A UAE resident with a valid residence visa can sponsor a wife or husband, sons under 25, unmarried daughters and children with special needs. The published rule is a salary of at least AED 4,000 a month, or AED 3,000 plus accommodation (u.ae, checked 21 September 2026), and housing that suits the size of the family. Your own residence visa and Emirates ID come first. In Dubai the file goes to GDRFA; in the other emirates it goes to ICP. Government fees are listed below by authority; the medical test from age 18, the Emirates ID and health insurance are separate. Send who you want to sponsor and your visa type on WhatsApp and you get an itemised written quote.
WhatsApp Amir for the family visa steps and a written quote
By First Idea Consultant. Reviewed by Amir Aslam, Founder. Updated September 2026.
Who can sponsor family in the UAE, and the salary rule
Sponsorship starts with the sponsor. You need your own residence permit and Emirates ID, income the authority accepts, and housing that fits the number of people you are bringing. Two authorities publish almost the same rules, but you deal with one: GDRFA, the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs, in Dubai, and ICP, the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security, elsewhere.
Who you can sponsor
| Family member | The published rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Wife or husband | Salary of at least AED 4,000 a month, or AED 3,000 plus accommodation, with housing suited to the family. u.ae words the entitlement as his or her spouse, so a resident woman sponsors her husband under the same rule. | u.ae, updated 7 August 2026; ICP; GDRFA entry visa card |
| Sons | Under 25. GDRFA words its condition as a resident sponsoring his male children up to 25 years old. | u.ae; ICP; GDRFA entry visa card |
| Daughters | Unmarried daughters. Neither authority publishes an age limit for them. | u.ae; ICP |
| Children with special needs | Sponsored regardless of age. ICP asks for documents proving special needs in place of a birth certificate. | u.ae; ICP |
| Children sponsored by their mother | GDRFA asks for a no objection letter from the father when the sponsor is the wife. | GDRFA entry visa card |
| A baby born abroad | Sponsored as any other child: passport, attested birth certificate, then the entry permit, residence permit and Emirates ID. | GDRFA entry visa card; ICP |
| Parents and parents-in-law | Not on the standard family list for an ordinary resident. In Dubai, GDRFA handles them through its humanitarian cases service, below. | GDRFA humanitarian cases card |
| Other first-degree relatives | Green visa and Green Residence holders may sponsor first-degree relatives. | u.ae; ICP |
| Families of golden visa holders | A separate route with its own fees, not the ones on this page. See our golden visa UAE page. | First Idea |
One condition applies everywhere: ICP states that the family residence matches the sponsor’s permit and cannot exceed it (ICP, last updated 11 December 2024, checked 21 September 2026).
Proving salary and housing
GDRFA’s family entry visa card lists the income proof it accepts: an employment contract; a salary certificate for employees of governmental and semi-governmental institutions and of free zones; and a partnership contract for a partner. Its sponsor file card asks for an attested lease contract issued through Ejari, or Dubai Land Department ownership documentation (GDRFA, checked 21 September 2026).
ICP words the same test differently: financial solvency of AED 3,000 plus employer-provided housing or AED 4,000 without, and adequate housing in proportion to the property’s capacity, owned or rented. Its family document list includes a water or electricity bill and an employment certificate showing family income and housing provision (ICP, last updated 11 December 2024, checked 21 September 2026).
Job title is not the test: u.ae states that employees may sponsor regardless of job title if they meet the salary rule. Our guide to UAE salary and WPS rules explains what an employer shows on a salary certificate.
Sponsoring your parents
Parents are not on the family list u.ae and ICP publish for an ordinary resident, and the test is stricter than for a spouse or children. In Dubai, GDRFA deals with parents and parents-in-law through its Issuance of a residence permit for humanitarian cases service, described on the card as a one-year renewable permit for a foreigner whose sponsor meets their humanitarian needs.
