If you’re residing in the UAE on an investor or work visa and plan to bring your family or parents to the country, it’s essential to prepare the necessary documents and address accommodation requirements in advance.
In this article, we’ll outline the key steps and important considerations to ensure a smooth and hassle-free relocation for your family to the UAE.
The necessary documents for sponsoring family members in the UAE vary depending on who you intend to bring. Family visas in the UAE can be obtained for the following:
Spouse (Muslims can sponsor up to two spouses)
Children (biological and adopted, under a specific age)
Parents (yours or your spouse’s)
Minor siblings
Grandchildren (sponsored by grandparents)
Immediate family members of students attending universities in the UAE
In this article, we will discuss the key requirements for sponsoring a spouse, children, and parents, addressing different family situations and specifics related to parental sponsorship.
Required Documents:
Sponsor’s residency visa
Sponsor’s Emirates ID
Copy of sponsor’s passport
Job contract or salary certificate (issued within the last month)
In the Mainland: Issued by the employer
In a free zone: Issued by the free zone authority
Marriage certificate (state marriage certificate for mosque-registered marriages)
Birth certificates for children
Photocopies of wife and children’s passports
Photographs of wife and children
Registered lease or property purchase agreement with Ejari
Proof of legal guardianship for foster children (typically a court order)
Medical insurance certificates for wife and children (recommended, though not mandatory)
When the wife sponsors the family, father’s permission is required. This is a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from a notary at the Dubai Court. Note: The father’s consent for the child to travel abroad is not enough.
A father relocating with his children (without the mother) can sponsor the children without needing the mother’s consent.
If the mother is sponsoring her children, the father’s permission (NOC), his death certificate (if applicable), or a court document stating the mother is the sole custodian of the children is required.
In addition to the standard documents, there are several specific requirements for sponsoring parents:
Mandatory Insurance:
Health insurance is required for parents. The cost increases with the parent’s age.
Both Parents Must Be Sponsored:
You must sponsor both parents as long as they are alive. If the parents are divorced, proof of divorce or the death certificate of the other parent is required.
Separate Room for Parents:
Your accommodation must have a separate room for each parent. Studios or one-bedroom apartments are not suitable.
Minimum Wage Requirement:
To sponsor your parents, the sponsor’s salary must be at least AED 20,000 per month.
Deposit:
A deposit of AED 3,000 is required for each parent, regardless of the sponsor’s visa type (investor or worker).
Proof of Parental Status:
You must provide your Marriage Certificate and Birth Certificate to confirm your parental relationship.
By ensuring all required documents and meeting the necessary conditions, you can successfully sponsor your family and bring them to live with you in the UAE.
Before traveling to the UAE, it’s important to legalize all documents that you will need there, such as birth certificates for your children, your marriage certificate, and academic diplomas.
Document legalization involves getting certification from the relevant government authorities in the country where the documents were issued.
Since the UAE is not a party to the 1961 Hague Convention, legalization must follow full consular procedures.
Prepare notarized copies of the original documents that need legalization.
Translate the documents into Arabic, and have the translator’s signature notarized. (An English translation is also recommended, but Arabic remains the primary requirement.)
Authenticate the notary’s signature and seal at the Ministry of Justice in your home country.
Certify the documents at the Consular Department of your country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Get final authentication at the UAE Consulate in your country by certifying the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ seal and official’s signature.
You can apply for family visas whether your family is still in your home country or has already arrived in the UAE. The procedure is the same in both cases and includes the following steps:
Gather the Required Documents
Collect all necessary paperwork, including the sponsor’s original Emirates ID.
Apply for an Entry Permit
The sponsor must visit a Dubai AMER Center with the documents. Entry Permits are typically issued within five business days.
Change Visa Status
If family members are already in the UAE on a tourist visa, you must change their visa status from tourist to resident.
If they are outside the UAE, they have 60 days after the Entry Permit is issued to enter the country and apply for a family visa.
If the process isn’t completed within 60 days, a new Entry Permit must be obtained.
Medical Examination and Fingerprinting
Family members aged 16 and older must undergo a medical test and biometric fingerprinting.
Apply for an Emirates ID
Submit the application after the medical and biometric procedures.
Pay the Security Deposit (if required)
If the sponsor holds an investor visa, a deposit of AED 3,000 per sponsored family member is required.
For sponsoring parents, the deposit is mandatory regardless of the sponsor’s visa type.
Receive the Visa Sticker
A Visa Sticker (proof of residency) will be sent to you. Physical visa stamps are no longer placed in passports.
Important: With the Visa Sticker, you can travel outside the UAE without waiting for the Emirates ID.
Collect the Emirates ID Card
Within about a week after receiving the Visa Sticker, the Emirates ID will be ready, officially making the family member a UAE resident.
The cost of obtaining a family visa in 2024 broken down by service:
| Service | Cost, AED |
|---|---|
| Entry Permit | 1,200 |
| Medical examination and fingerprinting | 1,100 |
| Visa status change (if you apply for family visas inside the UAE) | 700 |
| Visa Stamping | 680 |
| Deposit for sponsored parent | 3,000 |
| Deposit for sponsored family member (in case the sponsor has an Investor Visa) | 3,000 |
Legalization is the official certification of documents by government authorities in the country where they were issued. This typically involves notarization, verification by the Ministry of Justice, and authentication by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, followed by certification at a UAE Consulate.
To legalize documents for the UAE, you must:
Prepare translations into Arabic (and optionally English).
Certify the documents through the Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Foreign Affairs in your home country.
Authenticate them at the UAE Consulate in your country.
Alternatively, legalization can be arranged through your home country’s consulate in the UAE, but you’ll need to issue a power of attorney for someone to certify and send the documents. This method generally takes longer.
In some cases, documents translated into Arabic or English may be certified at an AMER Center in Dubai.
Important: Notarized translations are not always guaranteed to be accepted in the UAE, so it’s crucial to follow all official procedures.
No. The UAE is not a member of the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention, so an apostille is not recognized. Full consular legalization is required.
No. You must provide legalized proof of marriage or custody for children when applying for a family visa.
Yes, you can work and even open a bank account using your husband’s sponsorship documents (proof of funds and account statements). Some employers may also request a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from your husband and a labor card, though companies often prefer to hire individuals already under sponsorship since they don’t have to cover visa costs.
Yes, a wife can sponsor her husband and children. However, her minimum salary must be at least AED 10,000.
Insurance costs vary depending on the insured person’s age, health condition, and the coverage plan chosen. Premiums typically range between AED 2,000 and AED 25,000 per year.
Daughters: Sponsored at any age if unmarried.
Sons: Sponsored up to age 25 if studying; otherwise, up to age 18.
Disabled children: Can be sponsored at any age.
Minor siblings can be sponsored.
Parents and parents-in-law are eligible for sponsorship.
Grandparents can sponsor their grandchildren.
University students in the UAE can sponsor immediate family members.
Men sponsoring family: Minimum salary of AED 5,000.
Men sponsoring parents/parents-in-law: AED 20,000.
Women sponsoring family: Minimum salary of AED 10,000.
Women sponsoring parents/parents-in-law: AED 20,000.
A dependent’s visa duration matches the sponsor’s visa validity.
Example: If your visa is valid for two years, and you sponsor your family six months later, their visas will still be valid for the full two years from their issue date.
Parent visas are valid for one year and must be renewed annually.
The brand name Visa Kings Global is used under licence by Visa Success Limited. Visa Success Limited is not a firm of solicitors and is not regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. Visa Success Limited does not give financial, legal or tax advice.
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