The information in this article is for general informational purposes only and may become outdated; please ask a Corpwise consultant to provide the latest details.
Once your UAE visa is sorted, the next question is usually the same: how do I bring my family? The process is available to anyone with a valid UAE residence visa — whether you're on an employment visa, an investor visa, a freelance permit, a Green Visa, or a Golden Visa. The rules don't care what your job title is. Since the 2022 residency reforms, the only things that matter are your income and your accommodation.
That said, the income thresholds, document requirements, and timelines are different depending on whether you're sponsoring a spouse, children, or parents. And the single biggest cause of delays isn't eligibility — it's document attestation errors that could have been fixed before the application was submitted.
This guide covers the requirements for each family member type, the real costs, and the process from start to Emirates ID. For an overview of all visa types available to business owners, see our visa guide.
Sponsoring Your Spouse
This is the most common family visa application and the most straightforward.
Income requirement: AED 4,000 per month, or AED 3,000 per month if your employer provides accommodation. For business owners and investors, the income is assessed based on your salary as shown on your establishment card or your company's ability to demonstrate financial stability. The authorities assess your basic salary on the attested employment contract — not your total package including allowances.
Who can sponsor: Both men and women can sponsor their spouse. Female sponsors need a minimum income of AED 10,000 per month in some emirates, though this threshold has been applied inconsistently and may vary by authority. Golden Visa holders can sponsor their spouse with no minimum salary requirement.
Documents needed:
- Sponsor's passport, visa, and Emirates ID copies
- Spouse's passport copy (valid for at least 6 months)
- Attested marriage certificate — this is the document that causes the most delays
- Sponsor's attested employment contract or trade licence
- Salary certificate (attested by the employer and the relevant authority)
- Tenancy contract in the sponsor's name (Ejari registered in Dubai)
- Passport-sized photos of the spouse (white background)
The attestation chain for marriage certificates: If your marriage certificate was issued outside the UAE, it must go through a full attestation process: notarisation in the issuing country, authentication by that country's foreign affairs ministry, attestation by the UAE Embassy in that country, and finally MOFA attestation in the UAE. This chain takes 2 to 6 weeks. Start it before you start the visa application — not alongside it.
Cost per spouse visa:
- Entry permit: AED 1,000 to AED 1,200
- Status change (if spouse is already in UAE on tourist visa): AED 550 to AED 700
- Medical fitness test: AED 300 to AED 500
- Emirates ID: AED 370 to AED 570
- Visa stamping: AED 500 to AED 700
- Typing and service fees: AED 200 to AED 400
Total: AED 3,000 to AED 4,000 per spouse. Health insurance is mandatory and additional (AED 600–2,500/year).
Timeline: 2 to 4 weeks from entry permit application to visa stamped, assuming documents are clean and the marriage certificate is already attested.
Sponsoring Your Children
Who qualifies:
- Sons up to age 25 (extended from 18 under the 2022 reforms, provided they are unmarried)
- Unmarried daughters of any age (no upper age limit)
- Stepchildren with legal documentation and a no-objection certificate from both biological parents
- Children with special needs can be sponsored indefinitely regardless of age
Income requirement: Same as spouse — AED 4,000 per month (or AED 3,000 plus accommodation). No additional income threshold per child.
Documents needed:
- All documents listed for spouse sponsorship above
- Attested birth certificate for each child (same attestation chain as marriage certificate if issued abroad)
- For children over 18: proof of education enrolment (if sponsoring sons aged 18–25)
- For stepchildren: no-objection certificate from both biological parents plus custody documentation
Cost per child visa: Same as spouse — approximately AED 3,000 to AED 4,000 each. Medical testing is required for anyone aged 18 and over.
School enrolment: Most UAE schools require a valid residence visa before they'll confirm a child's enrolment. Plan your timing so that the child's visa is processed before the school term starts. Some schools accept the entry permit as interim proof while the visa is being finalised.
Sponsoring Your Parents
This is the most restrictive family sponsorship category, with significantly higher income requirements and additional conditions.
Income requirement: AED 20,000 per month is the standard threshold for parent sponsorship through ICP/GDRFA. Some emirates offer a humanitarian residency route at a lower threshold of approximately AED 10,000 per month (available through Amer centres in Dubai). Golden Visa holders can sponsor parents without a minimum salary requirement.
