Navigating the UAE Family Visa Process

The UAE family visa is a type of visa that allows foreign residents to bring their family members to live with them in the country. Currently, this is an attractive ad for many foreigners who want to enjoy all the opportunities there are in the UAE. Specifically, the quality of life, safety, and job opportunities in companies in the country. You have to know that the family visa application process can be difficult and confusing. The reason is that it involves a series of requirements, documents, and steps that will depend on the case.

In this article, we are going to explain everything you need to know about the UAE family visa. The idea is to cover everything from eligibility criteria to costs and processing time. We will also give you some useful resources and practical tips to make the process easier and avoid common mistakes. Thus, you can obtain your UAE family visa simply and quickly, to start enjoying your new life in the UAE.

Understanding Dubai Family Visa Requirements

You have to know that to apply for the UAE family visa you need some essential documents. Below you will see a list of the Dubai family visa requirements.

• Application form for the UAE family visa. To obtain this form, you can go to a registered typing office or online.
• Photocopies of the passports of the sponsored family member.
• Passport-size photographs of the benefited family members.
• Medical authorization certificate, specifically, for family members over 18 years of age.
• Photocopy of the sponsor’s company contract or employment contract.
• Any document that serves as proof of the monthly salary earned by the sponsor.
• If you sponsor your wife, you have to present the legalized marriage certificate.
• Proof of accommodation in the UAE of the sponsor and beneficiaries. For instance, the lease contract.
• A utility bill, specifically the last one the sponsor has.

Who is Eligible for a Family Visa in the UAE?

If you are wondering, who is eligible for family visa in UAE? The answer is very simple, you only have to meet two essential requirements. That is, have a valid residence visa stamped in your passport and have a valid Emirates ID. Furthermore, the salary in the employment contract decides who can sponsor visa in UAE. According to Dubai immigration, people can be sponsors for a UAE family visa if they earn a salary of AED 4000 or more.

There is another requirement which is the Ejari lease of your apartment. Another option is a rental contract in the name of the sponsor of any apartment or residence.

On the other hand, to answer who can sponsor visa in UAE? You should know that the eligibility requirements to be a sponsor may vary. Below, you will see a list of requirements for some cases.

• If a woman wants to sponsor her children and her husband, she needs to have a residence permit. Specifically, a permit that presents the sponsor’s profession which must belong to specific sectors. That is, engineer, teacher, or any profession in the medical sector.
• Foreigners who want to sponsor their parents have to keep a deposit as a guarantee. In addition, you have to prove that you cannot care for them in your country of origin. The foreigner has to earn a minimum salary of AED 20,000 or AED 19,000 and two-room accommodation.
• If a foreigner wants to sponsor his stepchildren, certain conditions from GDRFA have to be followed. In addition, it is essential to have an NOC letter from the biological father and a monetary deposit for each child.
• A Muslim foreigner can sponsor two wives if he meets the conditions of the GDRFA.

Step-by-Step Guide to Sponsorship

It is important to note that you have to know how you can sponsor your relatives with a family visa. That is why below, you will see the step-by-step process to complete the application for the family visa in UAE.

First step: You have to send electronic copies of the necessary documents. Additionally, you have to deliver them with the original Emirates ID.

Second step: It is essential to create a new file in the immigration system with the previous documents. With this, an entry permit in the UAE can be created.

Third step: Currently, there are two types of entry permits. When opening the file, the entry permit request will be made according to the location of your sponsor. If your family member is in Dubai, you can obtain the first type of entry permit. But, if your family member is outside the UAE, you have to process the second type of entry permit.

Fourth step: When approving the entry permit, if your family member is in Dubai, they must apply for a change of status. If they are outside the country, they have to enter Dubai through an entry permit.

Fifth step: For the issuance of the UAE family visa, the medical examination must be carried out. To do this, you have to go to any medical center with approval from the Dubai Health Authority and the Ministry of Health and Prevention.

Sixth step: To finish answering the question how can I get relative visa in UAE? All that remains is to complete the last step. The UAE family visa holder has to enter Dubai or make a change of status within 60 days. If you comply with all the previous steps, you only have to stamp your visa.

What Professions are Eligible for Family Visa in UAE?

As of 2019, there is no specific professional requirement to be eligible to sponsor your family members for a UAE family visa. Any foreign worker who meets the salary requirements can bring their family members to the country.

You have to know that it is easier for a foreign man to sponsor his family members in the UAE compared to a woman. If you are a man and are in the UAE with a residence visa, you can bring some members of your family. Below, you will see a list of possible cases of family members to bring to the country.

