Sponsoring residency visa by expatriates

This page provides general information about the requirements for expatriate residents employed in the UAE to sponsor their family members.
Sponsorship requirements

Expatriate residents, both employers and employees, may sponsor their families in the UAE provided they have a valid residency permit.



Male residents who are employed in the UAE can sponsor their immediate family members, such as wife and children, subject to conditions which include minimum salary of AED 4,000 or AED 3,000 plus accommodation.



The male sponsor must also hold a profession which allows him to sponsor his family. For example domestic helpers and certain other categories cannot sponsor their families regardless of their salary. Check with the relevant GDRFA for exceptions or more info.



Further, if the father of the family is residing in the UAE and meets the conditions for sponsoring his children, the mother is not allowed to sponsor them.

 
A resident sponsor has 60 days to apply for his dependents' residence visa after they enter the UAE and modify their status from an entry permit holder to a resident visa holder.

Family members are issued visas for one, two or three years depending on the nature of the work and labour contract of the sponsoring member and his capacity as an employee or employer.

In general, expatriate employees are issued residency visa for one year or two years based on their labour contract, while expatriate employers are issued residency visa for three years.

Sponsored residents except adult males who are continuing their education and sponsored parents can enjoy the same visa duration as their sponsors. For the adult males and parents, the residence visa is granted on a yearly basis regardless of the sponsor's visa duration.

The conditions are subject to change from time to time. Kindly check with GDRFA of the respective emirate. Below are links to the local GDRFA offices:
Abu Dhabi
Dubai
Sharjah
Ajman
Ras Al Khaimah
Fujairah.


Medical fitness requirement

In order for the UAE to grant or renew a residence visa for family members, males and females who have completed the age of 18 need to undergo and pass medical fitness tests at government approved health centres in the UAE.



All applicants of visa, whether for first time or for renewal, will be tested for two communicable diseases: HIV (by testing their blood) and pulmonary tuberculosis (by taking an x-ray of their chest). Those found to be HIV positive or having tuberculosis will be considered medically unfit and therefore will not be granted a residence visa. They will be deported immediately by the UAE's authorities.



Residents who are detected with dormant or inactive pulmonary tuberculosis are also considered medically fit. In this case, they are granted a one-year ‘Health Fitness Certificate for Residence' subject to treatment and follow-up by the Department of Preventive Medicine or equivalent government health authority. Hence, if you suspect to be suffering from a communicable disease it is advisable to get yourself tested in your home country first.



Locate government medical fitness centres:

Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah have several medical fitness centres. For centres in other emirates, contact Ministry of Health and Prevention - Preventive Medicine Department.



Useful links:

Apply for medical examination for expatriate residents' visa - Ministry of Health and Prevention
Health conditions for a UAE residence visa - UAE Government portal
Resolution No. 5 of 2016 amending provisions of the Cabinet Decree No. 7 of 2008
Communicable Diseases Bulletin (PDF 2.65 MB)-Department of Health – Abu Dhabi
Sponsoring your wife and children

An expatriate resident may sponsor the residence visa for his wife and children if he fulfils the above mentioned sponsorship requirements set by the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA).



To sponsor his wife, the expatriate resident must prove an existing marital relationship by submitting an authenticated marriage certificate in Arabic or duly translated into Arabic by a certified translator. In strict cases, a Muslim resident may be allowed to sponsor his two wives, if he meets certain terms and conditions set by the respective GDRFA.



An expatriate resident can sponsor his daughter/s only if she/they is/are unmarried. He can sponsor his son/s only up to the age of 18. If after the age of 18, the son is studying in the UAE or abroad, he can be sponsored until the age of 21 on providing the proof that he is studying. However, for his residence visa to stay valid, he has to enter the UAE at least once every six months. The resident will need to place a deposit with the respective GDRFA for his son's visa. The residence visa is granted on a yearly basis, renewable until the person finishes his education.



Note: New rules for children's visa sponsored by parents

Starting from 21 October 2018, students who graduate from their universities or secondary schools or complete 18 years of age will be granted a one-year residence visa, renewable for another year from the graduation date or on completing 18 years.



For this type of visa, parents are not required to place bank deposits. The visa will cost AED100 for first time issuing and renewal.



To avail this service, parents must present duly attested graduation certificates from universities or schools, whether inside the country or abroad.



Source: Emirates News Agency-WAM



An expatriate resident can also sponsor his stepchildren, subject to GDRFA's conditions which include a deposit for each child and a written no-objection certificate from the biological parent. Their residence visas are valid for one year; renewable annually.



Required documents to sponsor wife and children include:

online application or through a registered typing office
passport copies of the wife and children
photos of the wife and children
medical clearance certificate for the wife and children above 18
copy of the husband's employment contract or company contract
salary certificate from the employer stating the employee's monthly salary
legalised marriage certificate
registered tenancy contract
latest utility bill.


Sponsoring your parents

An expatriate employee can sponsor his parents for a year's stay by paying a deposit as a guarantee for each parent as stipulated by the respective immigration department.

An expatriate employee cannot sponsor only one of his parents. He needs to sponsor both parents together. He also needs to provide proof that he is their sole support and that they have no one else who could take care of them back home.

If one of the parents has passed away or if the parents are divorced, he has to show the related official documents as justification to sponsor only one of his parents.

To sponsor parents, the employed expatriate resident must earn the minimum salary stipulated and obtain a medical insurance policy for parents with the minimum coverage stipulated for each, to be renewed each year.

According to the website of Dubai Government, DNRD in Dubai stipulates a minimum salary of AED 20,000 or a monthly pay of AED 19,000 plus a two-bedroom accommodation to sponsor parents' visa. Check terms and conditions in other emirates.

Useful links:

Sponsoring your parents in the UAE - Gulf News
Woman sponsoring her family

In Abu Dhabi, a woman can sponsor her husband and children if she holds a residence permit stating that she is an engineer, teacher, doctor, nurse or any other profession related to the medical sector and if her monthly salary is not less than AED 10,000 or AED 8,000 plus accommodation. She needs to provide additional documents as stipulated by the respective authority.

In Dubai, if a woman is not employed in one of these categories she may still get approval to sponsor her family if her monthly salary is more than AED 10,000 and with a special permission from the DNRD.

A single mother can sponsor her child. The authorities might ask for documents similar to those required to sponsor stepchildren.



Validity and renewal

The duration of residence visa depends on the type of sponsor and the person sponsored. It is issued for one, or two or three years. Visa is renewed subject to conditions similar to those of fresh visas.

The family's residence permits are linked to the residence permit of the sponsoring expatriate employee. If the sponsoring family member's visa is cancelled, it requires cancellation of the visas of the dependents.

Dependents are granted a 30-day grace period from the date of expiry or cancellation of their visa to obtain a new residence permit. If the employee fails to renew or cancel the visa of his dependents, the dependents would be deemed illegal residents and could be liable to pay a fine.

Updated on 22 Oct 2018

https://www.government.ae/en/informatio … xpatriates