This guide is for reference. Minimum salary, fees, and document requirements change frequently. Verify the latest at u.ae or directly with ICP / GDRFA.
In one line
A dependent visa lets a UAE resident (employment / Golden Visa holder) sponsor a family member to live in the UAE. Spouses and children are standard; parents are possible under stricter conditions. The sponsor's salary, role, and documented relationship do all the heavy lifting.
Who can sponsor
- Employment-visa residents — with the salary thresholds below
- Golden Visa holders — self-sponsored, with easier conditions for adding family
- Property investor residents — meeting specified asset thresholds
Salary requirements (2026)
| Sponsor situation | Minimum salary |
|---|---|
| Sponsoring spouse + children (no company housing) | AED 4,000 + housing allowance |
| Sponsoring spouse + children (company-provided housing) | AED 3,000 |
| Sponsoring parents | AED 20,000 + suitable accommodation |
| Sponsoring adult son (18+, not in education) | Separate justification needed |
"Housing allowance" is typically counted around AED 1,000/month. Final decision is at ICP's discretion.
Who you can sponsor
Spouse
- Marriage certificate, attested by the UAE embassy in the country of origin
- Either spouse can sponsor the other (historical husband-only bias has been removed)
Children
- Sons: up to 18 by default. Extendable to 25 if in full-time education (proof required annually)
- Daughters: no upper age limit until marriage (2022 rule relaxation)
- Newborns: must be registered within 120 days of birth — otherwise daily fines
Parents
- Sponsor salary AED 20,000+ and both parents must be sponsored together (single-parent case requires humanitarian justification)
- 1-year renewable — not the "standard" long-stay route
- Separate health insurance required
Others
- Domestic helpers: separate domestic-worker visa category (sponsor salary ~AED 25,000+)
Process
Step 1 — Entry Permit
- Sponsor applies via ICP app / GDRFA portal / TAMM (AD)
- Required if the dependent is arriving from abroad
- Typical processing: 3-5 business days
Step 2 — Status Change or Entry
- Once inside the UAE, stamping must complete within 60 days of arrival
- If already in UAE on another visa, "Status Change" applies
Step 3 — Medical Fitness (18+)
- Dubai Health Authority / Abu Dhabi DoH approved centres
- Blood (HIV, TB, hepatitis) + chest X-ray
- HIV or TB positive can trigger visa refusal or deportation — pre-screen at home
Step 4 — Emirates ID
- Biometrics + card issuance (5-10 business days)
Step 5 — Visa stamping
- Residence visa stamped in passport
- Typically 2 years (employment-visa dependent), 10 years for Golden Visa dependents
Required documents
- Sponsor's passport, Emirates ID, residence visa copies
- Sponsor salary certificate or employment contract
- Sponsor bank statements (last 3-6 months)
- Ejari / Tawtheeq certificate (housing proof)
- Attested marriage / birth certificates (home country → apostille → UAE embassy → MOFA UAE)
- Health insurance policy in the dependent's name
- Passport-size photos
- Fee receipts
Estimated cost (per person, approx.)
- Entry permit: ~AED 350
- Status change: ~AED 750
- Medical: ~AED 350
- Emirates ID (2-year): ~AED 270
- Residence visa stamping (2-year): ~AED 350
- Admin / misc: ~AED 300
- Total ≈ AED 2,370/person (spouse + 2 children ≈ AED 7,100)
Based on GDRFA Dubai. Varies by emirate and typing centre.
Common gotchas
1. Marriage / birth document attestation is the #1 rejection cause
Home-country documents need apostille → UAE embassy attestation → MOFA UAE re-attestation. Each step takes 1-2 weeks. Budget 4-6 weeks total, and start before arriving in UAE. If you try to begin after arrival, you'll likely run out of the 90-day tourist window.
2. The 120-day newborn rule
Babies born inside the UAE must have entry permit + residence processed within 120 days or you accumulate daily fines (AED 100-200/day). Hospital birth notification → Dubai Health Authority official certificate → attestation — start immediately.
3. Daughter age-limit rule changed (2022)
"Daughters are eligible until marriage, no upper age" is the current official rule. Occasionally a typing-centre staffer applies the old 18/21 limit — bring a printed copy of the official u.ae page if you run into this.
4. Basic salary vs total package
The UAE has no income tax, but family-sponsor eligibility is judged on basic salary, not total package. An AED 20K total with AED 10K basic will fail the parent-sponsor threshold. Check the "basic salary" line in your contract.
5. Family visa is subordinate to the sponsor's visa
If the primary sponsor changes jobs / loses employment / lets their visa expire, the family visa follows — renew within 30 days or leave. Parent sponsorship is especially fragile.