How to Get a Family Visa in Dubai (2026): Step-by-Step Guide to Sponsoring Your Spouse, Children and Parents

If you are a UAE resident living in Dubai, you can sponsor eligible family members — your spouse, children and parents — on a family (dependent) visa under your own residence visa. The process is straightforward once you understand the eligibility requirements, the required documents and the different stages of the visa application. This guide is for employees, who sponsor on their salary; investors and partners follow slightly different rules — see the family visa for investors and partners.

In short: to sponsor your spouse and children you need a monthly salary of AED 4,000, or AED 3,000 plus company accommodation; parents need AED 10,000 and a two-bedroom home. You attest your marriage or birth certificate (notary → Foreign Ministry → UAE Embassy → UAE MOFA), apply for an entry permit, enter the UAE or change status, complete the medical test (18+ only) and the Emirates ID, and the residence visa is issued digitally. Government fees are AED 2,656 per adult and AED 2,383 per child inside the UAE, or AED 1,376 and AED 1,103 from outside, plus AED 203 once. A Dubai family visa needs no Ejari and no medical insurance.

✅ 1. Check your eligibility for a family visa in Dubai

The first step is to make sure you meet the sponsorship requirements. The minimum salary depends on whom you are sponsoring.

📄 2. Prepare the required documents: attested relationship certificates

One of the most important documents for a family visa is proof of your relationship with the person you are sponsoring. Depending on whom you are sponsoring, you will need:

How to attest the relationship certificate: minimum 4 steps

GDRFA accepts a relationship certificate only with the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) attestation — and every stamp in the chain needs the one before it. So each certificate goes through at least four attestations, in this order:

Our certificate attestation service can handle the whole chain for you. Child born in the UAE? See the newborn visa service.

🪪 3. Sponsor documents required

The sponsor normally needs to provide:

1. 1Passport copy
2. 2UAE residence visa copy
3. 3Emirates ID copy

📋 4. Dependent documents required

For the person you are sponsoring, you normally need:

1. 1Passport copy
2. 2Passport-size photograph
3. 3Attested relationship certificate, depending on the application

Additional documents may be requested depending on the individual case. Digital copies are enough to start — you can send them on WhatsApp.

📝 5. Apply for the entry permit

Once your documents are ready, the first immigration application is the Entry Permit application. You can submit it through:

When using an online service provider, you normally upload the required documents and submit your details. The documents are then reviewed before being submitted to immigration.

The entry permit fee is AED 339 when the applicant is outside the UAE and AED 989 when they are already inside the UAE.

🔎 6. Immigration review and additional documents

After the application is submitted, an immigration officer reviews it. If any additional document or clarification is required, you receive a notification on the mobile number and email address used when submitting the application.

You then upload the requested document through the same channel where the application was originally submitted, such as GDRFA or AMER. Once everything is accepted, immigration approves and issues the Entry Permit (e-Visa).

✈️ 7. Entry permit issued — what happens next?

There are two situations:

🗂️ 8. Complete the residence visa procedure

Once the applicant has entered the UAE on the entry permit, or the Change of Status application is complete, the residence visa procedure must be finished. You normally have 60 days to complete the remaining formalities, and the steps depend partly on the applicant's age:

🩺 9. Medical fitness — required only from age 18

Medical fitness is required only for applicants who are 18 years old or above. The process includes three parts:

After making the application, the applicant must visit an authorised medical fitness centre for the screening. Depending on the service selected, the result may be available approximately within:

Once the applicant passes the screening, a Medical Fitness Certificate is issued. Find a medical fitness centre near you →

💳 10. Apply for the Emirates ID

The Emirates ID application is required for every dependent, regardless of age, and the Emirates ID fee (AED 354 for two years) is paid for every applicant.

🏛️ 11. Apply for the residence visa

Once all applicable medical fitness and Emirates ID procedures are completed, you can submit the final residence visa application. This can normally be done through an AMER centre, GDRFA online services or an authorised visa service provider. Immigration reviews the application and, once approved, issues the residence visa. The residence visa fee — called “Visa Stamping” in the fee list — is AED 410.

📱 12. Dubai residence visas are now digital

Previously, UAE residence visas were stamped as a sticker inside the passport. This is no longer the normal process: Dubai residence visas are now issued digitally. Once approved, you receive a digital residence visa copy containing the applicant's residence details.

