Dubai family visa: sponsoring your spouse and children

If you live in Dubai on a residence visa, you can sponsor your spouse, sons under 25, unmarried daughters of any age and children with special needs of any age. You need a monthly salary of at least 4,000 AED, or 3,000 AED plus housing provided by your employer, and suitable housing for the family. Each family member gets an entry permit, then a residence visa and an Emirates ID tied to yours. Anyone aged 18 or over must pass a medical fitness test first.

Sources: u.ae, the UAE government portal, Residence visa for families of employees; Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP), Issuing Residency Permit, service card, Family members of a foreign resident; General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs Dubai (GDRFA Dubai), Issuing an entry visa for residence without work, family sponsorship. Checked October 2026.

General information, not legal advice. Rules and fees change, so confirm with the authority named in each source before you rely on a figure.

1. Who you can sponsor
2. The salary rule and your offer
3. Documents
4. Steps
5. Fees and timing in Dubai
6. Parents
7. If your visa ends
8. Questions

Who you can sponsor

• Your spouse. GDRFA Dubai says both male and female residents can sponsor their families.
• Sons up to the age of 25.
• Unmarried daughters, at any age.
• Children with special needs, at any age.
• Holders of the Green visa can also sponsor first-degree relatives.

You must hold a valid UAE residence permit yourself. Your family members get residence for the same period as yours, never longer.

Sources: u.ae, the UAE government portal, Residence visa for families of employees; Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP), Issuing Residency Permit, service card, Family members of a foreign resident; GDRFA Dubai, Issuance of a residence permit for foreigner family members. Checked October 2026.

The salary rule and what it means for your offer

The sponsor must show a monthly income of at least 4,000 AED, or 3,000 AED when the employer provides housing. ICP also asks for adequate housing for the family, in proportion to the size of the home, owned or rented, and an employment certificate showing your monthly income and the housing provided.

Sources: u.ae, the UAE government portal, Residence visa for families of employees; Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP), Issuing Residency Permit, service card, terms and documents; General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs Dubai (GDRFA Dubai), Issuing an entry visa for residence without work, family sponsorship, terms and conditions. Checked October 2026.

For most professional offers, the visa threshold is not the hard part. The real question is whether the salary covers a family home, school fees and living costs in Dubai. A salary well above 4,000 AED can still leave a family short once rent and school fees are paid.

• Put the salary, allowances and family size into the Dubai salary calculator to see what is left each month.
• Compare school fees on Dubai schools and fees, and rents for family homes on Dubai areas and rents.
• Ask the employer who pays for family visas, medical tests, Emirates IDs and health insurance. The job offer checklist lists the questions.

Documents

ICP and GDRFA Dubai list these for a family residence visa:

• Passport copy for each family member, valid for at least 6 months, and a recent colour photo on a white background.
• Attested marriage certificate when sponsoring a spouse.
• Attested birth certificates for children, which also prove their ages, or documents proving special needs.
• Your employment contract, or a salary certificate if you work for a government, semi-government or free zone employer.
• An employment certificate showing your monthly income and the housing provided.
• A water or electricity bill for your home.
• Valid health insurance for each family member.
• A medical fitness certificate for anyone aged 18 or over.
• When the wife is the sponsor, a no objection letter from the father.

Sources: Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP), Issuing Residency Permit, service card, required documents; General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs Dubai (GDRFA Dubai), Issuing an entry visa for residence without work, family sponsorship, requirements; GDRFA Dubai, Issuance of a residence permit for foreigner family members, requirements. Checked October 2026.

Steps

1. Entry permit. Apply to GDRFA Dubai through its website or app, a Customer Happiness Centre or an Amer centre. The permit lets each family member stay 60 days from entry while the residence visa is done. If your family is already in the UAE, an extra fee applies.
2. Medical fitness test. Family members aged 18 or over take it at an approved centre in the UAE. Applicants must be free of communicable diseases such as HIV and TB. Dubai Health runs 25 medical fitness centres in Dubai.
3. Health insurance. In Dubai, the sponsor must insure the people they sponsor unless an employer does, and must show a policy when issuing or renewing their residence. See health insurance in Dubai.
4. Residence permit and Emirates ID. Apply for the residence permit with GDRFA Dubai. The residence permit is issued together with an Emirates ID application, and some family members may need to visit an ICP centre for fingerprints and a photo. Every resident must have an Emirates ID, including children and newborn babies.

Sources: General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs Dubai (GDRFA Dubai), Issuing an entry visa for residence without work, family sponsorship, service steps; Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP), Issuing Residency Permit, service card, about this service and terms; u.ae, the UAE government portal, Health conditions for a UAE residence visa; Dubai Health, Medical Fitness Centers; Dubai Health Authority, ISAHD, Law No. 11 of 2013 Concerning Health Insurance in the Emirate of Dubai, English text, Article 11; u.ae, the UAE government portal, Emirates ID; u.ae, the UAE government portal, FAQs about visa and Emirates ID, Who must have an Emirates ID. Checked October 2026.

