The Golden Visa – Gift-wrapping Bahrain

By Captain Mahmood Al Mahmood

In a conversation with an Asian businessman some years ago, whose families had completed over 150 years in Bahrain, I remember him saying that while Bahrain offered all the correct amenities to settle here permanently, that fact is those who chose to stay on only recently go to play a bigger role in how the country was managed.

Until the overhaul of the political system by His Majesty King Hamad which realigned the development and aspirational indices to the new generation with the National Action Charter, non-Bahrainis lived and worked in peace in the Kingdom but were not invited to shape the future of the country through representation.

My friend told me that for the amount of money and effort invested by his family over nearly two centuries, any other country would have given the community the right to stand for election, the right to vote and have a say in how laws are written.

Of course, today expats can vote and stand for the municipal election and have been honoured with Bahraini citizenship and a seat in the Shura Council. And, the most progressive right to live and thrive in Bahrain was recently announced as The Golden Visa.

The Golden Visa (hereafter called TGV) makes it easy for people from all over the world to consider investing their money and time in Bahrain, building enterprises and thinking of long-term plans to share in the task of nation-building over generations.

One area that TGV will undoubtedly affect positively is the real estate sector. People can qualify for TGV if they own property worth a certain amount here. Conversely, once they have decided to become TGV owners, it makes little sense to then continue to live in rental property so sale of property will go up.

Therefore, I am sure we will see a huge reform of the already improving real estate sector and FDI into Bahrain will shoot up in the coming years. It is yet another far-sighted vision on the part of our leaders and one that gift-wraps the Bahraini life for one and all!