📦 13. Emirates ID printing and delivery

After the residence visa is issued, the Emirates ID proceeds for printing. Once printed, it is delivered to the address provided during the Emirates ID application. This completes the family residence visa process. 🎉

💰 Dubai family visa cost 2026: full fee breakdown (inside vs outside the UAE)

A new Dubai family visa costs AED 2,656 per adult and AED 2,383 per child when the family member is already inside the UAE, or AED 1,376 per adult and AED 1,103 per child when they are outside the UAE — plus a one-time AED 203 family file opening fee. These are the government fees for a spouse or child (two-year visa), item by item, as calculated by the FamilyVisa.ae Visa Calculator on 6 October 2026:

🇦🇪 Inside the UAE (change of status): AED 2,656 per adult, AED 2,383 per child

✈️ Outside the UAE: AED 1,376 per adult, AED 1,103 per child

What makes the difference:

• Inside the UAE costs AED 1,280 more per person: the entry permit issued inside the UAE is AED 989 instead of AED 339, and the change of status adds AED 630.
• Children cost AED 273 less: no medical fitness test below 18.
• VIP medical: AED 703 instead of AED 273 (AED 430 more per adult) for a result in about 30 minutes.
• “Visa Stamping” is the government's name for the residence visa fee (AED 410) — the visa itself is issued digitally.

Examples: total government fees for a family

Totals include the one-time AED 203 file fee and the normal medical for the spouse. The FamilyVisa.ae service fee is separate and is quoted on WhatsApp before you pay anything. Government fees can change; the live calculator is always the final reference before payment.

More cost scenarios are in our family visa cost guide (inside vs outside the UAE).

Sponsoring your family on a property visa? Golden, Retirement and Investor visa holders pay different family fees — see the 10-Year Golden Visa, 5-Year Retirement Visa and 2-Year Property Investor Visa guides.

💼 Investor or partner visa? Different documents and fees

Everything above is for employees. If you hold an investor or partner visa — you own a share in a UAE company — the steps are the same, but three things change:

Read the full guide: family visa for investors and partners in Dubai →

🏥 Is medical insurance required for a Dubai family visa?

No. For a dependent family visa issued in Dubai, medical insurance is not required as part of the dependent residence visa application process. In other emirates, medical insurance is mandatory for the visa.

🏠 Is Ejari required for a Dubai family visa?

For a Dubai family visa for your spouse and children, an Ejari or tenancy contract is not required. Sponsoring parents needs a minimum two-bedroom apartment, leased or owned. In other emirates, a registered tenancy contract is required for the family visa.

🧭 Dubai family visa process at a glance

Before starting your application, use the FamilyVisa.ae Family Visa Calculator to check the government fees and understand the expected cost of your family visa before applying.

🔗 Related guides

• Family visa for investors and partners in Dubai: documents and fees
• UAE family visa cost 2026: inside vs outside the country
• Family visa renewal in Dubai: cost, documents and steps
• UAE family visa service and the live Visa Calculator
• Newborn visa: adding your baby to your sponsorship
• Maid and nanny visa: sponsoring a domestic worker
• Certificate attestation: marriage and birth certificates
• Visa medical and Emirates ID centres near you

❓ Frequently asked questions

1. What is the minimum salary to sponsor a family in Dubai?

To sponsor your spouse and children you need a monthly salary of AED 4,000, or AED 3,000 plus accommodation provided by your company.

2. How much salary do I need to sponsor my parents in Dubai?

A monthly salary of at least AED 10,000 and a minimum two-bedroom apartment, either leased or owned. Parents' residence visas are issued for one year and renewed every year.

3. How long is a Dubai family visa valid?

Family residence visas for a spouse and children are generally issued for two years and must be renewed before expiry. Parents' visas are issued for one year.

4. What documents do I need to sponsor my wife or husband?

An attested marriage certificate, your spouse's passport copy and passport-size photograph, and your own passport, UAE residence visa and Emirates ID copies.

5. What documents do I need to sponsor my children?

An attested birth certificate showing the parents' names, the child's passport copy and passport-size photograph, and your own passport, UAE residence visa and Emirates ID copies.