Fees and timing in Dubai

GDRFA Dubai lists these fees for each family member. Visas for residents of other emirates go through ICP instead.

The residence permit fee rises by 100 AED for each year when the residence runs for more than two years. GDRFA Dubai gives an expected completion time of 48 hours for the entry permit and 48 hours for the residence permit. GDRFA Dubai notes the total can vary with the circumstances of the person sponsored. The medical test and health insurance costs come on top.

For comparison, ICP lists an application fee of 100 AED, 100 AED per year of residence and a smart service fee of 100 AED, with a completion time of 2 days.

Sources: General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs Dubai (GDRFA Dubai), Issuing an entry visa for residence without work, family sponsorship, fees and expected completion time; GDRFA Dubai, Issuance of a residence permit for foreigner family members, fees and expected completion time; Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP), Issuing Residency Permit, service card, service fees. Checked October 2026.

Sponsoring parents

u.ae says an expatriate resident can sponsor parents for a stay of one year by paying a deposit as a guarantee for each parent. That page does not give the salary or the deposit amount, so check the current conditions with GDRFA Dubai before you plan around it. Holders of the Green visa are entitled to sponsor first-degree relatives.

Sources: u.ae, the UAE government portal, FAQs about visa and Emirates ID, I am an expatriate resident; can I sponsor my parents; u.ae, the UAE government portal, Residence visa for families of employees. Checked October 2026.

A Golden Visa holder can sponsor a spouse and children regardless of their age. See the UAE Golden Visa guide.

Source: WAM, the UAE state news agency, linked from the u.ae Golden visa page, UAE Cabinet approves Executive Regulations of Federal Decree-Law on Entry and Residence of Foreigners, 18 April 2022. Checked October 2026.

If your visa ends

Your family members hold residence permits linked to yours. If your visa is cancelled, their visas must be cancelled too, and their Emirates IDs are cancelled with them. A sponsor who neither renews nor cancels the family visas can be fined.

The official pages give different grace periods. u.ae says dependents have 6 months from the expiry or cancellation of their visas to get a new residence permit. The GDRFA Dubai card for family residence permits lists 60 days. Ask GDRFA Dubai which applies to you.

Sources: u.ae, the UAE government portal, Residence visa for families of employees, Cancellation; GDRFA Dubai, Issuance of a residence permit for foreigner family members, additional information; u.ae, the UAE government portal, Emirates ID, Cancelling Emirates ID. Checked October 2026.

Questions about the family visa

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Data for your offer: the Dubai salary calculator, salary guides, areas and rents, schools and fees, and all guides.

Sources

1. Residence visa for families of employees. u.ae, the UAE government portal. Checked October 2026.https://u.ae/en/information-and-services/visa-and-emirates-id/Types-of-visas/Residence-visa/residence-visa-for-family-members
2. Issuing Residency Permit, service card. Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP). Checked October 2026.https://icp.gov.ae/en/services-details/?serviceid=64afe3c1035448005bd52e64
3. Issuing an entry visa for residence without work, family sponsorship. General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs Dubai (GDRFA Dubai). Checked October 2026.https://www.gdrfad.gov.ae/en/services/d551ce7b-52e8-11ea-0320-0050569629e8
4. Issuance of a residence permit for foreigner family members. GDRFA Dubai. Checked October 2026.https://www.gdrfad.gov.ae/en/services/bf409606-56e2-11ea-0320-0050569629e8
5. FAQs about visa and Emirates ID. u.ae, the UAE government portal. Checked October 2026.https://u.ae/en/Help/FAQs/visa-and-emirates-id
6. Health conditions for a UAE residence visa. u.ae, the UAE government portal. Checked October 2026.https://u.ae/en/information-and-services/health-and-fitness/Health-and-travel/health-conditions-for-uae-residence-visa
7. Medical Fitness Centers. Dubai Health. Checked October 2026.https://dubaihealth.ae/medical-fitness-centers
8. Emirates ID. u.ae, the UAE government portal. Checked October 2026.https://u.ae/en/information-and-services/visa-and-emirates-id/emirates-id
9. Law No. 11 of 2013 Concerning Health Insurance in the Emirate of Dubai, English text. Dubai Health Authority, ISAHD. Checked October 2026.https://www.isahd.ae/content/docs/Law%20No%2011%20of%202013%20Concerning%20Health%20Insurance%20in%20the%20Emirate%20of%20Dubai%20(%E2%80%9CDubai%20Health%20Law%E2%80%9D).pdf
10. UAE Cabinet approves Executive Regulations of Federal Decree-Law on Entry and Residence of Foreigners, 18 April 2022. WAM, the UAE state news agency, linked from the u.ae Golden visa page. Checked October 2026.https://www.wam.ae/en/details/1395303040263

Last checked October 2026. Rules change, so confirm with GDRFA Dubai or ICP before you act. General information, not legal advice.