Planning to bring your family to the UAE: Things you need to know about the family visa process and requirements.
UAE is a great area for raising a family because of its safety, pleasant climate, and excellent educational system. It goes without saying that the majority of expats who relocate to the UAE want to take their families with them. You want your family to remain close by whether you started a business or get a job in Dubai.
The sponsorship of partners and children is the most frequent situation. Additionally, parents are occasionally brought to the UAE and sponsored as dependents.
Procedure for getting a Family visa in UAE
Visa for a sponsor: The family sponsor must have his own passport stamped with a visa.
Tenancy agreement: The sponsor must rent an apartment and have a legal, government-attested lease agreement.
Legalization of family documents: Your family’s documentation, such as needs to be legalized by the UAE government.
🔹 A marriage certificate with attested from concerned authorities.
🔹 your children’s birth certificate must be attested to use for all legal purposes.
Legalization procedures change depending between countries, but in general, they are as follows:
🔹 In your home country, legal translation into English is available (if the documents are in another language)
🔹 Approval from the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Department of State, or another authority (check with UAE Embassy in your country the exact place of attestation to prior the Embassy one)
🔹 UAE legalization in your home country
🔹 Dubai’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has legalized.
The entire process could take 1-2 weeks, so plan ahead of time. The documents can be attested ahead of time to save you time later.
Permission to Enter:
The sponsor must apply for the dependents’ entry permits. It can be done while they are still in their home country or while they are already in the UAE on tourist visas/visas on arrival.
Usually, immigration authorities require the sponsor to come in person and file an application.
The following documents, as well as copies of the document required:
🔹 Emirates sponsor’s passport and visa Lease contract identification
🔹 Legalised Marriage and birth certificate to prove as genuine.
🔹 Photos of family members in passport format
🔹 Passports issued to dependents
🔹 The sponsor’s health insurance (depends on the Emirate, maybe not required)
A woman who sponsors her family may be required to provide additional documentation, such as:
🔹 Qualification proof: attested educational certificates
🔹 A salary certificate with a higher salary amount.
🔹 Statement of personal finances or bank account.
The minimum salary for a UAE family visa varies by the emirate. Typically, the amount for a man who becomes a family sponsor is much lower than for a woman. Family members’ entry permits can be issued within a day or two.
Emirates ID and a medical check
🔹Your family has 60 days to stamp the visas into the passports following a status change or arrival into the UAE under entry permits.
🔹 Before the visa can be stamped into their passports, they must go through the mandatory Emirates ID application and medical examination process.
🔹 Everyone must have an Emirates ID, however fingerprinting is only done on individuals who are older than 17 years old.
🔹 Children under the age of 17 are not additionally required to get a medical examination.
Visas are stamped
You can apply for visa stamping once the medical report is received (typically within 24 hours, however, you can request an urgent procedure and have the results in 4 hours).
What you’ll need to follow:
🔹Application for an Emirates ID with a medical report
🔹 Family members’ original passports Health insurance is necessary for Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Umm Al Quwain, and Ras Al Khaimah. Due to the high cost of healthcare in the UAE.
🔹 The dependents’ Emirates ID cards will be issued around a week after the family members’ visas have been stamped.
The duration of family visas will be the same as the duration of the sponsor’s visa; for example, if the sponsor’s visa is valid for two years, so will the family visa. However, because family visas were issued later, the expiry dates will probably differ. They will also pass away later.
Documents for getting a Family visa in UAE
🔹 Application for a Visa in the UAE (online or through a registered typing office)
🔹 copy of the sponsoring family member’s passports
🔹 a passport-size photo of each sponsored family member
🔹 Every family member who is older than 18 needs a medical clearance certificate.
🔹 a copy of the sponsor’s employment agreement or business contract
🔹 evidence of the sponsor’s monthly salary
🔹 The legally binding marriage license
🔹 Evidence of habitation, such as the registered tenancy agreement
🔹 And current utility bill
How long is a family visa for the UAE valid?
For one, two, or three years, a family visa for the UAE is valid and may be extended with at least thirty days to spare. Because family visas are dependent on the sponsor, they will also become invalid and useless if the sponsor’s visa expires or is cancelled. On the other hand, dependent family members have a grace period of 30 days during which they can check to see if their own Residence Visa can be renewed.
How can we help you?
Contact us for all your certificate attestation requirements and for a free consultation, or submit a business inquiry online.