How to Apply for a UAE Family Visa: Eligibility, Steps & Fees
To sponsor a spouse, child, or parent on a UAE family (dependent) visa, you generally need a monthly salary of at least AED 4,000 (or AED 3,000 with employer-provided accommodation) — this is the officially published threshold for both male and female sponsors, though some emirates have been reported to enforce a higher figure in practice for female sponsors. From there, it’s an entry permit, a medical test, health insurance, and an application through GDRFA (Dubai) or ICP (every other emirate) — the visa is now proven by your Emirates ID rather than a passport stamp. Here’s the full process, current eligibility rules, and what it actually costs.
| Visa Type | UAE Dependent (Family) Visa |
|---|---|
| Who Can Be Sponsored? | Spouse, sons (up to 25), unmarried daughters (any age), parents, stepchildren |
| Authority | GDRFA (Dubai) or ICP (other emirates) |
| Application | Online (GDRFA/ICP e-services) or an accredited typing centre |
| Fees | Vary by emirate and dependant — confirm via official calculators |
| Visa Validity | 1, 2, or 3 years |
| Dependent Work | Eligible, with an NOC and a MOHRE work permit |
Who Can You Sponsor on a UAE Family Visa?
A UAE family visa lets a resident sponsor certain relatives to live with them, but eligibility differs by relationship.
Spouse
A husband or wife can be sponsored provided the marriage is officially recognised. The UAE does not recognise same-sex marriage, so a sponsorship application built on one will be refused.
Sons
Sons can be sponsored up to age 25. Under Cabinet Resolution No. 65 of 2022 (effective October 2022), this no longer requires proof of full-time education — a son can stay on his parent’s sponsorship until 25 regardless of whether he’s studying or working. Sons with disabilities have no age limit.
Daughters
Unmarried daughters can be sponsored with no age limit at all, for as long as they remain unmarried.
Parents
Parents can be sponsored too, but generally both parents must be sponsored together — sponsoring only one typically requires justification, such as the other parent being divorced or deceased (supported by documentation). Parent visas are usually renewed yearly, carry their own (higher) salary threshold — commonly cited at around AED 20,000/month — and require a refundable per-parent security deposit plus mandatory health insurance for each parent. Exact deposit amounts and the salary figure can vary by emirate, so confirm the current numbers with GDRFA or ICP directly before applying.
Stepchildren
Stepchildren can also be sponsored, subject to the relevant emirate’s conditions — this typically requires a financial deposit and written consent from the biological parent. Stepchild visas are usually valid for one year and renewable.
If you or your family member holds a Golden Visa, note that some of the standard salary minimums and the son’s age cap are reported to be removed entirely for Golden Visa sponsorship — confirm your category’s specific rules with ICP or GDRFA, since this varies by nomination type.
Sponsor Eligibility & Salary Requirements
To sponsor a spouse or children, you need:
- A valid UAE residence permit/visa of your own.
- A minimum monthly salary of AED 4,000, or AED 3,000 plus employer-provided accommodation. This is the threshold published on the UAE Government’s own portal, and it applies without a gender qualifier — an older rule that set a separate, higher minimum for female sponsors was removed by a Cabinet decision effective October 2019, which also dropped profession/job title as a sponsorship condition.
A practical caveat worth knowing: despite the official threshold being gender-neutral, several current guides to Dubai and Abu Dhabi sponsorship report that GDRFA and ICP still apply a higher salary requirement in practice when a wife sponsors her husband — commonly around AED 8,000–10,000/month (or a lower figure plus accommodation), sometimes tied to the sponsor’s profession. We couldn’t confirm this directly on GDRFA’s or ICP’s own site, but given how consistently it’s reported, a female sponsor should confirm the salary figure that applies to her specific case with GDRFA (Dubai) or ICP (other emirates) before assuming the standard AED 4,000 threshold applies.
Family members aged 18 and over must also pass a medical fitness test at an approved health centre before their visa can be issued.
Step-by-Step: How to Apply for a UAE Dependent Visa
- Apply for an entry permit. You or your employer applies for an entry permit for your family member before they travel to the UAE — either online through GDRFA (Dubai) or ICP (other emirates), or in person at an accredited typing centre.
- Schedule the medical test after arrival. Once your family member is in the UAE, book an approved medical fitness test — required for anyone aged 18 or over.
- Arrange health insurance. UAE health insurance is a mandatory part of the visa application; you can buy this through a local insurer or online.
- Gather your documents (see the full list below) — do this in parallel with the medical test and insurance so you’re not waiting at the submission stage.
- Submit your application.
- In Dubai: apply through GDRFA’s own e-services (Amer) or an approved Amer typing centre.
- In Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah, or Fujairah: apply through ICP’s smart-services channel or an accredited typing centre.
Remember the sponsor generally has 60 days from the family member’s entry to complete this step — 120 days for a newborn.
