Exploring the Rise of Indian Entrepreneurs Holding Multi-Residency

According to HSBC’s Global Entrepreneurial Wealth Report 2025, 73% of Indian entrepreneurs now hold residency in multiple countries, far above the global average of 56%. 

Despite this number already being high, the demand for another home base remains a top priority among Indian investors. More than half are now considering a personal move and have enterprising plans to diversify their wealth across borders. 

For investors, this is a clear signal that multi-residency is becoming a mainstream strategy for expanding business opportunities, gaining access to more capital, and helping with planning the optimal lifestyle of one’s family. 

HSBC’s Global Entrepreneurial Report 2025 paints a clear picture of what Indian investors are looking for. 59% are diversifying their wealth internationally, 57% are considering a purely personal move, and 49% plan to expand into new markets over the next 12 months. Key motivations tend to include getting a better quality of life for their family, access to new investment opportunities, and entry into new markets. 

So, which countries are Indian investors and entrepreneurs looking toward most often? The US (88%) and UAE (85%) top the intended relocation lists, with Singapore (82%) and the UK (79%) following close behind. When it comes to moving purely for wealth building purposes, the UK and Singapore lead the pack. This aligns with India’s outward push to settle into more mature financial sectors that have strong banking, better flow of deals, and easier flight connectivity. 

India does not recognize dual citizenship. For Indian nationals, the focus is on holding multiple residencies and gaining the associated rights rather than a second passport and citizenship. 

While there are many investment routes one can take to acquire multiple residencies, research shows that real estate remains a core pillar of Indian high-net-worth individuals’ (HNWIs) wealth preservation strategy. 

The HSBC found nearly 64% of entrepreneurs in India allocate their spend to real estate for personal use, emphasizing why residency pathways that are tied to specifically to property continue to resonate with this segment of the population. 

The following residency programs all rank in the top 10 for their excellent legal structures, favorable taxation, extensive global mobility benefits and more, according to the Global RCBI Report 2025: 

Greece Golden Visa 

• The Greece Golden Visa recently introduced a tiered system which means that property investment amounts are tied to location. Investment starts at €250,000 for properties requiring renovation, €400,000 in less popular regions than those in more touristy areas, and €800,000 in high-demand areas like central Athens, Thessaloniki, and popular islands. 

• Provides Schengen access with a family-friendly structure. There are no stringent stay requirements to maintain residency status. 

• It is particularly attractive for buyers seeking travel access to European Union countries with the additional benefit of property rental potential. 

Cyprus Permanent Residency 

• Also known as the Cyprus Golden Visa, you can invest in or purchase a residential or commercial property of €300,000 or more (excluding VAT). 

• Other routes include investment in a share capital of a Cypriot company or investment in the Cyprus Investment Fund Association, also for €300,000. 

• This program is a fast-track permanent residency program with wide family coverage and a straightforward maintenance profile. You must continue to hold the initial investment and maintain the minimum value. One can rent out the property to a third party. 

• When it comes to residency, you must visit the country at least once every two years. 

UAE Golden Visa 

• The UAE Golden Visa offers  ten-year residency for property ownership of at least AED 2 million. 

• The title-deed process is quite straightforward in Dubai. Title-deed transfers are handled by the DLD-licensed Registration Trustee offices during one visit. They issue a digital e-Title Deed, often the same day. In most cases you simply present an ID, the signed sale contract and the developer NOC certificate, pay standard fees (including the 4% transfer), and receive the deed by email. 

• If property ownership isn’t for you, you can either place AED 2 million in an approved UAE investment fund or a UAE bank, partake in a business ownership or partnership as a non-real-estate investor with capital of AED 2 million or go the entrepreneur route  where founders of SMEs with ≥ AED 1,000,000 annual revenue, or founders who exited a prior venture for ≥ AED 7,000,000 may obtain the Golden Visa. 

• Thanks to easy onboarding with major local and international banks for multi-currency accounts and Dubai’s hub connectivity with direct flights to India and one-stop links across Europe, Africa, and Asia, the UAE is an excellent pro-business base for Indian founders. 

Malta Permanent Residence Program (MPRP) 

• The Malta Residency by Investment grants permanent residency to non-EU families via the purchase of real estate (minimum investment of €375,000) or entering into a long-term rental (of €14,000 plus per year). You also need to make a government contribution of €37,000, pay a non-refundable admin fee of €60,000, and donate €2,000 to an NGO. 

• Successful applicants receive a Maltese residence card that enables visa-free movement across the Schengen Area (90/180). There’s no minimum stay requirement, and eligible dependents include spouses, children, parents, and grandparents. 

• Malta is popular with Indian citizens because English is widely used, schools are well-regarded, and the program offers EU access without heavy day-count obligations. It is a practical base on the European continent with a property-anchored route for those who want tangible assets and mobility for business and family travel. 

Italy Golden Visa 

• The Italy Golden Visa offers residency to non-EU investors through four investment routes, namely investing €2,000,000 in Italian government bonds, €500,000 in an Italian company (€250,000 if investing in an innovative startup), or a €1,000,000 philanthropic donation. 

• This Golden Visa has a fast, online pre-approval process (typically completed within ~30 days). Once done, you can receive a 2-year investor visa. Upon arrival in Italy, you can apply for a 2-year residence permit and then the investment must be completed within 3 months. The investment must be maintained for the duration and renewed for 3 more years to get to a total of 5 years. After 5 years of legal residence, you may seek the EU long-term residence card. 

• Eligible family members (spouse, children, and dependent parents) can join you as part of the application. Italian residency holders may travel across the Schengen Area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. 

• Italy’s route is purely investment-based. Real estate purchases do not qualify for the visa (though you may buy property separately). 

• The Italy Golden Visa once again delivers sought-after access to the EU market without tying capital to property, flexible family inclusion, and straightforward maintenance. This is a great alignment for those wanting to marry portfolio diversification with business mobility goals. 

You need to choose a hub or country that matches your business goals. The UK, Singapore and UAE remain the top heavyweights to consider for easy banking, access to capital markets, and direct international flights. All these factors make these countries notably popular in HSBC’s findings. 

Use commercial or residential property as a stabilizer. For many families, a residency anchored by real estate (such as in Greece, Cyprus, UAE or Malta) provides both a lifestyle benefit and the opportunity to diversify your portfolio while making it easier to oblige with day-count requirements. 

Remember to structure your real estate purchase for compliance from day one. For Indian residents, that means aligning your plan with India’s FEMA/RBI framework, specifically the Liberalized Remittance Scheme (what and how much you can remit abroad) and the Overseas Investment Rules (how you may hold foreign property/companies) and coordinating with tax treaties and governance. 

Also assess Permanent Establishment (PE) risk, board or management location, and banking KYC requirements. 

Think about how much travel mobility residence in the country will afford you and whether you will have a way into the right markets. Residency is no longer only about having a holiday home. It’s about access to customers, capital, and talent, plus smoother travel for making deals. 

HSBC’s momentum data suggests that 2025 to 2026 will see continued movement of Indian HNWIs across country borders to secure residencies.