Kuwaiti First Deputy Prime Minister presents long-term residency to Indian billionaire, making him the first expatriate to secure Golden Visas across all six GCC nations.
KUWAIT CITY — July 15, 2026 — Kuwait has officially launched its highly anticipated 15-year long-term residency program, awarding the country’s first-ever Golden Residency visa to LuLu Group International Chairman M.A. Yusuff Ali. The historic residency permit was presented by Kuwait’s First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Sheikh Fahad Yousef Saud Al-Sabah, during an official ceremony at the Bayan Palace in Kuwait City. The landmark initiative is designed to position Kuwait as a premier business hub in the Middle East by attracting high-net-worth foreign investments and stabilizing long-term corporate commitments.
The introduction of the Kuwaiti Golden Residency marks a major policy shift toward sustainable economic diversification. By providing a secure, investor-friendly framework, the government aims to encourage multinational companies and industrial leaders to expand their footprints within the sovereign state.
During the presentation ceremony, Sheikh Fahad Yousef Saud Al-Sabah stated that the program reflects Kuwait’s firm commitment to creating a stable environment for international businesses. The minister emphasized that the administration will continue to reform legal procedures and governmental frameworks to adapt to changing global economic dynamics, ensuring long-term mutual growth for the state and its international partners.
The high-profile ceremony was attended by the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior, Brigadier General Fawaz Al-Roumi, alongside other senior ministry officials and dignitaries.
With the acquisition of this 15-year visa, Yusuff Ali achieves a historic milestone as the first foreign investor to secure Golden Residencies or long-term visas from all six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations, having previously received similar honors from the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, and Qatar.
LuLu Group International maintains a substantial economic footprint in Kuwait, currently operating 21 hypermarkets across the country and employing thousands of individuals, including a significant workforce from the Indian diaspora. The retail conglomerate is actively expanding its local infrastructure with four additional hypermarket projects under construction and a state-of-the-art food processing and logistics facility in its initial developmental phases.
