dubai; 21% for Abu Dhabi, 8% for Sharjah followed by Doha and Kuwait City to complete the top 5 slots. According to the Cluttons report, lifestyle in Dubai for second home owners remains unrivalled and attracts investors to the Middle East region. Global Citizenship Programme Index (GCPI) and Global Residence Programme Index (GRPI), assessed by Henry and Partners help investors to understand the relative benefits associated with residency and citizenship among countries worldwide, using benchmark factors like taxes, standard of living, immigration laws, risk compliance & transparency issues, etc. Golden Residence Permit offered by Portugal ranked as one of the best residence-by-investment programmes offered by the participatory 19 countries and experiences a high demand from UAE expats. Residence and citizenship planning is fast emerging as a prime industry in the recent past, with most high net worth individuals opting for privileges associated visa free travel, safety, standard of living, and education in return for economic contribution. Interested in applying for a permanent residency in the Middle East? Talk to our experts at Y-Axis and we will help you with all the information you need!