Additional requirements:
- A refundable security deposit — the amount varies by emirate but is typically AED 5,000 to AED 10,000 per parent
- Proof of dependency (demonstrating that the parent relies on your financial support)
- The sponsor must be a son — daughters cannot sponsor parents in most cases, though this rule is applied inconsistently across emirates
Documents needed:
- All standard sponsor documents (passport, visa, Emirates ID, salary certificate, tenancy contract)
- Parent's passport copy
- Attested birth certificate proving the parent-child relationship
- Proof of financial support (bank transfer records to the parent)
- Security deposit receipt
- Medical fitness certificate for the parent
Cost: AED 5,000 to AED 8,000 per parent, including the security deposit, entry permit, medical, Emirates ID, and visa stamping.
Timeline: 3 to 6 weeks. Parent sponsorship applications receive more scrutiny and may require additional documentation requests during processing.
The honest take: Parent sponsorship is genuinely more difficult than spouse or child sponsorship. The AED 20,000 income threshold alone excludes many sponsors. If you don't meet the threshold, the humanitarian route (AED 10,000 in Dubai) is worth exploring but isn't guaranteed. For parents who visit regularly, a multiple-entry tourist visa may be more practical than attempting a full residency sponsorship.
Golden Visa Holders: Different Rules Apply
If you hold a Golden Visa (5 or 10 years), family sponsorship is significantly easier:
- No minimum salary requirement for spouse and children
- Sons can be sponsored beyond age 25 (some reports suggest no age limit for Golden Visa holders, though this varies by processing authority)
- Family members receive the same visa validity as the sponsor — 5 or 10 years
- Parents can be sponsored without the AED 20,000 threshold
- No annual renewal of dependent visas — they match the sponsor's Golden Visa term
This is one of the most practical reasons to pursue a Golden Visa if you qualify. The family sponsorship benefits alone can justify the effort, especially if you have adult sons or parents you want to bring to the UAE. See our Golden Visa guide for freelancers or our residence vs Golden Visa comparison for eligibility details.
The Process: Step by Step
The application process is the same regardless of whether you're sponsoring a spouse, child, or parent — only the documents and thresholds change.
Step 1: Open a sponsor file. If this is your first time sponsoring anyone, you need to create a sponsor file at a typing centre or through the GDRFA/ICP online portal. This registers you as eligible to sponsor dependents.
Step 2: Apply for an entry permit. Submit the application and documents through the ICP portal (icp.gov.ae) or GDRFA (if Dubai-based). If your family member is already in the UAE on a tourist visa, apply for a status change instead.
Step 3: Family member enters the UAE (if applying from abroad). The entry permit is valid for 60 days from issuance. Your family member must enter the UAE within that window.
Step 4: Medical fitness test. Required for anyone aged 18 and over. Book an appointment at an approved medical centre. Results take 2 to 5 business days.
Step 5: Emirates ID biometrics. Visit an ICP service centre for fingerprinting and photo. The card is delivered within 5 to 15 business days.
Step 6: Visa stamping. The residence visa is stamped in the family member's passport. This can be done at typing centres or GDRFA service centres.
Total timeline: 2 to 4 weeks for spouse and children. 3 to 6 weeks for parents.
Mistakes That Delay Family Visa Applications
Unattested marriage or birth certificates. This is the number one cause of delays. Documents issued outside the UAE must go through the full attestation chain before submission. Starting the visa application without attested documents guarantees it will stall.
Basic salary below threshold. The authorities assess basic salary, not total compensation. If your employment contract shows a AED 3,000 basic with AED 5,000 in allowances, your basic is AED 3,000 — below the AED 4,000 threshold unless your employer provides accommodation. Business owners should ensure their establishment card or salary certificate reflects the required minimum.
Tenancy contract not in sponsor's name. The accommodation must be registered in your name — not a roommate's, not a company's, not unregistered. In Dubai, the tenancy must be registered with Ejari.
Expired entry permits. The entry permit is valid for 60 days. If your family member doesn't enter the UAE or complete the visa process within that window, it expires and you'll need to reapply.
Not budgeting for health insurance. Health insurance is mandatory for every sponsored family member. Budget AED 600 to AED 2,500 per person per year, depending on coverage level and emirate requirements.
Need help with family visa applications — attestation, documents, or the full sponsorship process? Talk to us — we handle the paperwork so your family gets here without the back-and-forth.
