UAE Family Sponsorship
United Arab Emirates
Residency
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See if you're a match →UAE family sponsorship is for close relatives of UAE citizens or residents, most often spouses, children, and in some cases parents. It generally requires proof of the relationship, the sponsor's UAE status, and meeting the income, housing, insurance, and document rules for that family category.
- Type
- Family residence
- Sponsor
- People joining a qualifying family member in the United Arab Emirates
- Core requirements
- Relationship records and the sponsor's status
- What to know
- The sponsor's status and documents matter a lot
Summary
Family sponsorship is the standard UAE residence route for spouses and children of UAE citizens and UAE residents. The rules are not exactly the same in every case, so the first question is who the sponsor is.
If your sponsor is a UAE citizen, a foreign spouse, parent, or child can usually get a 5-year residence permit. If your sponsor is a foreign resident, the normal family-sponsorship rules apply instead.
Eligibility
You may qualify if all of these are true:
Relationship
- You are the spouse, child, or another eligible close family member of the sponsor.
- You can prove the relationship with the required records.
If the sponsor is a UAE resident
- The sponsor has a valid UAE residence permit.
- The sponsor has suitable housing for the family.
- The sponsor has family income of at least AED 3,000 a month with housing provided by the employer, or AED 4,000 a month without housing provided.
If the sponsor is a UAE citizen
- The sponsor is a male or female UAE citizen.
- The relationship is proven.
- A foreign spouse, parent, or child can usually get a 5-year residence permit under this route.
Dependants the resident-sponsor route covers
- Spouse.
- Sons under 25.
- Unmarried daughters.
- Children with special needs regardless of age.
- Green Visa holders also have broader rights for first-degree relatives.
Medical and document steps
- Family members aged 18 or older must complete the medical fitness process.
- Foreign marriage and birth records usually need attestation before filing.
What This Route Allows
This route can allow you to live in the United Arab Emirates based on a qualifying family relationship. The relationship usually must be documented, genuine where relevant, and supported by the required civil records.
What This Route Is Not
This is not based only on wanting to live near family. The family relationship must fit the legal category and usually must be supported by records and sponsor documents.
Next Steps
- Work out which route applies: UAE-citizen sponsor or UAE-resident sponsor.
- Get the marriage certificate or birth certificates in order, and attest foreign documents before filing.
- Check the sponsor's residence, salary, and housing documents if the sponsor is a foreign resident.
- Apply through ICP or GDRFA, depending on the emirate.
- If a sponsored spouse wants to work, the employer can apply for a separate work permit without changing the family residence route.