Having a UAE family visit visa can be difficult if you’re not well prepared. Finding the right information, applying in time and also arranging all the documents at once is what scares people away from this visa type. To help you with that we’ve created this simple guide which will provide all the information you need to know about getting your family visiting visa as fast as possible.
How Many Days To Get Family Visa In Uae – You are planning to visit the United Arab Emirates and wish to know how many days you need to get your family visa? You will be glad to know that the United Arab Emirates and GCC requires a non-citizen to reside in the UAE or the GCC countries or earn an income there before it considers his/her application for a family visa. The amount of time needed to obtain a UAE family visa depends mainly on two issues: your nationality, and whether your family members are already living in UAE. We will base our discussion today on – How Many Days To Get Family Visa In Uae. But, other resources which you can find on our website include some frequently asked questions such as: uae family visa rules 2022 abu dhabi and family visa uae requirements
How Many Days To Get Family Visa In Uae
Requirements to Sponsor Someone for a UAE Family Visa
To be able to sponsor family members to the UAE, you must fulfill the following conditions:
- Male expatriates must have a minimum salary of AED 4,000 per month or AED 3,000 per month plus accommodation
- Female expatriates must have a minimum monthly salary of AED 10,000 or AED 8,000 plus accommodation
Additionally, all family members who are over 18 have to pass a medical fitness test taken at a government-approved health centre in the UAE. They will be tested for HIV and Tuberculosis.
The UAE does not recognize same-sex marriage, therefore you cannot sponsor your spouse if you are in a same-sex relationship.
What Professions are Eligible for Family Visa in UAE?
As of 2019, there are no specific professions that are eligible to sponsor their family members for a UAE Family Visa. Any foreign worker who meets the salary requirements can bring their family members to the UAE.
Who Can you Sponsor for a UAE Family Visa?
It is easier for a male expatriate to sponsor his family members to the UAE than it is for a woman. If you are a man who is on the UAE on a Residence Visa, you can bring the following family members on a Family Visa to the UAE:
- Your wife. If you are a Muslim resident, you may also sponsor two wives but you must meet certain terms set out by the GDRFA.
- Your sons. You can sponsor your sons only if they are 18 or under. If the sons are over 18, you can still sponsor them but only if they are students, and only up to the age of 21. Additionally, if the sons are over 18, they must enter the UAE at least once every six months if studying abroad otherwise their UAE visa will be canceled.
- Your daughters. You can sponsor your daughters only if they are unmarried.
- Your parents. You can also sponsor your parents, provided you meet the following conditions:
- You sponsor both parents unless one of them has passed away
- You pay a deposit as a guarantee for each parent
- You get your parents a medical insurance policy
- You have a monthly salary of AED 20,000 or a AED 19,000 plus a two-bedroom accommodation
- Your stepchildren. You may also sponsor your stepchildren if you get a written No Objection Certificate from the biological parent. The visa for stepchildren is valid for one year and renewable.
Can a Woman Sponsor Her Family Members for a UAE Family Visa?
Yes, she can but the criteria for a woman to sponsor her family to the UAE are higher than for a man:
- The family members she can sponsor are her husband and her children.
- She has to earn a monthly salary not lower than AED 10,000 or alternatively AED 8,000 plus accommodation
- She must work as an engineer, teacher, or a profession related to the medical sector (doctor, nurse etc)
- In certain cases (and only with approval from the DRND), if the woman has a sufficient monthly salary, she could qualify for sponsorship even if she isn’t employed in one of the aforementioned categories
- If she has a husband who can sponsor the children instead, she is not allowed to do it herself. It must be the husband.
Documents Required for a UAE family visa
The documents needed for support a UAE Family Visa application include:
- UAE Visa Application Form (online or through a registered typing office)
- Passport copies of the family member/s being sponsored
- Passport-size pictures of the family member/s being sponsored
- Medical clearance certificate for any family member over the age of 18
- Copy of the sponsor’s employment contract or company contract
- Proof of the monthly salary the sponsor earns
- The legalised marriage certificate
- Proof of accommodation in UAE, such as the registered tenancy contract
- The latest utility bill
How to Apply for UAE Family Visa?
Family visas for the UAE can be sponsored by either the expatriate or his/her employer. As a foreign resident, you must submit a UAE Family Visa application within 60 days of receiving your own UAE Residence Visa.
Applying for the entry permit
Before your family members travel to the UAE to join you, you (or your employer) must apply for an entry permit to allow them in the country in the first place. You can apply for your family members’ entry permit at one of the following:
- The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs – GDRFA either online (see the websites below) or in-person. If you apply in-person you must do so through one of the licensed typing centres of the GDRFA in each Emirate or through one of the Amer centres in Dubai.
- You can find the GDRFA Dubai mobile apps for Apple and Android in App Store and Play Store respectively.
- The Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship
Applying for the UAE Family Visa
The UAE Family Visa is a type of residence visa, and as such, you have to submit it on behalf of your family members after they are already in the country on an entry permit. You can submit the family visa application at the offices of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) of the relevant emirate.How long is a UAE Family Visa valid?
A Family Visa for the UAE can be issued for 1, 2, or 3 years and can be renewed at least thirty days before expiry. Family Visas are dependent on the sponsor, so if the sponsor’s visa expires or is canceled, then the Family Visas will also be void.
However, dependent family members get a 30-day grace period during which time they may see if they can get their own Residence Visa renewed.
Applying for a Family Visa Dubai
Since Dubai is part of the UAE, if you are living in Dubai as an expatriate, and you want to bring your family members with you, you must meet the same sponsorship requirements as set out above. You can apply for your family members’ Dubai Family Visa at the local GDRFA office in Dubai. You can also apply through Amer, a website that Dubai citizens and residents can use to apply for family reunion and visitors can use to extend their Visa On Arrival.
Here’s How Much It Will Cost You To Apply For Family Visa In Dubai
Missing your family back home and want to call them to UAE to stay with you? Sponsoring a Family residence visa in UAE has never been this easy. So if you are planning to call your wife and children to reside with you in UAE, now is the best time. We have got you a complete guide of all the things you need to know in order to sponsor your family visa.
Eligibility For Sponsoring Family In UAE
- All expatriate workers can sponsor their families in UAE as long as they have a valid residency permit and a salary of AED 4000 per month all-inclusive or AED 3000 plus housing.
- If you are a woman planning to sponsor your children even though your husband meets the sponsoring requirement, then you will not be eligible to sponsor the kids.
- Wives can sponsor their husbands in UAE!
- All incoming family members above 18 need to pass the fitness tests.
Essential Documents To Apply For Family Visa
You may need to obtain certain documents certified for the application process well before you initiate the visa registration process. Attest your marriage certificate and birth certificate of your children by authorities in your home country and also the UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. Other required documents will include verified degrees, and salary slips and if you live in Dubai, you may use the terms ejari or tenancy contract.
If you approach the Ministry for certification immediately, the attestation costs Dh160. If you use a typing centre to complete the attestation, they may charge you a service fee as well.
Price Structure For The Family Visa Procedure
| Work | Cost |
| File Opening Charge | Dh269 |
| Entry Permit | Dh500 |
| Change of status | Dh675 |
| Medical fitness test | Dh320 |
| Emirates ID | Dh170 for 1 year |
| Visa Stamping | Dh500 |