Once approved, your family member is issued an Emirates ID alongside their residence visa — the Emirates ID is now the primary proof of residency (physical passport visa stamping was phased out across all emirates, including Dubai, from 2022). From there, they can check their Emirates ID status online, download the digital Emirates ID once it’s ready, and — when it’s due — renew it online alongside the visa’s own renewal.
Documents Required for the UAE Family Visa
- Completed application form
- Passport copies of the family member(s) being sponsored
- Recent photos of the family member(s)
- Medical fitness certificate (for anyone 18+)
- Copy of the sponsor’s employment contract or company/salary certificate
- Sponsor’s salary certificate confirming income
- Attested marriage certificate (for spouse sponsorship)
- Registered tenancy contract (Ejari or equivalent) in the sponsor’s name, as proof of accommodation
If your family member’s entry permit or visa number isn’t on hand, see how to find your UAE visa number online before you start the paperwork.
UAE Dependent Visa Fees: What to Budget
Government fees for a family visa are charged per dependant and typically include an entry-permit fee, a status-change fee, the medical test, the Emirates ID, and health insurance. Published figures vary noticeably between sources — and appear to vary by emirate and application channel too — so we’re not asserting a single fee table here. Budget in the region of a few thousand dirhams per family member for the government portion alone, before health insurance, and confirm the exact current amount using:
- ICP’s official fee calculator (Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah)
- GDRFA Dubai’s official fee schedule (Dubai)
Health insurance cost varies by provider and coverage level and is usually the single biggest variable in the total.
Visa Validity, Renewal & Grace Period
UAE family visas are typically issued for 1, 2, or 3 years, matching common residence-visa validity options. You can renew a family visa up to 90 days before it expires, and there’s generally a 30-day grace period after expiry to renew before the visa is considered lapsed. If your family member’s visa has already been cancelled rather than simply expired, see how to check your grace period after a UAE visa cancellation — the rules differ slightly from a straightforward renewal.
Can a Dependent Work in the UAE?
Yes — but an NOC from the sponsor alone isn’t enough. A dependent needs their sponsor to issue a No Objection Certificate (NOC), and then obtain a formal MOHRE work permit for family-sponsored dependents (or the equivalent free-zone work permit) before starting work. Skipping the work-permit step and working on the NOC alone is not compliant — MOHRE has published fines of up to AED 50,000 per employee for employing someone without a proper work permit (rising to AED 100,000 for a repeat offence), and that liability falls on the employer.
Cancelling or Transferring a Family Visa
If a sponsored family member’s visa needs to be cancelled — for example, the sponsor’s own visa is cancelled, or the family member is leaving the UAE for good — see our full guide to UAE visa cancellation: process, fees, and documents. A family visa can sometimes also be transferred to a new sponsor (for example, if the original sponsor’s employment ends); this is handled directly through GDRFA or ICP and is worth confirming case-by-case, since requirements vary.
FAQs
How long does it take to process a UAE family residency visa?
With complete, correct documentation, processing commonly takes around 15-17 days, though it can take longer — up to roughly 60 days — in more complex cases. Confirm your specific timeline with GDRFA or ICP once submitted.
What is a Registered Tenancy Contract?
It’s your official lease agreement (an Ejari certificate in Dubai, or the equivalent in other emirates) — a legally binding record used as proof of accommodation for the visa application.
Can a spouse work on a dependent visa in the UAE?
Yes — but the sponsor’s No Objection Certificate (NOC) is only the first step. The dependent also needs a MOHRE work permit for family-sponsored dependents (or an equivalent free-zone permit) before they can legally start work.
Can I sponsor my son after he turns 18?
Yes — sons can now stay on their parent’s sponsorship up to age 25 regardless of whether they’re studying or working, following a 2022 rule change. Sons with disabilities have no age limit. Outside of that, sponsorship generally ends at 18.
Is there an age limit to sponsor my daughter?
No — unmarried daughters can be sponsored at any age, as long as they remain unmarried.
Does a wife sponsoring her husband need a higher salary than AED 4,000?
The officially published threshold is the same AED 4,000 (or AED 3,000 + accommodation) for all sponsors. In practice, though, several current guides to Dubai and Abu Dhabi sponsorship report GDRFA and ICP still applying a higher figure — commonly AED 8,000–10,000/month — for a wife sponsoring a husband. Confirm the figure that applies to your case directly with GDRFA or ICP before assuming the standard threshold applies.
Can I sponsor just one of my parents instead of both?
Generally, both parents need to be sponsored together. Sponsoring only one usually requires justification, such as divorce or the other parent’s death.
Can I cancel a family visa online?
Yes — see our full guide to UAE visa cancellation for the process, fees, and documents involved.
How many days before expiry can I renew a UAE family visa?
Up to 90 days before it expires.
