UAE residents can sponsor family members on a dependent residence visa. Here is a complete 2025 guide to UAE family sponsorship and dependent visas.
Who Can Sponsor Dependents in the UAE?
UAE residents can sponsor: Spouse (husband or wife), Children (sons and daughters), Parents (subject to specific income requirements), and in some cases: siblings (subject to specific personal status requirements). Requirements to be a sponsor: valid UAE residence visa (at least 2-year investor, employment, or freelance visa), minimum monthly salary requirement (to sponsor a spouse and children: AED 4,000/month with accommodation or AED 3,000/month without accommodation in Dubai, requirements vary by emirate).
Sponsoring a Spouse
Documents required to sponsor a spouse in the UAE: UAE sponsor’s passport and Emirates ID, valid UAE trade licence or employment contract (proof of residency basis), notarised and attested marriage certificate (must be translated to Arabic if in another language), spouse’s passport copy, and passport-size photos. Processing: apply through AMER Centre (Dubai), Tas’heel, or the relevant emirate’s immigration authority. Timeline: 2-4 weeks. Cost: AED 2,000-3,500 (including entry permit, medical test, Emirates ID, and visa stamping fees).
Sponsoring Children
Children (sons and daughters): can be sponsored until age 18. Sons and daughters studying in a UAE university: can extend dependent sponsorship until age 23 (or completion of studies). Unmarried daughters: can remain on the father’s sponsorship beyond 18 in some cases. Documents: birth certificate (notarised and attested), child’s passport. Boys over 18: must transition to their own visa (student visa if enrolled in UAE university, employment visa if working, Golden/Green visa if eligible).