How to Sponsor Your Spouse or Kids in the UAE – A Simple Step-by-Step Guide

Wednesday, 25 June 2025

Dubai and the wider UAE have become a magnet for expats from around the globe. Many professionals relocate here for career opportunities, and naturally, they want to bring their families along. Sponsoring your spouse and children to live with you in the UAE involves a straightforward but regulated procedure. To ensure a smooth experience, it’s important to understand the eligibility rules, necessary paperwork, and the step-by-step process involved.

This guide breaks down everything you need to know to sponsor your spouse or children in the UAE without confusion or delays.

Table of Contents

• Who Can Sponsor Family Members in the UAE?
• Who Can You Sponsor?
• Essential Documents for Sponsorship
• Step-by-Step Process to Sponsor Your Family in the UAE
• Residency Visa Validity and Renewal
• Important Things to Keep in Mind
• Frequently asked questions

Who Can Sponsor Family Members in the UAE?

To sponsor your family members, certain conditions must be met. These are established by UAE authorities to ensure that sponsors can financially support their dependents and provide suitable living conditions.

Basic Eligibility Requirements:

• Minimum Salary: You need to earn at least AED 4,000 monthly, or AED 3,000 if your accommodation is provided by your employer or company. The exact salary requirement might vary depending on your visa type and family relationship.
• Valid Residency Visa: Only residents with a valid UAE residency permit can sponsor family members.
• Employment Status: You must be employed or run a business in the UAE. Tourist or short-term visa holders are not eligible to sponsor.
• Relationship: You can sponsor immediate family members including your spouse, children, parents, and sometimes siblings. Men can sponsor their wives easily, while women may sponsor their husbands under stricter income requirements.

Who Can You Sponsor?

• Spouse: Both husbands and wives can be sponsored. However, wives sponsoring husbands must meet a higher salary threshold, generally AED 10,000 per month.
• Children: Both sons and daughters can be sponsored. Sons can remain under sponsorship until they turn 18, or up to 21 if they are students. Unmarried daughters can be sponsored indefinitely.
• Parents: Sponsoring parents is possible but requires a higher monthly income of around AED 20,000 (or AED 19,000 with company accommodation). You must prove you are the sole financial supporter.
• Stepchildren: You can sponsor stepchildren if you provide a no-objection certificate from the biological parent and legal proof of custody.

Essential Documents for Sponsorship

To initiate the sponsorship process, you will need to prepare several key documents:

• Marriage Certificate (for spouses): Must be attested by the authorities in your home country and the UAE Embassy.
• Birth Certificates (for children): Attested and translated into Arabic.
• Employment Proof: Employment contract or salary certificate to confirm income.
• Tenancy Contract: Proof of residence in your name or a company-provided accommodation agreement.
• Medical Insurance: Valid health insurance for each family member is mandatory.
• Medical Fitness Test: Family members over 18 years must pass a medical fitness exam to screen for communicable diseases.
• Passports & Photos: Clear passport copies and recent passport-sized photos of all family members.
• Emirates ID Application: Needed for every family member alongside the residency visa process.

Step-by-Step Process to Sponsor Your Family in the UAE

Here’s a simplified breakdown of how you can sponsor your spouse or kids:

Step 1: Submit the Residency Visa Application

Begin by submitting the residency visa application either through the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) or via approved typing centers. Make sure all required documents are ready and correctly prepared.

Step 2: Pay the Visa Fees

Once the application is submitted, you must pay the visa processing fee. The charges typically range from AED 1,000 to AED 2,000, depending on visa type and validity. Fees might increase for expedited services.

Step 3: Complete the Medical Fitness Test

Applicants over 18 years old must undergo a medical examination that tests for infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and HIV. Passing this test is mandatory before the visa can proceed.

Step 4: Apply for Emirates ID

After clearing the medical test, apply for the Emirates ID, which is a compulsory identification document for all UAE residents. This step runs parallel to visa processing.

Step 5: Residency Visa Stamping

The final step involves stamping the residency visa in the family member’s passport, which formalizes their legal residency status in the UAE. You may need to visit the GDRFA office to complete this step.

Residency Visa Validity and Renewal

Residency visas for family members are generally issued for one to three years, in line with the sponsor’s visa duration. It’s important to renew these visas before they expire to avoid fines or legal issues. The renewal procedure is quite similar to the initial application and requires updated documentation.

Important Things to Keep in Mind

• Work and Visa Changes: If your sponsored family members get employment in the UAE, they can switch from family sponsorship to work visas, typically facilitated by their new employer.
• Children’s Education: Residency visas for children can be renewed until they finish their education.
• Grace Period: There is usually a 30-day grace period after visa expiry during which the family members can either renew their visa or leave the country without penalty.

Sponsoring your spouse and children to join you in the UAE is a structured and transparent process when you are well-prepared. Meeting the eligibility requirements and organizing the necessary documents ahead of time will make the experience hassle-free. Always keep up to date with any changes in the UAE’s visa regulations by consulting official sources like the GDRFA.