The majority of the UAE’s population, particularly its workforce, is made up of expatriates. This handbook on sponsoring family members in the UAE has been produced to assist you in understanding the regulations and procedures for gaining residence for your dependents. The most recent regulations make the UAE family sponsorship process simple, providing the sponsors fit inside a certain income band. Everything you need to know about sponsoring your family in the UAE is right here.
Requirements in the UAE for sponsoring family members
Eligible to apply
Any expatriate with a valid resident permit can sponsor his or her family. The UAE government amended family visa laws last year, and beginning of March 2019, one can sponsor their spouse, parents, or children as long as they fulfill the minimum salary criterion for sponsoring their family in UAE.
In Dubai/UAE, the minimum salary for sponsoring your family is AED 4,000 or AED 3,000 with accommodation for male sponsors. As a result, there are no longer any restrictions on the type of profession one can pursue as long as they meet the earning limit. To learn more about the new requirements for wives sponsoring husbands in the UAE, see our full piece on UAE work licenses for spouses sponsored by wives.
While additional factors will be considered, the key eligibility criteria for acquiring a family sponsorship visa UAE is whether you can provide for the needs of the sponsored person.
Sponsorship duration and time limit
When you sponsor your relatives, you have a 60-day window after they arrive in the UAE to apply for their residence visa.
They are given an admission permission upon arrival. This permission must be converted into a valid resident visa within two months by the sponsor.
The entry permit is called as ‘tasheera’ in emirates other than Dubai. This is available online, but there are some requirements. You can begin the process by paying AED 50 to fill out the form at a typing center.
The visa is valid for up to two years, but the precise period is determined by the type of the sponsor’s job as well as his or her labor contract.
For example, if the sponsor’s visa is valid for three years, the sponsored family will most likely be granted the same period. This excludes parents and adult sons who are granted a one-year residency visa in the UAE. Similarly, if the sponsor’s visa is revoked for whatever reason, the dependents’ visas will be revoked as well.
When a dependent’s visa expires or is cancelled, he or she has 30 days to apply for a new one. If they do not do so, they will become unlawful residents and may be fined for overstaying.
Medical Fitness
The UAE government only grants and renews residence permits to individuals aged 18 and over after they have passed a medical fitness exam at a government-approved health center. A blood test and an X-ray are required. Dependents may also be checked for various medical issues.
A person will not be granted a visa if they are deemed medically unfit.
DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR A UAE FAMILY VISA
When applying to sponsor a family in Dubai or the other emirates, you must include the following documents with your application:
- Employer’s salary slip or certificate
- Registered tenancy agreement
- The most recent utility bill
- Certificate of Marriage (attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in your home country and in the UAE)
- Children’s birth certificates that have been attested
- Copies of those being sponsored’s passports (passports should be valid for at least six months)
- Photos of those that are being funded (passport size against a white background)
- Certificates of medical clearance
- A copy of the employee contract or the corporate contract
Family members in the UAE are sponsored
HOW TO SPONSOR WOMEN
Residents who wish to sponsor spouses must provide proof of their relationship in the form of a marriage certificate (in Arabic).
As previously stated, wives can also sponsor husbands in the UAE. Sponsored husbands are now also eligible for work visas. However, there are some prerequisites.
The sponsor in Abu Dhabi must be a teacher, engineer, or work in the medical field and earn a minimum of AED 10,000 or AED 8,000 including lodging.
In Dubai, there are no vocational restrictions for sponsoring a family as long as the sponsoring wife earns more than AED 10,000. She will, however, need to obtain special approval from the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai (GDRFA).
HOW TO SPONSOR A CHILD
The conditions for acquiring a UAE resident visa for a kid change slightly for sons, daughters, and stepchildren. For example, unmarried daughters can only be sponsored.
Sons must be 18 years old to be sponsored, unless they are studying in the UAE or abroad. Residents can sponsor their sons up to the age of 21 in this circumstance. This is only possible after submitting proof of education (attested certificates from universities and schools). This is because boys’ residency visas are valid for a year and automatically renew till they complete their studies. In order for their resident visa to stay valid, they must visit the UAE at least once every six months (if they are studying elsewhere).
Expats can also sponsor stepchildren under the GDRFA’s guidelines. These include paying a deposit for each child and obtaining a letter of no objection from the biological parent. The government issues one-year residency visas to stepchildren, which are renewed annually.
It is important to note that unmarried women can also sponsor their children in the UAE. A single woman who is sponsoring a child in the UAE must also present a no-objection certificate from the father, in addition to the other documents stated below.
IN THE UAE, SPONSORING PARENTS
In the UAE, there is also a minimum salary requirement for sponsoring parents. It costs AED 20,000 or AED 19,000 plus two-bedroom accommodation in Dubai. Furthermore, the sponsor must secure medical insurance for the parents.
If you want to sponsor your parents for a year, you must additionally pay a deposit for each parent.
According to the GDRFA, you must sponsor both parents jointly, unless there is a death or divorce, in which case you must provide documentary evidence. Furthermore, you can only sponsor parents if you can demonstrate that you are their sole source of assistance.
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