Visas and residence
Family residence visa for your spouse, children and parents
A family residence visa lets a UAE resident sponsor a spouse, children and, in some cases, parents to live in the country. The sponsor must hold a valid residence, meet the income condition, have suitable housing and prove the relationship with attested certificates. Employees, company owners and holders of long-term residence can all apply.
At a glance Fact sheet
- Who can sponsor
- A UAE resident with a valid residence visa: employee or business owner, man or woman
- Who can be sponsored
- Spouse, unmarried daughters, sons under 25 and children with special needs
- Income condition
- At least AED 4,000 a month or AED 3,000 plus housing provided by the employer
- Authority
- ICP, or GDRFA Dubai when the sponsor's residence is issued in Dubai
- Validity
- Follows the sponsor's visa and cannot run past it
- Done in the UAE
- Medical test for family members aged 18 and over, and Emirates ID biometrics
Overview
Once your own residence is issued, you can bring your immediate family to live with you. The federal rules look at your income, not your job title, so employees in any role and company owners can sponsor if they meet the conditions. Both men and women who hold a valid residence can act as the sponsor.
ICP lists four things the sponsor has to show: a valid residence permit, a minimum monthly income, suitable housing and proof of the relationship. The proof is an attested marriage certificate for a spouse and attested birth certificates for children. Certificates issued abroad have to be attested before the authority accepts them, and that is often the longest part of the preparation, so start with it.
Parents are treated differently from a spouse and children. GDRFA Dubai asks for both parents to be sponsored together unless one has died or the parents are divorced, and it asks for a letter from your consulate. Other conditions for parents depend on the sponsor's residence category and the emirate, so your Caliph consultant confirms what applies to you before you start.
How Caliph helps with a family visa
Eligibility checked before you apply
We compare your salary certificate or company documents, your housing and the validity of your own visa with the current conditions, so you know where you stand before anything is filed.
Certificates prepared properly
Marriage and birth certificates issued abroad need attestation. Caliph handles attestation and legal translation in the same file.
A checklist for each relative
A spouse, a newborn, an adult son and a parent each have their own document list. Your consultant writes a separate checklist for every family member.
Family appointments booked together
Medical tests for adults and Emirates ID biometrics are arranged so the family attends together where possible.
Dates aligned with your visa
A dependant's residence cannot outlast yours. We renew the family's visas alongside your own so that nobody falls out of status.
What to have ready
- Passport copies and photographs of each family member
- Your own passport, residence visa and Emirates ID
- Attested marriage certificate, for a spouse
- Attested birth certificates, for children
- Salary certificate or employment contract showing your monthly income and housing, or company documents if you are an owner
- Your tenancy contract and a recent water or electricity bill
- Health insurance for each family member
- For parents in Dubai, a letter from your consulate
Extra papers apply in some cases, such as a no-objection letter from the father when the mother is the sponsor. Your consultant confirms the list for your family.
How family sponsorship works
Eligibility check
Your consultant reviews your income, housing, visa validity and certificates against the current rules.
Certificates attested
Marriage and birth certificates are attested, and translated where needed.
Entry permit or status change
An entry permit is issued for family members abroad. Relatives already in the UAE apply for a change of status where the rules allow it.
Medical fitness test
Family members aged 18 and over take the test at an approved health centre in the UAE.
Emirates ID
The application is filed with ICP, and family members give biometrics at a service centre when asked.
Residence issued
The residence permits are issued and the Emirates ID cards are delivered.
Good to know
- If your own visa is cancelled, your dependants' visas have to be cancelled too, and theirs must be cancelled before yours.
- A spouse on a family visa who takes a job needs a work permit. MOHRE has a permit for residents on family sponsorship, and the employer applies for it.
- Golden Visa holders can sponsor a spouse, children of any age and parents. Green Residence holders can sponsor first-degree relatives.
- The income condition is set by the authorities and can change. We check the current figure when you apply.
Questions people ask
What salary do I need to sponsor my family in the UAE?
The federal portal and ICP currently state a minimum monthly income of AED 4,000 or AED 3,000 plus accommodation provided by the employer. Your job title does not matter. The authorities can update the figure, so Caliph checks the current condition against your salary certificate before you apply.
Can a wife sponsor her husband and children?
Yes. Women who hold a valid UAE residence can sponsor family members if they meet the conditions. GDRFA Dubai lists the husband among the relatives a resident can bring, and asks for a no-objection letter from the father when the mother sponsors the children.
Until what age can I sponsor my children?
Sons can be sponsored until the age of 25. Unmarried daughters can be sponsored with no age limit stated, and children with special needs can be sponsored regardless of age. Golden Visa holders can sponsor children of any age.
Can I sponsor my parents?
It is possible in some cases. Golden Visa holders can sponsor parents, and Green Residence holders can sponsor first-degree relatives. For other residents, GDRFA Dubai asks for both parents to be sponsored together, unless one has died or they are divorced, plus a consulate letter. Further conditions vary, so ask your consultant first.
Does my family need to be in the UAE for the visa?
For the final steps, yes. The entry permit can be issued while they are abroad. After they arrive, family members aged 18 and over take the medical fitness test at an approved centre, and Emirates ID biometrics are given at a service centre in the UAE.
Can a company owner sponsor a family?
Yes. Investors and partners who hold a valid residence can sponsor their spouse and children. In place of a salary certificate, the authority looks at company documents such as the trade licence and the partnership agreement showing your share. Your consultant tells you which papers your authority accepts.
- UAE Government portal, residence visa for family members
- Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP)
- GDRFA Dubai
Reviewed by Caliph Business Solutions on . Rules differ by activity and by authority. Your Caliph consultant confirms what applies to you.
Ready to establish your company in the UAE?
Book a free consultation. Tell us what you want to open and we come back with the route, the documents and the cost.
- VisitHapag-Lloyd Building, Port Saeed, Deira, Dubai. P.O. Box 8070
Open in Google Maps