• Wife: Additionally, Muslim residents can sponsor two wives.
• Children: You can sponsor your children if they are under 18 years of age. However, if the children are over 18 years old, they can be sponsored only if they are students up to the age of 21.
• Daughters: In order to sponsor your daughters, they must be single.
• Parents: You can sponsor your parents, but there are certain essential conditions that you have to meet. For instance, you sponsor both parents and pay a deposit of 2500 AED as a guarantee for each parent. In addition to getting your parents a health insurance policy and having a salary of AED 20,000 or AED 19,000.
• Stepchildren: To sponsor your stepchildren you must have a No Objection Certificate from the biological father. Also, you have to know that the visa for stepchildren is valid for one year and is renewable.

Requirements for Sponsoring Family Members

Foreign residents can sponsor their families so that they can reside in the UAE. To do this, you must have a valid residence permit or visa. Additionally, the sponsor has to have a minimum salary of AED 4,000 or AED 3,000 plus accommodation.

The female and male members of the family who are going to be sponsored are 18 years old; They have to undergo and pass medical fitness tests at specific health centers in the UAE.

There are some additional requirements to be able to sponsor family members that you will see below:

• A mother can sponsor her children in special cases specified by the ICP.
• A resident sponsor has 60 days to apply for a UAE residence visa for his or her dependents. This has to be after entering the UAE with an entry permit.
• The type of profession is no longer a condition for a foreign worker to sponsor a UAE family visa.
• A resident can sponsor his or her parents and the residency visa will be granted annually. This is independent of the duration of the sponsor’s visa.
• Medically unfit persons will not be granted a UAE family visa.
• Residents with latent or inactive pulmonary tuberculosis are medically eligible. However, they are granted a health fitness certificate for one-year residency subject to treatment and follow-up. This is from the respective health authority.

The conditions are subject to sporadic and occasional changes. This is why you have to periodically consult the Federal Identity and Citizenship Authority (ICP) or GDRFA.

Documents Needed for a UAE Family Visa

Depending on the family member you want to sponsor, the documents will change slightly. We will start by talking about the papers to sponsor a wife with a UAE family visa.

• Photocopy of the husband or sponsor with all pages of the biography in electronic copy format.
• Photocopy of the husband or sponsor’s visa in electronic copy format.
• The original Emirates ID of the husband or sponsor.
• Printed copy of the Ejari.
• Employment contract in hard copy format
• Photo of husband or sponsor in hard copy format.
• Marriage certificate with attestation in electronic copy format.
• Wife’s passport photocopy of all pages of biography in hard copy format.
• Recent passport-size color photograph of wife in hard copy format.

If you want to sponsor a child, the necessary documents are the following:

• Childbirth certificate with attestation in electronic copy format.
• Photocopy of the passport of the sponsor (mother or father) and all pages of the biography in hard copy format.
• Photocopy of sponsor’s visa in hard copy format.
• Original Emirates ID of the sponsor (father or mother).
• Ejari in hard copy format.
• Employment contract in hard copy format.
• Photo of sponsor (father or mother) in hard copy format.
• Photocopy of the child’s passport of all pages of the biography in hard copy format.
• Recent passport-size color photograph of the mother in hard copy format.

Finally, in order to sponsor your parents you must have the following documents:

• Photocopy and photograph of the father/mother’s passport in hard copy format.
• Passport and visa of the daughter or son in electronic copy format.
• Original Emirates ID of the sponsor or child.
• Salary certificate in electronic copy format.
• Relationship certificate from the consulate/embassy of the respective country in electronic copy format.
• Lease contract or Ejari with the lease of two rooms.

Applying for the Entry Permit

Before family members arrive in the UAE to join you or the sponsor you have to apply for an entry permit. With the entry permit, they are allowed to enter the country to complete the entire process. You can request entry permission for family members at one of the following entities or websites:

• The General Directorate of Residency and Immigration (GDRFA) provides you with two modalities. The first is online through specific websites or in person by visiting the offices. If you apply at the offices, you have to go to a typing center authorized by the GDRFA. You have to know that all the emirates have centers of this style. You can also apply at one of the Amer centers in Dubai.
• Additionally, you can find GDRFA Dubai mobile apps for Android and Apple on the Play Store and App Store respectively.
• Another very popular option is through the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship. To do this you have to access the ICA eChanel portal, that is, the ICA smart services, or through the mobile applications for Android and Apple.

Applying for the UAE Family Visa

You have to know that the UAE family visa is a type of residence. That is, as such you have to present it on behalf of the family members after being in the country with the entry permit. Finally, you can submit the application for a family visa at the offices of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) of the corresponding emirate.