6. How do I attest a marriage or birth certificate for a UAE family visa?

It needs at least four attestations, in this order: a notary in the country that issued it, that country's Foreign Ministry, the UAE Embassy in that country, and finally the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). GDRFA accepts the certificate only with the UAE MOFA attestation, and some countries require extra local attestations before the Foreign Ministry.

7. Where do I apply for a family visa in Dubai?

Through a nearby AMER centre, the GDRFA Dubai online portal, or an authorised visa service provider such as FamilyVisa.ae.

8. How long is the family visa entry permit valid?

Once the entry permit is issued you normally have 60 days to enter the UAE. The entry permit is not the final residence visa — it allows the applicant to enter the UAE to complete the residence visa procedure.

9. Can my family member apply while already in the UAE?

Yes. They can exit the UAE and re-enter on the new entry permit, or submit a Change of Status application, which activates the entry permit without leaving the country.

10. How long do I have to complete the residence visa after entering the UAE?

You normally have 60 days to finish the remaining formalities: the medical test (18+ only), the Emirates ID and the residence visa application.

11. Do children need a medical test for a Dubai family visa?

No. Applicants below 18 need no medical application and no medical screening, and no medical fee is paid.

12. Who needs Emirates ID biometrics?

Only applicants aged 15 and above, and only first-timers whose biometrics have not been collected before. Every dependent still needs an Emirates ID application and pays the Emirates ID fee (AED 354 for two years).

13. How long does the medical fitness result take?

About 24 hours with the normal service, or around 30 minutes with the VIP service. A Medical Fitness Certificate is issued once the applicant passes the screening.

14. Is medical insurance required for a Dubai family visa?

No. For a dependent family visa issued in Dubai, medical insurance is not required as part of the dependent residence visa application process. In other emirates, medical insurance is mandatory for the visa.

15. Is Ejari required for a Dubai family visa?

No, not for a spouse and children in Dubai. Sponsoring parents needs a two-bedroom home, and in other emirates a registered tenancy contract is required for the family visa.

16. Is the family visa still stamped in the passport?

No. Dubai residence visas are now issued digitally. Once approved, you receive a digital residence visa copy containing the applicant's residence details.

17. Can my spouse work on a family visa?

Yes. A spouse or adult child on a family visa can work for a UAE employer once the employer obtains a MoHRE work permit for them. The residence visa stays under your sponsorship.

18. How much does a family visa cost in Dubai?

Government fees for a new Dubai family visa are AED 2,656 per adult and AED 2,383 per child when the family member is inside the UAE (Entry Permit Inside AED 989, Change Status AED 630, Medical AED 273 for adults only, Emirates ID AED 354, Visa Stamping AED 410), or AED 1,376 per adult and AED 1,103 per child from outside the UAE (Entry Permit Outside AED 339, Medical AED 273 for adults only, Emirates ID AED 354, Visa Stamping AED 410). A one-time AED 203 family file opening fee is added.

19. Why is the family visa more expensive inside the UAE?

Because the entry permit issued inside the UAE costs AED 989 instead of AED 339, and the change of status adds AED 630. Together that is AED 1,280 more per person than applying from outside the UAE.

20. How much is a Dubai family visa for a wife and two children?

AED 7,625 in government fees if they are inside the UAE (AED 2,656 + 2 × AED 2,383 + AED 203 file fee), or AED 3,785 if they are outside the UAE (AED 1,376 + 2 × AED 1,103 + AED 203).

21. Can an investor or partner sponsor family in Dubai?

Yes. Instead of the salary rule, your share in the company's capital must be more than AED 75,000 as per the MOA, and you add the trade licence and MOA to the documents. Government fees are slightly higher: AED 2,814 per adult and AED 2,541 per child inside the UAE, or AED 1,489 and AED 1,216 from outside.

22. Can I sponsor a maid in Dubai?

To sponsor a maid or domestic worker, the combined monthly income of the husband and wife should be more than AED 25,000. Domestic worker visas are generally issued for one year and renewed annually.

Last reviewed 6 October 2026. Government fees are the figures shown by the FamilyVisa.ae calculator on that date and can change without notice; the live calculator remains the final pricing reference before payment. FamilyVisa.ae is operated by 800 DOCS LLC, a DET-licensed UAE visa services company in Dubai.