Read today, its blocks for parents and for parents-in-law ask for the same set (GDRFA, checked 21 September 2026):
- a copy of the sponsored person’s passport
- a salary certificate for the government sector, or an employment contract for the private sector, with a minimum salary of AED 10,000; a partner or investor gives the partnership agreement, trade licence and partners’ annex
- a copy of the attested tenancy contract suitable for the number of family members
- a bank statement for the last three months
Its terms allow a resident to sponsor a father, mother and minor siblings provided the condition of dependency is met, and the spouse’s father and mother provided the condition of custody is met. The committee reviews every request case by case, and on approval GDRFA takes a financial guarantee of AED 5,000 per request, up to AED 15,000 in total. Expected completion time is 14 days, against 48 hours on the ordinary family cards, and its fee lines are the same as the family residence permit row in the GDRFA table below.
For the other emirates, ICP’s Issuing Residency Permit card publishes no separate income figure for parents. It lists proof of kinship when sponsoring parents (ICP, last updated 11 December 2024, checked 21 September 2026). Send your salary certificate and tenancy contract on WhatsApp and Amir checks them against the current requirement before anything is paid.
Family visa cost in Dubai and the UAE: government fees by authority
There is no single family visa fee. Each step is its own government service with its own published price, and the authority charging it depends on the emirate. Both tables are the authorities’ own lines, re-checked on the day of writing.
| Step | GDRFA service | Published fee lines |
|---|---|---|
| Sponsor file, once per sponsor | Sponsor File Registration, resident | Fee for opening a file AED 200, in addition to value added tax at 5%; Knowledge Dirham AED 10; Innovation Dirham AED 10 |
| Entry permit, each family member | Issuing an entry visa for residence without work, family sponsorship | Visa fee AED 200 plus VAT at 5%. If the sponsored person is inside the country: Knowledge AED 10, Innovation AED 10, fee inside the country AED 500 |
| Residence permit, each family member | Issuance of a residence permit for foreigner family members | Residence permit fee AED 200; Knowledge Dirham AED 10; Innovation Dirham AED 10; fee inside the country AED 500; delivery AED 20; the issuance fee increases by AED 100 annually whenever the residency is over two years |
| Residence renewal, each family member | Residence renewal for family members of foreign residents | Residency permit renewal fee AED 200; Knowledge Dirham AED 10; Innovation Dirham AED 10; fee inside the country AED 500; delivery AED 20; the issuance fee increases by AED 100 for each year whenever the residency is more than two years |
| Step | ICP service | Published fee lines |
|---|---|---|
| Residence permit, each family member | Issuing Residency Permit, code 377-006-003-000 | Application fees AED 100; issuance fee of the residence permit per year AED 100; smart service fees AED 100; status adjustment AED 500; financial security deposit fee AED 20 |
| Emirates ID, each family member | New Identity Card Issuance | Fees for issuing a new identity card for residents, per year of residence, AED 100; smart service fees AED 100 |
Three parts of the bill are not set by GDRFA or ICP. The medical fitness test, for anyone aged 18 and over, is charged by the approved health centre at its own price. Health insurance is priced by the insurer; ICP lists it among the required documents. Attestation of a marriage or birth certificate issued abroad is charged by the issuing country and the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Send who you want to sponsor and your visa type on WhatsApp and you get an itemised written quote.
Send your family details to Amir on WhatsApp
What a 2 year family visa costs in government fees
The term changes only some rows. In Dubai, GDRFA’s residence permit fee is AED 200 and increases by AED 100 annually whenever residency is over two years, so a two-year family residence sits at the base fee and a longer one does not. In the ICP emirates the issuance fee runs per year at AED 100, so the number of years multiplies that line, and the Emirates ID does the same everywhere at AED 100 per year plus AED 100 smart service fees (GDRFA and ICP, checked 21 September 2026; ICP cards last updated 11 December 2024).
What moves the figure most is not the term. It is whether the family member is inside the country when you apply, which adds GDRFA’s AED 500 inside-country fee or ICP’s AED 500 status adjustment; whether anyone is 18 or over and needs the medical test; the insurance premium; and how many certificates need attestation abroad. GDRFA says so on its own card: the total amount of the visa may vary with the circumstances surrounding the sponsored person. That is why we send a written quote rather than printing a total.
Government fees and our fee
Government fees are paid to GDRFA or ICP and appear on their receipts in your name. First Idea’s professional service fee is a separate line in the written quote, so you can compare it with the authority figures above before paying.
