Family Visa Renewal Cost in the UAE: Adult & Child Fees (2026)

Renewing a UAE family visa is far cheaper than a new one — there is no entry permit and no change of status. Here is the full renewal fee breakdown for adults and children.

The UAE family visa renewal cost is much lower than most sponsors expect, and the reason is simple: your dependent already holds residency. Renewal does not need a new entry permit, and there is nothing to change from visit to residence status. You are essentially refreshing an existing visa, so you only pay for the medical test, the Emirates ID and the visa stamp. This guide breaks down the exact government fees using the figures from our Visa Calculator.

Everything below is for renewing an existing family visa. If you are sponsoring someone for the first time, the fees are higher and are covered in our new family visa cost guide. All amounts are in AED.

How much does family visa renewal cost in the UAE?

Three fees for an adult, two for a child — nothing else.

A family visa renewal is the shortest fee list of any UAE residence process. The adult renewal cost is AED 1,037 and the child renewal cost is AED 764. The difference is the medical test, which children under 18 do not take. There is no entry permit and no change-of-status charge, which is exactly why renewal is the cheapest way to keep your family's residency active.

• Medical fitness (standard): AED 273 — adults only.
• Emirates ID: AED 354 — renewed with the visa.
• Visa stamping: AED 410.
• Entry permit & change of status: not charged at renewal.

Renewal fees for an adult and a child

The full per-person breakdown, straight from the calculator.

Renewal vs a new family visa: why it's cheaper

A new family visa has to bring someone into the residence system — that means an entry permit and, for anyone already inside the UAE, a change of status. Renewal skips both, because your dependent is already a resident. The table below compares one adult renewing against the cheapest new-visa route (applying from outside the country).

Renewal is AED 339 cheaper than even the lowest-cost new visa, and AED 1,619 cheaper than a new visa processed inside the country (AED 2,656), which also carries the entry permit and change-of-status fees.

When to renew and how to avoid fines

Renewal cost only stays low if you do it on time. A family visa should be renewed before it expires, or within the grace period the UAE allows after expiry. Once that grace period ends, daily overstay fines start to add up on each dependent, turning a cheap renewal into an avoidable extra cost.

• Start early. Begin the renewal in the weeks before the visa expiry date.
• Keep insurance valid. A current health insurance policy is needed to renew.
• Renew the whole family together. It keeps every dependent's expiry aligned.
• Don't rely on the grace period. Treat the expiry date as the deadline, not the start of one.

What the renewal price does not include

These are government fees — a few costs sit outside them.

The amounts above cover the renewal itself. A few related costs are separate and depend on your situation, so budget for them alongside the government fees. You can review the full process on our Family Visa service page.

• Health insurance. A valid policy must be in place to renew and is priced separately by age and provider.
• Sponsor eligibility. The sponsor still needs to meet the minimum salary and a valid tenancy contract at renewal.
• Premium or express medical. The AED 273 figure is the standard test; faster tiers cost more.
• Overstay fines. Any fines from a late renewal are added on top of the fees above.
• Service fees. Government fees do not include any typing-centre or PRO service charge.

How to keep your renewal cost down

Because the renewal fees themselves are fixed, the only way the cost grows is through late renewals and avoidable extras. A few simple habits keep you at the lowest possible total.

Frequently asked questions