TNI Bureau: Mona Biswarupa Mohanty, an artist from Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district, is the latest in the list of Indians who has received the UAE’s coveted ‘Golden Visa’ or long-term residence visa for 10 years.
According to a statement, Mohanty is the first Odia artist granted the UAE’s golden visa. Mohanty has been in Dubai since 2007, where she has worked in academia and the design business for the past eight years. She is a recognised self-employed art practitioner with the Dubai Economic Department.
As per Mohanty, “Receiving the Golden visa has strengthened my belief in myself and if this can inspire other young artists, I’d consider that my biggest contribution. I listened to my heart and took this plunge and being rewarded for it tells me that when you follow your passion and give in your best, good things start happening to you,”
“A long-term residency gives me an opportunity for a more meaningful cultural exchange and possibilities of working on collaborative projects with other artists,” Mohanty said.
“I see this as an opportunity to represent my country and culture and mingle with other cultures to contribute to the ever-growing global cultural heritage,” she added.
In 2019, the UAE implemented a new system for long-term residence visas. It allows foreigners to live, work, and study in the West Asian country without the requirement for a national sponsor and to own 100% of their businesses on the UAE’s mainland.
Talented individuals in the disciplines of arts, creative industries, literature and culture, heritage history, and cognitive research are eligible for a long-term cultural visa.