Documents required for a family visa in the UAE
| Document | Sponsor | Spouse | Children | Parents, Dubai humanitarian route | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passport copy, valid at least 6 months | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | GDRFA entry visa, sponsor file and humanitarian cards |
| Personal photo, white background | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | GDRFA residence permit card; ICP |
| Identity card copies of sponsor and sponsored | Yes | Where held | Where held | Where held | GDRFA sponsor file card |
| Salary proof: employment contract, salary certificate for government, semi-government and free zone employees, or partnership contract for a partner | Yes | No | No | Yes, AED 10,000 minimum | GDRFA entry visa and humanitarian cards; ICP asks for an employment certificate showing income and housing |
| Attested Ejari tenancy or Dubai Land Department ownership | Yes | No | No | Yes, suitable for the family size | GDRFA sponsor file and humanitarian cards |
| Water or electricity bill | Yes, ICP emirates | No | No | No | ICP |
| Marriage contract certified by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs | No | Yes | No | No | GDRFA sponsor file card; ICP, as proof of kinship |
| Attested birth certificate | No | No | Yes | No | GDRFA sponsor file card; ICP, to prove a child’s age |
| Letter of continuity of study or certificate of registration | No | No | Yes | No | GDRFA sponsor file card; humanitarian card for children 25 and above |
| No objection letter from the father when the mother sponsors | No | No | Yes | No | GDRFA entry visa card |
| Bank statement, last three months | Not on the family cards | No | No | Yes | GDRFA humanitarian card |
| Medical fitness examination, from age 18 | No | If 18 or over | If 18 or over | Yes | GDRFA residence permit card; u.ae |
| Valid health insurance | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | ICP |
Attestation before you apply
A marriage or birth certificate issued outside the UAE is attested in the country that issued it, then by the UAE embassy there, then certified by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs. GDRFA’s sponsor file card asks for the marriage contract certified by the Ministry; ICP asks for an attested marriage contract and birth certificates as proof of kinship.
This is the slowest part of most family files and the one you can start first, so begin it before you travel. Our guide to relocation to Dubai covers what else to arrange in the same window. Attestation fees vary by country and document, so none is printed here.
How to apply for a family visa in the UAE, step by step
| Step | Where it happens | What you need |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Your own residence visa and Emirates ID | Through your employer, or your own company | ICP states the sponsor must hold a valid residence permit in the UAE |
| 2. Attest the marriage and birth certificates | Issuing country, UAE embassy there, then the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs | Originals of every certificate you rely on |
| 3. Open the sponsor file | Dubai: GDRFA Sponsor File Registration. Other emirates: inside ICP’s residency permit application | Passports, identity cards, salary certificate, attested Ejari or Dubai Land Department ownership, marriage contract, birth certificates, study letter |
| 4. Entry permit, or change of status if they are already here | Dubai: GDRFA family entry visa. Other emirates: ICP, with a status adjustment | Photo, passport valid at least 6 months, employment contract or salary certificate, partnership contract for a partner, attested certificates |
| 5. Enter the UAE on the entry permit | Any UAE port of entry | GDRFA allows 60 days from entry until the residency requirements are satisfied; ICP sets the same sixty days, with delay fines after it |
| 6. Medical fitness test, age 18 and over | An approved health centre | Passport, entry permit, photo and the centre’s own fee |
| 7. Emirates ID application and biometrics | ICP, in every emirate | Photo to ICAO standards, passport, attendance in person; fingerprint and signature at an ICP centre from age 15 |
| 8. Residence permit issued | GDRFA in Dubai, ICP elsewhere | Medical result, insurance, and the fees in the tables above |
The channels are the ones the authorities publish: GDRFA through its smart services system with UAE Pass, Amer centres and customer happiness centres; ICP through its Smart Services website and Smart App, with attendance at a centre for biometrics.
How long it takes
The authorities publish a service time per card, not an end-to-end timeline. GDRFA shows 48 hours on the sponsor file, family entry visa, family residence permit and renewal cards, and 14 days on the humanitarian cases card used for parents. ICP shows 2 days for Issuing Residency Permit and 5 days for New Identity Card Issuance (all checked 21 September 2026; ICP cards last updated 11 December 2024).
