Investment Migration for
Indian Citizens.
Indian-passport-specific routes to second citizenship and residency. RBI rules, LRS implications, OCI considerations, popular Caribbean and EU options.
- India passport rank:
- #78
Common motivations
- 1
Visa-free travel — the Indian passport ranks 78 globally
- 2
Family-mobility for higher-education and business
- 3
Tax planning around RBI Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS) limits
- 4
OCI-compatible second-passport options
Indian investment migration has two characteristic patterns. Pattern one: Caribbean CBI + OCI restoration. The Indian client acquires St. Kitts, Antigua, or Dominica citizenship for visa-free travel, surrenders Indian citizenship as required, then applies for OCI to retain India access. Net result: a passport that opens 150+ countries plus a lifelong India position. Pattern two: UAE Golden Visa for tax substance and proximity. The Indian client takes UAE Golden Visa, structures genuine substance (Dubai office, days in country, banking), and qualifies for UAE tax residency. Indian residency-test management determines whether they remain subject to Indian worldwide-income tax. Both patterns are well-trodden — the practice handles roughly 80 Indian files per year split across these two main paths.
Best fits for Indian citizens
St. Kitts & Nevis
Dominica
Portugal
UAE
Antigua & Barbuda
Indian residents are taxed on worldwide income; non-resident Indians (NRIs) are taxed on Indian-sourced income only. The Reserve Bank of India's Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS) caps annual outward remittance at USD 250,000 per resident individual — meaningful for funding investment-migration programmes. Multi-year structuring (one LRS allocation per family member, multiple years) is the standard pattern for Caribbean CBI funding. Tax Collected at Source (TCS) at 20% applies to LRS remittances above ₹7L/yr, recoverable against income tax. Tax-residency change to UAE or Portugal requires careful Indian residency-test management — Section 6 of the Income Tax Act sets the day-count and ties tests.
India does not permit dual citizenship. Indians acquiring a foreign passport (CBI, naturalisation) must surrender Indian citizenship — but can apply for Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) status, which restores most rights short of voting and certain agricultural-land ownership. OCI is popular with NRIs and is treated as a de-facto permanent residency in India. Caribbean CBI passports are OCI-compatible; the typical Indian client pairs a Caribbean passport with OCI to retain India access. Portugal Golden Visa and UAE Golden Visa are residency-only — they don't trigger Indian citizenship surrender.
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Frequently asked questions
Will I have to give up my Indian citizenship?
Only if you naturalise to a foreign citizenship. Caribbean CBI requires acquiring foreign citizenship and therefore triggers Indian citizenship surrender — but Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) status restores most India access. Residency-only programmes (UAE, Portugal Golden Visa) do not trigger surrender.
How does LRS affect my CBI funding?
LRS caps each resident at USD 250,000/yr in outward remittance. Multi-applicant family structures and multi-year planning are the standard funding pattern for Caribbean CBI. Direct funding from foreign-sourced income (NRE accounts, foreign earnings) is not subject to LRS.
What is OCI and how does it work?
Overseas Citizen of India is a lifelong India residency with most rights of an Indian citizen short of voting, public-office, and certain agricultural-land ownership. Acquired after acquiring foreign citizenship; restores India entry, employment, and residency. Almost all CBI clients apply for OCI post-grant.
Is the UAE Golden Visa popular with Indian clients?
Yes — UAE proximity, large Indian diaspora, 0% tax, and AED 2M threshold make it the most-used residency-track programme for UHNW Indian families. Tax-residency restructuring requires careful Indian residency-test management.
Will I lose my current citizenship?
It depends on the law of your current country. Some allow dual citizenship freely, others restrict it or require permission. Take advice before you apply.
Which programmes are open to my nationality?
Eligibility depends on each programme. Some exclude certain nationalities or apply extra checks. The programmes on this page are suggestions; confirm eligibility for your nationality on each programme page or with an advisor.
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More on investment migration for Indian citizens
Indian investment migration has two characteristic patterns. Pattern one: Caribbean CBI + OCI restoration. The Indian client acquires St. Kitts, Antigua, or Dominica citizenship for visa-free travel, surrenders Indian citizenship as required, then applies for OCI to retain India access. Net result: a passport that opens 150+ countries plus a lifelong India position. Pattern two: UAE Golden Visa for tax substance and proximity. The Indian client takes UAE Golden Visa, structures genuine substance (Dubai office, days in country, banking), and qualifies for UAE tax residency. Indian residency-test management determines whether they remain subject to Indian worldwide-income tax. Both patterns are well-trodden — the practice handles roughly 80 Indian files per year split across these two main paths.