You are currently in Dubai on a Family Visa, but you want to leave the UAE for a few days and return back afterwards. How can you renew your Family Visa in Dubai?Dubai welcomes expatriates from all over the world, but once you have expatriated, you need to renew your visa occasionally. If you are thinking of renewing your family visa in Dubai or UAE, here’s a step by step guide for your reference.
The UAE Ministry of Interior recently implemented a new, user-friendly system to renew family visas and other services. This new system makes renewal of entry visas and family visas easier than ever. Because the process is becoming so simplified, many residents run into questions about how it works.Everyone knows about the traffic jams and high cost of living in Dubai as well as other Arab Gulf countries, just like everyone knows about the beautiful skylines, the Burj Khalifa, and many other attractions.
How Can I Renew My Family Visa In Dubai
Renewing your residence visa
Your sponsor must renew your residence visa before it expires. A renewed visa will let you continue living legally in the UAE without incurring fines or facing legal consequences for the same. The relevant General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) allows residents a grace period of 30 days to stay in the UAE after their visas expire.
As per the UAE immigration’s fines system, the penalty to stay on after the expiration of the grace period is:
- AED 25 per day during the first 6 months (180 days)
- AED 50 per day during the second 6 months (180 days)
- AED 100 per day after passing a year and more.
Remember that when the visa expires, your Emirates ID card issued by Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Ports Security (ICP) also expires.
How early can a residence visa be renewed?
The time limit to renew an expired residence visas is 30 days from the date of expiry. However, if there is a need to renew it a few months earlier (one to six months) for travelling reasons, you must first take special permission and approval from the relevant General Directorate of Residency and Foreigner’s Affairs in the emirate that issued your visa.
Requirements for renewal
The conditions for renewing the residence visa are similar to those for sponsoring family members, getting a work permit and when your visa was issued for the first time.
Basic requirements are:
- a sponsor with a valid residency permit
- passing a medical fitness test for those above 18
- insurance card (mandatory in Dubai and Abu Dhabi)
- a renewed identity card issued from ICP, or an original receipt that you have registered with ICP to get a renewal.
The following documents are needed:
- online application or application through a registered typing office for renewal of residency permit signed by the sponsor, whether public sector, private sector company, or personal sponsor
- original passport of the sponsored
- photo of the sponsored.
For employers working in the private sector, the sponsoring company must submit the following additional documents:
- a copy of a valid firm card
- a copy of a valid trade licence
- a copy of renewed labour card of the sponsored
- a copy of labour card renewal receipt for those who reached (60) years and above.
Those sponsoring their families: spouse, children, parents and siblings (relatives of first and second degree) must present:
- a copy of the husband’s/wife’s employment contract or company contract for investors
- a salary certificate from the employer stating the employee’s monthly salary
- a legalised marriage certificate
- a registered tenancy contract
- latest utility bill.
They must also meet the
- sponsorship requirements for wife and children
- sponsorship requirements for parents
- sponsorship requirements for a woman sponsoring her family.
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