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A family visa in Dubai is a residence visa for your spouse, sons under 25, unmarried daughters and children with special needs. You sponsor them on your own residence if you earn AED 4,000 a month, or AED 3,000 plus accommodation, and have suitable housing. The GDRFA entry permit costs AED 200 plus 5% VAT, and GDRFA lists 48 hours per stage.
That is the core route. Parents, older sons and some other relatives can also come, but through a slower committee process with a higher salary.
Who you can sponsor, and on which route
| Relative | Route | Key condition |
|---|---|---|
| Wife or husband | Family residence | AED 4,000, or AED 3,000 plus accommodation |
| Sons | Family residence | Up to 25 years old |
| Daughters | Family residence | Not married |
| Child with special needs | Family residence | Any age |
| Sons 25 and over | Humanitarian | Proof of continued study or a graduation certificate |
| Father and mother, or your spouse's parents | Humanitarian | AED 10,000 a month |
| Stepchildren | Humanitarian | Attested no objection from their father, if issued abroad |
| Brothers and sisters | Humanitarian | Under 18 or with a cancelled UAE residence, parents sponsored first |
| Adopted children | Humanitarian | Attested court adoption certificate |
Source: u.ae family residence page, GDRFA family and humanitarian service pages, checked .
Women can sponsor too
GDRFA says plainly that male and female residents can both bring family, and it names the husband. The same salary rule applies. One extra paper appears when a mother sponsors the children: a no objection letter from their father. Our husband visa page covers this case.
Golden and green visa holders
A golden visa lets you sponsor family members, including spouses and children. A green visa adds first-degree relatives, and it is also the official route for freelancers who want to bring family. The u.ae golden visa page does not give an age limit for children, so check your own case before you rely on it.
Fees at a glance
| Step | GDRFA fee |
|---|---|
| Entry permit | AED 200 plus 5% VAT |
| Residence permit | AED 200, plus AED 10, AED 10 and AED 20 delivery |
| Relative already in the UAE | AED 500 extra, plus AED 10 and AED 10 |
| Emirates ID | AED 100 per year plus AED 100 smart service |
| Medical test (adults) | From AED 270 |
Source: GDRFA service pages, ICP Emirates ID page and the Dubai resolution on medical fitness charges, checked .
Insurance, attestation and typing come on top. The full breakdown, with the ICP fees for other emirates, is on family visa cost in Dubai.
What Dubai agencies charge
Dubai visa agencies and setup firms publish about AED 2,000 to AED 6,500 for a spouse's first two-year visa, all in (published cost guides of 4 Dubai firms, checked ). For a child the guides show about AED 2,000 to AED 5,000 (2 firms). These are their figures, not ours.
Documents you will need
- Your passport, residence and Emirates ID
- Employment contract and salary certificate, or a partnership contract
- Tenancy contract or title deed for your home
- Each relative's passport, valid at least 6 months, and a photo on white
- Attested marriage certificate for a spouse
- Attested birth certificate for each child
- Health insurance for every family member
The detailed list for each stage is on family visa requirements.
Processing time
GDRFA states 48 hours for the entry permit and 48 hours for the residence once the file is complete. ICP states 2 days. Humanitarian cases, such as parents, take 14 days because a committee reviews each one. After entering on the entry permit, your relative has 60 days to finish the medical and the residence.
Rules that apply after the visa is issued
- The family visa never outlasts yours. Renew yours first.
- A family member who spends more than 180 days in a row outside the UAE loses the residence.
- If you cancel, the family is cancelled before you.
- GDRFA gives 60 days after a cancellation to leave or change status. ICP gives 180 days to families of golden, green and blue visa holders.
See grace period after visa cancellation for the details.
Common refusal reasons
- Salary certificate below AED 4,000 with no housing shown.
- Marriage or birth certificate not attested in the UAE.
- A son who turned 25 filed on the standard route.
- Tenancy too small for the family size.
- The sponsor's residence close to expiry, or an unpaid fine on the file.
How it works with us
Send us your residence details and your family's passport copies on WhatsApp, or through the form on this page. A visa adviser works out which route each person takes: the standard family residence, the humanitarian route, or your golden or green visa. Before you pay, you get one total price covering every person. The team files the entry permits, books medicals and biometrics, and follows each application until the residence is issued. DubaiVisaDesk.com is a private visa service. GDRFA or ICP decides every application.
If a permit is refused, the authorities keep their fees. Your adviser tells you in writing, before you pay, which part of our total comes back in that case.
Official sources
- GDRFA family residence permit: sponsors, residence fees, grace period.
- GDRFA family entry permit: salary, documents, entry permit fee, 60 days.
- GDRFA humanitarian cases: parents, siblings, stepchildren, older sons.
- ICP issuing residency for family: validity, housing, ICP fees.
- u.ae residence visa for family members: who qualifies, job title rule.
Checked . Rules can change, so look at the GDRFA or ICP page before you file.
