UAE Partner and Dependent Visa — Sponsoring Family Members Guide 2026
UAE residence allows qualified residents to sponsor their immediate family members (spouse and children). The sponsoring process has specific salary requirements, document needs, and costs. This guide covers UAE family sponsorship and dependent visa for 2026.
In this guide:
Who Can Sponsor Family in UAE
- Employment visa holders: employed in UAE; meets salary minimum for sponsorship
- Investor visa holders: holds UAE free zone or mainland company; investor visa; same salary minimum applies
- Green Visa holders: 5-year self-sponsored visa; can sponsor family
- Golden Visa holders: 10-year visa; can sponsor family regardless of salary minimum
UAE Minimum Salary for Family Sponsorship
- Spouse and children: AED 4,000/month OR AED 3,000/month + employer-provided accommodation (in Dubai)
- Abu Dhabi: AED 5,000/month for family sponsorship
- Exception for investor visa holders: some free zones allow investor visa holders to sponsor family without minimum salary if they hold a valid UAE trade licence
- No salary minimum for Golden Visa holders: Golden Visa holders can sponsor family regardless of income level
Documents Required for Family Sponsorship
- Sponsor documents: UAE residence visa copy; Emirates ID; salary certificate (from employer) or trade licence (for investors); tenancy contract (EJARI-registered)
- Spouse documents: valid passport; marriage certificate (attested by UAE embassy in country of issue + UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs); passport photos; medical fitness test in UAE
- Children documents: valid passport; birth certificate (attested); passport photos; if school-age: no objection from school (for school transfers)
- Note: all foreign documents must be attested (apostille + UAE Embassy + UAE MOFA); this process can take 2-4 weeks and costs AED 500-2,000 per document
UAE Family Sponsorship Process
- Attest foreign documents (marriage certificate, birth certificates) in home country
- Apply for entry permit via ICA UAE app (sponsor submits online)
- Family member travels to UAE on entry permit
- Medical fitness test in UAE for each family member
- Emirates ID registration (fingerprints, photo) at authorised typing centre
- Residence visa stamped in passport
- Process takes 2-4 weeks from entry permit to visa stamp
Family Sponsorship Costs
- Entry permit: AED 500-1,000 per person
- Medical test: AED 200-300 per person
- Emirates ID: AED 372 per person
- Residence visa: AED 500-800 per person
- Estimated total per family member: AED 1,572-2,500
- For family of 4 (sponsor + spouse + 2 children): AED 4,700-7,500 approximately