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A UAE golden visa holder can sponsor a spouse and children of any age, on the holder's own golden file. On the Dubai property route, DLD charges AED 5,774.50 per family member for a 10-year permit, plus AED 318.75 to open the family file and AED 100 per person. Each dependent needs attested certificates and health insurance. Family files open once your own permit is issued.
The bigger change from a standard family visa is age. A normal expat sponsor covers sons only up to 25. A golden holder's children are covered at any age.
Who you can sponsor
| Family member | Golden visa route | Standard expat route, for comparison |
|---|---|---|
| Spouse | yes | yes |
| Sons | any age (ICP) | up to 25 |
| Daughters | any age (ICP) | unmarried |
| Parents | yes | humanitarian route, AED 10,000 salary |
| Domestic workers | yes, under UAE rules | yes, under UAE rules |
Source: ICP Golden Residency guide and GDRFA family residence pages, checked .
On the DLD property route, ICP's "any age" comes with a condition. For sons or daughters over 18, the family file needs an undertaking that they are not married. A married adult child is a separate case to raise with the centre.
Parents follow their own rules. Our page on the golden visa for parents covers them. Household staff are covered in golden visa for domestic workers.
Cost per family member
Dubai property route (DLD)
| DLD fee line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Family sponsorship file opening | AED 318.75 |
| Each family member, 10 years | AED 5,774.50 |
| Added per sponsored person | AED 100 |
Source: DLD golden visa for investors service page, checked .
So a spouse and two children cost three times AED 5,774.50, plus the AED 318.75 file opening, plus AED 100 for each person. DLD gives 7 to 10 business days.
GDRFA and ICP routes
The GDRFA golden pages list the holder's own fee lines (AED 1,100 permit fee and small add-ons) but no separate golden family fee. ICP lists AED 100 per year of residence plus AED 100 for the application and AED 100 smart service. Medical (from AED 270 in Dubai) applies to family members 18 and over, and the Emirates ID is AED 100 per year plus AED 100.
What Dubai agencies charge
For a golden visa family member, Dubai firms publish about AED 2,992.90 to AED 4,500 per person (published prices of 2 Dubai firms, checked ). The low end is an Amer centre on the GDRFA route; the high end is a property route package. For a golden newborn, the range is AED 1,592.90 to AED 4,600 (same 2 firms). These are their prices, not ours. Our page on golden visa cost lists the holder's own fees.
Documents checklist
- Your golden residence, passport and Emirates ID.
- Passport and photo for each family member.
- Marriage certificate, attested. A certificate from abroad needs the full attestation chain; see marriage certificate attestation for a visa.
- Birth certificate for each child, attested.
- No-objection letter from the father if the mother is the sponsor (DLD).
- Undertaking that sons or daughters over 18 are unmarried (DLD).
- Valid health insurance for each person.
Newborns born in the UAE
A baby born here needs a birth certificate, a passport from your embassy and then a residence on your golden file. The UAE gives 120 days from birth for the visa. Fines apply after that, and official pages disagree on the daily amount, so do not let it run late. Our newborn visa in Dubai page explains the birth certificate and passport steps.
Students and graduates
Golden visas earned on grades carry their own family rules in Dubai. High school achievers may sponsor only their parents, not brothers or sisters. University graduates may sponsor a spouse and children, but only with an employment contract, a steady monthly income and housing.
Abu Dhabi investors
ADRO says the Abu Dhabi non-property investor visa covers spouses, children, one advisor and one executive director. That extra staff cover is not described on the Dubai pages.
Why family files are returned
- Unattested certificates. A birth or marriage certificate from abroad without attestation is the most common hold-up.
- No insurance. Each dependent needs cover that is valid for the residence.
- Missing father's NOC. If the mother sponsors on the DLD route, this letter is required.
- Filing before your own permit. Your golden residence must be issued first.
- Name spelling. The child's name on the birth certificate must match the passport.
If something changes
If the golden holder dies, ICP says the family may stay until their own permits expire. After cancellation or expiry, golden families get a 180-day grace period. For standard family visa rules, read family visa in Dubai.
How it works with us
Send your golden residence copy and a list of who you want to add on WhatsApp, or use the form on this page. A visa adviser checks each person against the golden rules and your route, and lists the attestations and insurance needed. You get one total price for the whole family, confirmed on WhatsApp before you pay. The team files each dependent with DLD, GDRFA or ICP, books the medicals for adults and follows each file through to the Emirates ID. DubaiVisaDesk.com is a private visa service. The authorities approve or refuse each family member.
Government fees for a refused family file are not returned by DLD, GDRFA or ICP. Before you pay, your adviser confirms in writing which part of the total, if any, comes back if a permit is refused.
Official sources
- ICP Golden Residency guide: children of any age, parents, death of the sponsor. Checked .
- DLD golden visa for investors: family fee lines, undertaking and NOC.
- GDRFA golden residency for students: who students may sponsor.
- ADRO Abu Dhabi golden visa for investors: who the investor visa covers.
