المحتوى التفصيلي لهذه الصفحة متوفر حالياً باللغة الإنجليزية.
If you are a foreign national living in the UAE on a Residence Visa, then you are allowed to bring your dependents with you through a Family Visa in UAE. However, not everyone can bring their dependents along as certain requirements have to be met.
Requirements to Sponsor Someone for a Family Visa in UAE
To be able to sponsor family members to the UAE, you must fulfill the following conditions:
- Male expatriates must have a minimum salary of AED 4,000 per month.
- Female expatriates can sponsor their family when they meet the same salary and accommodation conditions set by the residency authority.
- Additionally, all family members who are over 18 have to pass a medical fitness test taken at a government-approved health center in the UAE. They will be tested for HIV and Tuberculosis.
Who Can you Sponsor for a Family Visa in UAE?
It is easier for a male expatriate to sponsor his family members to the UAE than it is for a woman. If you are a man who is in the UAE on a Residence Visa, you can bring the following family members on a Family Visa to the UAE:
- Your wife. If you are a Muslim resident, you may also sponsor two wives but you must meet certain terms set out by the GDRFA.
- Your sons. Under the current residency rules you can sponsor your sons up to the age of 25; sons with special needs can be sponsored beyond that age. Additionally, if the sons are over 18, they must enter the UAE at least once every six months if studying abroad otherwise their UAE visa will be canceled.
- Your daughters. You can sponsor your daughters only if they are unmarried.
- You sponsor both parents unless one of them has passed away
- You may need to pay a refundable security deposit for each parent; the current amount is confirmed by the immigration department at application.
- You get your parents a medical insurance policy
- You have a monthly salary of AED 20,000 or AED 19,000 plus a two-bedroom accommodation
- Your parents. You can also sponsor your parents, provided you meet the following conditions:
- Expatriates must have a minimum monthly salary of AED 10,000 and accommodation.
- Your stepchildren. You may also sponsor your stepchildren if you get a written No Objection Certificate from the biological parent. The visa for stepchildren is valid for one year and renewable.
Contact us for more!
Frequently Asked Questions
Do my marriage and birth certificates need attestation?
Yes. Certificates issued abroad must be attested in the home country and by the UAE embassy there — which now completes the UAE MOFA attestation digitally — with a certified Arabic translation where required. We handle both.
Can I sponsor my family while they are outside the UAE?
Yes. You can apply for their entry permits while they are abroad; after arrival they complete the medical test (where required) and Emirates ID biometrics.
What documents are usually needed?
Typically your passport, visa and Emirates ID, a salary or income proof, a registered tenancy contract, and the family members' passports and attested certificates. We confirm the current list for your emirate before applying.
Family Visa in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah
A family visa outside Dubai goes through ICP instead of GDRFA, but the core file is the same everywhere: the sponsor's salary certificate and registered tenancy, the family's passports, and marriage and birth certificates that are attested and, where needed, translated into Arabic. What changes by emirate is the tenancy registration, the insurance rule and where the medical and Emirates ID appointments happen.
| Emirate | Residency authority | Tenancy proof | Medical and Emirates ID | Our office |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dubai | GDRFA Dubai | Ejari-registered tenancy or title deed | Approved medical fitness center; GDRFA or ICP biometrics | Al Twar (HQ) |
| Abu Dhabi | ICP | Tawtheeq-registered tenancy or title deed | Approved medical fitness center; ICP service center | Hamdan Street |
| Sharjah | ICP | Registered tenancy contract or title deed | Approved medical fitness center; ICP service center | Al Majaz |
| Ras Al Khaimah | ICP | Registered tenancy contract or title deed | Approved medical fitness center; ICP service center | Al Nakheel |
Abu Dhabi: health insurance is compulsory for every family member, so the policy has to be in place before the residence is issued; family matters for residents are also explained on TAMM. Sharjah: many Sharjah families work in Dubai, but the visa follows the emirate on the tenancy contract, not the office address. Ras Al Khaimah: the file goes to ICP like Sharjah, and our RAK office is open until 10 pm on weekdays for document drop-off. Official channels: ICP and GDRFA Dubai.
More Questions About Family Visas
Can a woman sponsor her husband and children?
Yes, if she meets the income condition in force (confirmed at application) and has suitable housing. Some emirates also look at her job or ask for an extra approval. The spouse visa page compares the two cases.
Until what age can I sponsor my son or daughter?
Sons can generally be sponsored up to 25, unmarried daughters regardless of age, and children of determination regardless of age.
Can I sponsor my family while they are still abroad?
Yes. We apply for entry permits, your family enters on them, and the medical test, Emirates ID and residence are completed inside the UAE.
Is a tenancy contract required?
Yes. A registered tenancy contract (Ejari in Dubai, Tawtheeq in Abu Dhabi) or a title deed in the sponsor's name is part of every family file.
How long does a family visa take?
It depends on the attestation of your certificates and on the medical results. The free quote, sent within 10–30 minutes, includes an estimate for your family.
Can I sponsor my parents as well?
Yes, with stricter income, housing and insurance checks than for a spouse or children. See the parents visa page.
What is the deadline for a newborn's visa?
For a baby born in the UAE, the residence visa, passport and Emirates ID should be completed within 120 days of birth. The newborn baby visa page sets out the timeline.
What happens to my family's visas if I change jobs or cancel my own?
They follow your residence. On a job change they move to your new file once it is issued; if you leave the UAE, their visas are cancelled before yours. See visa cancellation and residence visa renewal.
Last checked: 29 September 2026 against GDRFA and ICP guidance on family sponsorship.
Who You Can Sponsor Today
- Spouse: wife, or husband where the wife meets the conditions. See our spouse visa page.
- Sons: generally sponsored until they turn 25 under today's rules.
- Daughters: unmarried daughters, regardless of age.
- Children of determination: regardless of age.
- Parents: with stricter income, housing and insurance conditions. See our parents visa page.
- Newborns: babies born in the UAE, within the legal deadline after birth. See our newborn baby visa page.
The sponsor's minimum salary and accommodation conditions are set by the residency authority and updated from time to time; we confirm the current figures for your case at application.
Family Visa Documents: Attestation and Legal Translation
Every family visa depends on proof of the relationship. A marriage certificate for a spouse and birth certificates for children must be attested in the issuing country and by the UAE embassy there, which now completes the UAE MOFA attestation digitally in the same step. Where the authority asks for Arabic, a legal translation follows. Because we handle attestation, translation and the visa in one file, your family's documents are ready when the application is filed. See our checklist of documents to attest for a UAE visa.
Dubai (GDRFA) vs Other Emirates (ICP)
If you live in Dubai, your family's visas are issued through the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA). If you live in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah or another emirate, they go through the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP). The documents are similar, but tenancy registration, health insurance rules and appointment centers differ. With offices in all four emirates we cover, we file with the right authority and book the medical and Emirates ID near your home.
Renewing or Cancelling Family Visas
Family visas follow the sponsor's residence. Renew them together with your own visa (see residence visa renewal), and remember that dependants' visas must normally be cancelled before the sponsor's own visa when you leave the UAE or change sponsor; see visa cancellation.