Those are service times, not a promise about your file: attestation abroad, the medical test, insurance and any missing document take longer than any single service, so we publish no First Idea timeline.
Changing a visit visa to a family visa inside the UAE
A family member already here can be moved onto a residence permit without flying out, and both authorities price that separately. In Dubai, GDRFA’s family entry visa card adds Knowledge AED 10, Innovation AED 10 and an inside-country fee of AED 500. In the ICP emirates, the Issuing Residency Permit card carries a status adjustment fee of AED 500 (GDRFA and ICP, checked 21 September 2026).
Visit visas and residence visas are different products with different sponsor conditions. Read our page on the visit visa rules in the UAE before booking flights for a relative you mean to sponsor later.
Sponsoring your family when you own the company
This page sits on a business setup site for one reason: a family visa follows the sponsor’s own residence visa, and for a free zone company owner that visa comes through the company. Until the licence, establishment card, medical and Emirates ID are done, there is nothing to sponsor from.
Two of our fixed-price packages carry the owner’s visa:
- Standard, the company plus one residence visa, establishment card, medical and Emirates ID: AED 23,136 in Meydan or AED 23,436 in IFZA.
- Premium, company, one residence visa and business bank account opening assistance: AED 28,136 in Meydan or AED 28,436 in IFZA.
Bank account opening is subject to each bank’s KYC, compliance review and final approval. We prepare the file, pre-check it against the bank’s requirements, and if one bank declines we apply to the next.
Both are Dubai free zones, so your family file goes to GDRFA. Family visas are quoted separately and are not inside either package price. As an owner you prove income with company documents rather than a salary certificate: GDRFA’s family entry visa card asks a partner for the partnership contract, and its humanitarian cases card asks for the partnership agreement, trade licence and partners’ annex (GDRFA, checked 21 September 2026).
Every package row sits on our page on the business setup cost in Dubai, and side by side in our Dubai company setup packages. Send who you want to sponsor and your visa type on WhatsApp and you get an itemised written quote.
Renewing or cancelling a family visa
A renewal repeats the test you passed the first time. GDRFA’s renewal card asks for a recent coloured photo with a white background, a passport copy and a medical examination for anyone over 18, and your salary and housing proof are looked at again. The family member’s residence cannot outlast yours: ICP states it matches the sponsor’s permit and cannot exceed it. The renewal fee lines are in the table above (GDRFA, checked 21 September 2026).
A son who reaches 25 falls outside the standard family list published by u.ae, ICP and GDRFA. In Dubai, GDRFA’s humanitarian cases card carries a block for children aged 25 and above, asking for the passport copy, the sponsor’s salary certificate or employment contract, and certified proof of continuation of studies, or a graduation certificate attested by the UAE embassy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs if issued abroad. The committee reviews every request case by case, so no outcome is promised.
On cancellation, u.ae states that if the sponsor’s visa is cancelled the dependants’ visas are cancelled too, and that a sponsor who fails to renew or cancel a dependant’s visa can be liable to pay a fine. The grace period reads differently on the two sources, so confirm your case with the authority holding your file: GDRFA’s family residence and renewal cards give 60 days inside the country after expiry or cancellation, while u.ae grants dependants 6 months to obtain a new residence permit (both checked 21 September 2026).
Family visa PRO services: what First Idea handles
Four things, with no promises attached: we check your salary and housing proof against the current GDRFA or ICP requirement before anything is paid; we send a document checklist for each family member, including what has to be attested and where; we file through the official GDRFA or ICP channels in your name; and we tell you when the medical test and Emirates ID steps are due, and what each needs.
For other visa and immigration tasks, see PRO services in Dubai. Reviews of First Idea Consultant LLC are on our Google Business Profile.
Related guides: free zone visa in Dubai and UAE residence visa.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum salary for a family visa in the UAE?
AED 4,000 a month, or AED 3,000 plus accommodation, with housing that suits the size of the family. u.ae publishes it as a minimum salary of AED 4,000 or AED 3,000 plus accommodation, ICP as financial solvency of AED 3,000 plus employer-provided housing or AED 4,000 without, and GDRFA’s family entry visa card states the same two figures (all checked 21 September 2026). Job title does not matter. Parents are a stricter case, covered above.
