The UAE is a popular destination for people worldwide looking for new career opportunities and a vibrant lifestyle. Many expats come to Dubai for work, and once they’ve settled in, it’s only natural to want to bring their families along. However, sponsoring family members for residency comes with specific requirements, and understanding these will make the process smoother.
Here’s a detailed guide on eligibility, minimum salary, and steps to sponsor your family in Dubai.
Basic Requirements for Sponsoring Family in Dubai
To sponsor family members, the resident must hold a valid residency visa and be employed or own a business. Here’s a step-by-step look at what’s required:
Minimum Salary
Expats can sponsor family members if they earn a minimum salary of AED 4,000 or AED 3,000 plus accommodation. This income threshold ensures that sponsors can financially support their dependents.
Bringing Family on a Visit Visa
If your family joins you on a visit visa, they can stay temporarily while you initiate the residency process. A resident sponsor has 60 days to apply for dependents’ residence visas once they enter the UAE.
Housing Requirements
The sponsor must have adequate housing, such as a rented apartment or villa. Proof of accommodation may be necessary during the visa application.
Sponsoring Different Family Members
Sponsoring a Spouse and Children
To sponsor a spouse, an expat must provide a marriage certificate attested and translated into Arabic. For children, a birth certificate is required. A residence visa for a child usually lasts as long as the sponsor’s visa (two or three years).
Sponsoring Daughters and Sons
- Daughters: Can be sponsored if they are unmarried, with no age limit.
- Sons: Can be sponsored until they reach 25 years of age, or indefinitely if they have special needs.
Sponsoring Parents
Sponsoring parents requires a minimum monthly salary of AED 10,000, along with medical insurance for each parent. Parents are typically given a one-year visa, renewable annually. Both parents must be sponsored together unless there are exceptional circumstances, like one parent passing away.
Documents You’ll Need
To sponsor family members, you’ll need the following documents:
- Completed visa application form (online or via a typing centre)
- Passport copies and recent passport-sized photos of family members
- Medical clearance certificate for family members over 18
- Copy of the employment contract and a salary certificate from the employer
- Attested marriage and birth certificates
- Registered tenancy contract
- Emirates ID application for each family member
Visa Costs
Visa fees vary by emirate and type, but here’s a general breakdown for Dubai:
- Residence permit fee: AED 200
- Additional charges: Knowledge fee (AED 10), Innovation fee (AED 10), Inside-country fee (AED 500), Delivery fee (AED 20)
- Annual increase: AED 100 added if the visa duration exceeds two years
Medical Fitness Test Requirements
All family members over 18 need a medical fitness test to screen for contagious diseases. Testing centres like Al Nahda and Ibn Battuta offer these services, and fees range from AED 260 to AED 360, depending on the nature of employment.
Emirates ID and Visa Stamping
After the medical test, you can apply for an Emirates ID and have the residency visa stamped on your family’s passports. For first-time applicants, biometric details are taken at a government service centre. The Emirates ID costs AED 370, with additional fees for urgent processing.
Keeping Your Family Visa Valid
Family residency visas last one to three years, tied to the sponsor’s visa. When it’s time to renew, ensure you start the process well in advance to avoid fines for overstaying.
Navigating the visa process can feel overwhelming, but staying organised with the correct documents and keeping updated with regulations from the GDRFA and ICP will make things much easier. This way, you can focus on settling in with your family and enjoying all that the UAE has to offer.
