Applying for a new family visa in Dubai requires specific eligibility criteria, documents, and fees. The process allows residents to sponsor eligible family members to live in Dubai legally.
Visa services
Overview
Applying for a new family visa in Dubai requires specific eligibility criteria, documents, and fees. The process allows residents to sponsor eligible family members to live in Dubai legally.
Eligibility requirements
Before applying, ensure the sponsor meets the following:
You must be a valid Dubai resident with a current residence visa.
You must meet the minimum salary requirement to sponsor family members: AED 4,000 per month, or AED 3,000 per month if company-provided accommodation is available.
Proof of suitable accommodation, such as a tenancy contract or ownership documents.
Documents required
Documents required
How it works
Dependents may need to undergo a medical fitness test at an approved medical center. Obtain the necessary medical certificates.
If applicable, apply for a new Emirates ID for the sponsored family members via the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (ICA).
Submit the new family visa application through the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) Dubai. Applications can be submitted online via the GDRFA portal or in person.
Once approved, the new residence visas will be issued. Verify all details are correct, and the visa is stamped in the passport.
Government fees
Government charges for a new family visa, inside country, shown at cost. Our service fee is quoted separately, in writing, before you commit.
Total of the six charges above for one dependant applying inside the country. Regulations, requirements and fees may change — we confirm the figures applicable on the day of filing.
Fees are set by MOHRE and GDRFA and are reviewed periodically. We send an itemised written breakdown showing government cost at cost and our fee separately, before any payment is made.
Benefits
Five things worth knowing before and after the application is submitted.
Ensure that health insurance for your dependents is in place, as it is mandatory for visa approval.
Once the visa application is approved, collect the issued residence visas and Emirates IDs for your family members.
If you have recently moved or changed your accommodation, ensure that your address and tenancy details are updated with the relevant authorities.
Start the visa application process well in advance to avoid delays. The process timeline may vary depending on documentation and approvals.
Regulations, requirements, and fees may change, so regularly refer to the GDRFA or official government websites for the most up-to-date information.
We handle medical, Emirates ID, GDRFA submission and stamping as a single file, so you are not coordinating four separate errands.
Before you apply
New family visa applications fail on eligibility far more often than on paperwork. These six are confirmed before anything is filed — because an application that cannot succeed still costs the fee.
A new family visa is granted against the sponsor. Their residency, salary and profession are assessed before the dependant’s file is even opened.
The salary threshold and the accommodation evidence work as a pair. Which threshold applies depends entirely on how accommodation is provided.
Marriage and birth certificates issued abroad are the longest lead item in a new family visa, because the first stage of attestation happens outside the UAE.
Age limits and relationship rules decide who qualifies. Confirming this first avoids paying for an application that cannot succeed.
Insurance is not an afterthought on a Dubai residence visa — it is a condition of approval, and the application will not complete without it.
A new family visa has a predictable cost but a variable timeline, and both are worth planning around before the family travels.
Start the process
Gather these 24 items and we can open the file the same day. Start the attestation items first — they take longest. Tap any line to tick it off as you collect it.
FAQs
AED 4,000 per month, or AED 3,000 per month if company-provided accommodation is available. You will also need proof of suitable accommodation, such as a tenancy contract or ownership documents.
The six government charges total around AED 3,226 inside country: immigration file opening 283.15, entry permit typing 1,089.00, change status 639.00, medical 320.00, Emirates ID 385.00 and visa stamping 510.00. Our service fee is quoted separately.
Yes. Health insurance for your dependents must be in place, as it is mandatory for residence visa approval in Dubai.
Dependents may need to undergo a medical fitness test at an approved medical center, and obtain the necessary medical certificates. This applies to dependants above 18 years.
The process timeline may vary depending on documentation and approvals. Start the visa application process well in advance to avoid delays.
If you have recently moved or changed your accommodation, ensure that your address and tenancy details are updated with the relevant authorities before applying.
Get in touch
Business setup, visas, PRO services or Golden Visa — send us the details and a consultant will come back with a clear plan and a full cost breakdown.
