If you are looking to apply for the Dubai Family Visa then stay last to this page to thoroughly understand the process. This article will discuss all the rules and the latest updates (as of 2024) on how to get the Dubai Family Visa and you will better understand the visa-sponsoring process
Important Note: You should be cautious to all the important updates and and acquire the prior knowledge to save time and money for Dubai Family Visa procedure
Applying for a Dubai Visa for a family member residing outside the UAE will save you 1290 AED compared to those who apply while their member of the family is in UAE. Read below to gain a more in-depth knowledge.
Let’s Dive into the Topic First
Nothing to panic or worry, if you have all your documents in place you can apply and process their dependent visa in Dubai while they are in or out. It doesn’t have any impact on the approval or rejection.
Those who are planning to bring their family member to Dubai from another country may proceed to receive an entry permit while your family member is out of Dubai.After the arrival (of your family member in Dubai) you can finish the rest of the process like stamping. This process will save you from spending extra where an entry permit for those who are out of Dubai costs 490 AED. To know the cost of an entry permit if they are in Dubai keep reading.
If a member of your family is already in Dubai on arrival Visa and you wish to convert their visa status to Resident? This can be done without them exiting the country or doing an Oman visa run. If you are opting for without exit option you have to pay for an inside country entry permit which costs 1140 AED and the status change is priced at 640 AED. If you are doing an Oman visa run you will have to drive to the Oman border but will be able to save 640 AED.
Passport stamped with a Resident Visa and a valid Emirates ID is a must requirement to sponsor a Dubai Family Visa to your family member. Additionally, your salary mentioned on the labour contract decides your eligibility to sponsor your family member. According to Dubai immigration any individual earning a salary of 4000 AED or more can sponsor their family members in a Residences visa. The other requirement is the Ejari tenancy contract of your apartment or a rental agreement in your name from any flat or residence.
Previously, only certain professions in an approved list were capable of sponsoring their family members. Currently, all professionals can sponsor their family members as long as they fulfill all criteria stated above.
If an individual is sponsoring his parents, second wife, stepchildren, son or daughter, you need to produce the additional documents along with the above mentioned.
Here is the step-by-step process to complete a family visa in Dubai
You can either send the soft copies of the required documents and hand over the original Emirates ID to us (Arabiers team) or in case if you are not able to physically visit our office then we can collect it through courier.
A new file needs to be created in the immigration system using the provided documents. Then they will proceed to create the entry permit.
Once the file is open, we create the entry permit (which is of two types.) If your family member is in Dubai, you will be processed with the first type of entry permit. If your family member is out of UAE, you have to process the second type of entry permit.
When the entry permit is approved if your family member is in Dubai, the status change application needs to be done. If they are out they can enter Dubai using the entry permit.
The medical exam for issuance of family residence visa needs to be done at any medical center that has been approved by Dubai Health Authority and Ministry of Health & Prevention. You can visit the nearest approved medical Centre in Dubai.
Necessary documents during exam
To obtain an Emirates ID card, the eform on FAIC website will be filled out and submitted with the documents mentioned below:
The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) rules say that all visa holders must possess medical insurance plans with DHA approval.
Source: IsahdPersonal medical policy for dependents with an annual limit of 150,000 AED and 20% coinsurance payable by the insured, can be purchased via local insurance providers. Services can be hailed via accepted health centers, clinics, hospitals, etc. 20% coinsurance is payable by the insured with 500 AED payable per encounter and a total annual cap of 1000 AED. The insurer will bear 100% cost of treatment above these limits. Including coinsurance, the charge of medicine and drugs has an annual limit of 1,500AED. 30% payable by the insured for every prescription. No cover for drugs and medicines over the annual limit. Restricted to a list of formulary products where available at the physician and the pharmacist.
The visa holder should either enter Dubai or perform a status change within 60 days from the date of issue of entry permit. They should then proceed to get Emirates ID and perform medical to go ahead with the visa stamping.
Mostly the current visa status of your family member influences the family visa processing, when they are on tourist visa and it is about to expire. You get confused about whether the time you have is sufficient to process a family visa or if you would need to do a tourist visa extension. We will provide rough insights into the complete process of a Dubai family visa from file opening to stamping.
| Steps | Approximate Duration |
|---|---|
| Collecting the documents | 1 day |
| File opening | 1 day |
| Entry permit | 2 days |
| Change status | 1 day |
| Medical | 2 days |
| Emirates ID | 1 day |
| Insurance | 2 days |
| Stamping | 5 days |
| Total | 15-17 working days |
The duration stated is all approximate and it might take more than expected due to immigration and weekends (Friday & Saturday) in Dubai are not calculated.
Several factors determine the cost of your Dubai Family Visa such as the applicant's location, visa validity (2 or 3 years), the Kind of insurance you take for your family and the type of service you require (normal service or express service). You can check an approximate cost based on the situation mentioned below.
| Type | Situation | Approximate cost | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 years visa | Applicant is in Dubai | Without insurance | 3550 AED |
| With insurance | 5322 AED | ||
| Applicant out of Dubai | Without insurance | 2450 AED | |
| With insurance | 4022 AED | ||
| 3 years visa | Applicant is in Dubai | Without insurance | 3750 AED |
| With insurance | 5522 AED | ||
| Applicant out of Dubai | Without insurance | 2450 AED | |
| With insurance | 4222 AED | ||
New Dubai family residence visa entry permit application
Sample Dubai status change application
Status change to residence visa from tourist visa
Sample Dubai residence entry permit
Sample Dubai residence entry permit
By placing a security deposit, having a two bedroom apartment in Dubai and buying insurance you can get your parent residence visa in Dubai.
The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security, announced that from Monday April 11th onwards residency visas will no longer be stamped on passports. The new generation Emirates ID will serve as proof for the applicant’s residency and will include all personal, professional and sponsor-related details that were previously mentioned in the residency visa stamp.
Source : Gulf News
Students studying in the UAE will sponsor their family members to visit the UAE if they can afford accommodation. The proposal is approved by the UAE cabinet to reinforce the country’s position in the job and education sector. The UAE government is aimed to offer moral stability and support the education sector in the UAE.
Meanwhile, Sheikh Mohammad (the ruler of Dubai) has stated that certain amendments are passed in the cabinet that support overseas students to sponsor their families as long as they can afford it. UAE has become the top preferred and leading educational destination with over 77 universities and more than ten thousand students seeking admission every year. The specifics of this visa is yet to be released.
He can use a dependent visa till he is 21 years old. Since your child is above 18, you can submit an educational proof that he is a student in UAE or abroad to renew his dependent visa. After two months, when he completes his 21 you have to apply for your son’s own residency visa.
It is allowed. The necessary processing for this can be done through the “Thasheel” company
Yes, it is legally allowed to apply for medical insurance even after getting the Family Visa stamped. The individual sponsoring the family visa can choose a medical insurance plan depending on his or her requirement from an external insurance agent.
You are not required to hand over the passport except for visa stamping.
All you need to do as a sponsor is to submit the following documents:
Immediately after your successful status change is done, the concerned authorities will inform you when to perform it.