What is the minimum salary to sponsor parents in the UAE?
Parents are not on the standard family list. In Dubai, GDRFA’s humanitarian cases card asks for a salary certificate or employment contract with a minimum salary of AED 10,000, an attested tenancy contract suitable for the number of family members, and a bank statement for the last three months; the committee reviews every request case by case, with a financial guarantee of AED 5,000 per request up to AED 15,000 on approval (GDRFA, checked 21 September 2026). ICP publishes no parent income figure for the other emirates; it lists proof of kinship when sponsoring parents (ICP, last updated 11 December 2024, checked 21 September 2026).
How much does a family visa cost in Dubai?
Read the GDRFA table above row by row: file opening AED 200 plus 5% VAT once per sponsor, the entry permit AED 200 plus 5% VAT per family member, the residence permit AED 200, Knowledge and Innovation Dirhams at AED 10 each, delivery AED 20, and the AED 500 inside-country fee where the family member is already here (GDRFA, checked 21 September 2026). The Emirates ID is AED 100 per year of residence plus AED 100 smart service fees (ICP, last updated 11 December 2024, checked 21 September 2026). Add the medical test from age 18, health insurance and attestation. We print no total, because GDRFA’s own card says the amount may vary with the circumstances. Send who you want to sponsor and your visa type on WhatsApp and you get an itemised written quote.
What documents are required for a family visa in the UAE?
Passports valid at least six months and personal photos for everyone sponsored, the sponsor’s residence visa and Emirates ID, salary proof in the form the authority names, an attested Ejari tenancy or Dubai Land Department ownership in Dubai and a water or electricity bill in the ICP emirates, an attested marriage contract for a spouse, attested birth certificates and a study continuity letter for children, a medical test from age 18 and valid health insurance. The table above shows which document belongs to which family member and which card asks for it.
How do I apply for a family visa in the UAE?
Your own residence visa and Emirates ID first, then attestation of the marriage and birth certificates, then the sponsor file, a separate GDRFA service in Dubai and part of the application inside ICP elsewhere. Then the entry permit, or a change of status if they are already here, the medical test for anyone 18 or over, the Emirates ID and biometrics with ICP, and finally the residence permit.
How long does a spouse visa take in the UAE?
The authorities publish a service time per step, not a total. GDRFA shows 48 hours on the sponsor file, family entry visa, family residence permit and renewal cards; ICP shows 2 days for Issuing Residency Permit and 5 days for New Identity Card Issuance (checked 21 September 2026; ICP cards last updated 11 December 2024). Attestation abroad and the medical test usually take longer, so the total depends on your file.
Can a wife sponsor her husband in the UAE?
Yes. u.ae words the entitlement so that an expatriate resident may bring in his or her spouse, under the same published rule of AED 4,000, or AED 3,000 plus accommodation (u.ae, checked 21 September 2026), and ICP words its family category the same way. If she also sponsors the children, GDRFA’s family entry visa card asks for a no objection letter from the father. Neither authority publishes a separate, higher threshold for a woman sponsoring her husband, so this page prints none.
Can I sponsor my mother-in-law in Dubai?
She is not on the standard family list, but GDRFA’s humanitarian cases card has a requirement block for parents-in-law, asking for her passport copy, a salary certificate or employment contract with a minimum salary of AED 10,000, an attested tenancy contract suitable for the number of family members, and a bank statement for the last three months. The card’s terms allow the spouse’s father and mother where the condition of custody is met, and the committee reviews every request case by case, with an expected completion time of 14 days (GDRFA, checked 21 September 2026).
Send us who you want to sponsor, which emirate you live in and how your own visa was issued. Amir comes back with the steps for your case and an itemised written quote, and we reply on WhatsApp within a couple of hours.
WhatsApp Amir for the family visa steps and a written quote
First Idea Consultant LLC, Office 812, ParkLane Tower, Park Regis, Business Bay, Dubai. Call or WhatsApp +971 56 500 6694. Amir Aslam, Founder.
