A family visa in Dubai lets you sponsor your spouse, children, or parents to live with you as legal residents. You apply through the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) Dubai, and the process runs through entry permit, medical test, Emirates ID, and visa stamping.
Who is Eligible for a Family Visa?
You need a valid UAE residence visa and a minimum monthly salary of AED 4,000, or AED 3,000 if your employer provides housing, to sponsor your spouse and children. Sponsoring parents requires a higher salary threshold.
The dependents you can sponsor fall into a few categories:
- Spouse: You can sponsor your husband or wife with an attested marriage certificate.
- Sons: You can sponsor sons up to age 25 with no student status requirement. Sons over 25 can only remain under your sponsorship if they are enrolled in full-time study at an accredited UAE university, or if you hold a Golden Visa.
- Daughters: You can sponsor an unmarried daughter of any age.
- Parents: Sponsoring parents requires a salary between AED 10,000 to AED 20,000 per month depending on your employment status. You must sponsor both parents together unless they are divorced or one is deceased. You will also need to submit a refundable deposit and prove you have suitable two-bedroom accommodation.
UAE citizens, permanent residents, employment visa holders, investor visa holders, and Golden Visa holders can all act as sponsors. Golden Visa holders are exempt from the standard salary threshold when sponsoring their parents.
Women can now also sponsor their families. The requirement for a male co-sponsor was removed in 2021, so a female employment or investor visa holder can sponsor her spouse and children in her own name.
How to Apply for a Family Visa in Dubai?
You apply for a family visa in Dubai by registering a sponsor file, applying for an entry permit for your dependent, completing their medical test and Emirates ID, and stamping the residence visa in their passport.
Step 1: Register Your Sponsor File
If this is your first time sponsoring a family member, the GDRFA requires you to open a sponsor file before it accepts any dependent applications. You only pay for this once, and the same file covers every future family sponsorship you make.
Step 2: Apply for an Entry Permit
You submit the entry permit application for your dependent through the GDRFA portal. If your dependent is outside the UAE, the permit lets them enter the country and is valid for 60 days.
Step 3: Complete Status Change or Entry
If your dependent is already in the UAE on a visit visa, you apply for a status change instead of having them exit and re-enter. This converts their existing visa into a residence entry without a flight home, though not every visa category or nationality qualifies, so confirm eligibility before booking anything.
Step 4: Book the Medical Fitness Test
Every dependent aged 18 or above must pass a medical fitness test at a Dubai Health Authority-approved centre. The test screens for communicable diseases through a blood test and, in most cases, a chest X-ray, and results are usually ready within 24 to 48 hours.
Step 5: Apply for the Emirates ID
Your dependent submits biometrics, including fingerprints and a photo, at an ICP-approved typing centre or service centre. The Emirates ID is typically ready within five to seven working days and stays valid for the same period as the residence visa.
Step 6: Activate Health Insurance
Health insurance must be active before the residence visa can be stamped. Basic DHA-compliant insurance for a dependent starts from around AED 600 a year, and you should arrange this well before your stamping appointment rather than leaving it to the last minute.
Step 7: Stamp the Residence Visa
Once the medical test clears, the Emirates ID is processed, and insurance is active, GDRFA grants final residency approval. While this step was historically called “visa stamping,” physical passport stickers have been phased out, your dependent’s official proof of residency is now linked directly to their physical Emirates ID card and digital e-Residence document.
How Much Does a Family Visa Cost in the UAE in 2026?
A new family visa in Dubai costs roughly AED 3,500 to AED 7,500 per dependent, depending on their age, where they apply from, and the visa duration you choose. This is how the costs break down:
Fee Item | Estimated Cost (AED) |
Sponsor file registration (one-time, per sponsor) | 220 |
Entry permit, dependent outside the UAE | 365 |
Entry permit, dependent inside the UAE (status change) | 1,035 |
Residence permit issuance (up to 2 years) | 200, plus AED 100 for each extra year |
Medical fitness test (18 and above) | 320-750 |
Emirates ID | 100 per year, plus a 40-70 application fee |
Health insurance (basic, per year) | From 600 |
Documents Required for Getting a Family Visa in Dubai
You need your own passport and residence visa, a salary certificate, an Ejari tenancy contract, and your dependent’s passport, photo, and attested relationship certificate to apply for a family visa. Foreign documents also need attestation and, in most cases, Arabic translation.
Documents From the Sponsor
- Valid UAE residence visa and passport, with at least six months’ validity
- Salary certificate from your employer or free zone authority, dated within three months
- Tenancy contract registered with Ejari for your Dubai property
Documents From the Dependant
- Passport with at least six months’ validity, plus a copy of any previous UAE residence visa
- Recent passport-sized photo that meets ICP specifications
- Attested marriage certificate, for a spouse
- Attested birth certificate, for children
- Valid health insurance policy
Attestation and Translation
Any marriage or birth certificate issued outside the UAE needs to be attested by the foreign affairs ministry in the country of origin, countersigned by the UAE embassy there, and then attested by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dubai before GDRFA accepts it.
If your home country is part of the Apostille convention, an apostille can replace the first two steps and save you weeks of processing.
Once attested, any document not already in Arabic or English needs translation by a UAE-licensed legal translator. Online translation tools and unlicensed translators are not accepted, and a rejected translation will delay your entire application.
Get a Family Visa in Dubai With A&A Associate
A&A Associate has supported expat visa applications and sponsorship for over a decade. Our team confirms your eligibility, prepares and verifies every document, and coordinates directly with GDRFA on your behalf. Contact us to start your family visa application in Dubai.
