Client story
Client's Story
Where they started
Vikram manages an international business: major operations in Germany and Belgium, regular audits, board meetings, negotiations. His presence in Europe is required constantly and frequently—ideally at short notice for business needs.
Why the standard route did not work
However, an Indian passport turned every trip into a marathon. Schengen visas took approximately two months to process, and by the time the visa was issued, the required meeting or audit had already taken place without him. The business lost momentum and operational control due to bureaucracy, not market conditions.
What BRIDGES had to solve
Vikram did not need another visa sticker but a permanent, non-cancellable status granting unrestricted EU access without depending on consulate timelines. Malta permanent residence as an EU member provided exactly this—the right to live and move freely throughout the Schengen area.
Why a standard answer would not do
An additional challenge was payment processing. As an Indian resident, his cross-border transfers were restricted by the LRS scheme, making it impossible to remit large visa fees directly. Vikram approached BRIDGES to solve both issues simultaneously: securing the status and establishing a lawful payment channel.
Each Schengen visa means two months of waiting and a missed board meeting in Germany. The business suffered not from market conditions but from consulates. Igor and his team secured my Malta permanent residence through a rental arrangement, and now I enter the EU freely. They separately resolved the payment issue—legally, within Indian currency limits.