Understanding Family Visa Costs

Knowing the family visa cost in Dubai 2024 is essential if you want to obtain this one. Therefore, this section will explain everything about the costs that are related to this visa. This way, you will be able to clearly establish a financial guideline to follow and determine whether or not you can get this visa.

Minimum Salary to Sponsor Parents in UAE 2024

First of all, a common question is, what is the minimum salary to sponsor parents in UAE 2024? However, this question also applies to siblings, spouses, and children. Thus, the minimum salary you need to be able to sponsor your spouse and children is 3,000 or 4,000 AED. All this plus accommodation for male sponsors and there are no professional restrictions.

On the other hand, wives can also sponsor their husbands’ visas in the UAE:

• In Abu Dhabi, the sponsor must be an engineer, teacher, or work in the medical sector. Additionally, you must earn a minimum of AED 8,000 or AED 10,000 plus accommodation. If necessary, you must provide additional documents to the requesting authority.
• There are no occupational limitations for sponsoring a family in Dubai as long as the wife earns a minimum of AED 10,000. However, you need to obtain special permission from the GDRFA and DNRD. Additionally, husbands who are sponsored by their wives can also apply for a work permit in the UAE.

If you want to sponsor 5 members of your family including parents or spouse’s parents in UAE, you need a minimum salary of AED 10,000. On the other hand, if you want to sponsor 6 family members, the minimum salary will be AED 15,000. In this way, to sponsor more than 6 partners, a waiver is required. In addition, the sponsor must prove family ties in residence centers.

So, can I sponsor my brother in UAE for visit visa the answer is yes as long as you meet the requirements. In other cases, a mother can sponsor her children in special cases that are verified by the ICP. Additionally, foreign students studying in UAE universities can sponsor their families.

2 Years Family Visa Price in Dubai

In Dubai, you can find 3 different types of family visas. In this way, we find the 1-year, 2-year, and 3-year family visas. The duration will depend on the sponsor and must be renewed before it expires. Therefore, it is important that you check the status of your UAE visa and avoid any type of overstay fine.

The 2-year family visa Price in Dubai is according to where the applicant is located, the duration of their residence visa, what insurance they want for their family, and whether a normal or express service is necessary. Therefore, the Family visa UAE Price for a duration of 2 years is as follows:

• Firstly, if the applicant is in Dubai and does not want insurance, the approximate cost is AED 3,550.
• If the applicant is in Dubai and wants insurance, the approximate cost is AED 5,322.
• If the applicant is outside Dubai and does not want insurance, the approximate cost is AED 2,450.
• Finally, if the applicant is outside Dubai and wants insurance, the approximate cost is 4,022 AED,

Cost Considerations for Family Visa in Dubai

It is important that you know the UAE family visa rules 2024. However, it is also important that you take into account the following considerations about the cost of the family visa in Dubai:

• The fee described is for sponsoring your loved ones as a resident sponsor working in a free zone or the private sector. Additionally, this is the issuance fee and other charges may apply.
• The cost of this visa is subject to changes and it is important to be aware of this.
• If you want to know specific service costs, you can visit Amer’s official website. Additionally, you can ask any questions you may have, such as whether you can obtain a UAE Family visa without a tenancy contract.

FAQs: UAE Family Visa

Obtaining a UAE family visa is not an easy task and you have to know many things about it. For this reason, many questions arise about this visa that we will answer below:

Who Can Sponsor a Family in the UAE?

All persons who meet the minimum wage requirements and have a residence visa that is valid in the UAE can sponsor their family members. For this reason, it is important that you know the minimum salaries necessary to be able to sponsor your family and the Sharjah family visa cost.

How to Sponsor Your Spouse or Children in the UAE?

If you want to sponsor your family in the UAE, you must meet the following requirements:

• Have a valid UAE residence visa.
• Meet all minimum wage criteria to be able to sponsor a family in the UAE. In this case, it is AED 3,000 or 4,000 plus accommodation.
• You must pass the physical fitness test at a health center that is approved by the UAE government.
• Submit all essential documents to the appropriate authority.
• Pay all fees concerning the visa.

Can a Dubai Freelancer Sponsor a Family in the UAE?

People who have a Freelancer Dubai visa can sponsor their families in the UAE.

Can non-Emiratis Apply for Sponsoring Family Members in the UAE?

Yes, non-Emiratis can request sponsorship from family members in the UAE. Furthermore, currently, no nationality is excluded from these family visas. Therefore, no matter the country where you are located, you can apply for sponsorship for your family members as long as you meet all the requirements discussed in this article.