Bringing your family to the UAE is a routine process with one recurring trap: document attestation. The salary thresholds are low, the application is online, but a marriage or birth certificate that was not attested in your home country can stall everything for weeks.
Both men and women can sponsor family members, and your job title no longer matters, only your income and accommodation. Here is what you need in 2026, in the order you will need it.
Who you can sponsor, and the income bar
The baseline: a monthly salary of AED 4,000, or AED 3,000 plus employer-provided accommodation. That covers sponsoring your spouse and children. In practice, factor in school fees and rent before deciding the timing; our Dubai cost of living guide has realistic family budgets.
- Spouse: attested marriage certificate required.
- Sons: sponsored up to age 25 (extended from 18 under the 2022 reforms). Sons with disabilities have no age cap.
- Daughters: sponsored at any age while unmarried.
- Parents: possible but with tougher conditions: a higher salary (commonly cited around AED 20,000, confirm the current figure with GDRFA/ICP), proof you are their sole supporter, and dedicated health insurance. Both parents normally must be sponsored together.
Holders of Green and Golden Visas sponsor family for the full length of their own visa, five or ten years, instead of the standard one to three.
Documents to prepare before you need them
- Attested marriage certificate (for a spouse) and attested birth certificates (for children). Attestation runs through your home country's foreign ministry, then the UAE embassy there, then MOFA in the UAE. Doing this before you relocate is far cheaper and faster.
- Salary certificate or attested employment contract showing you clear the threshold.
- Ejari or tenancy contract in your name. A flat-share or hotel apartment does not qualify; you need a registered lease.
- Health insurance for each dependant. Mandatory in Dubai and Abu Dhabi; basic dependant plans start around AED 1,500 to 3,000 per person per year.
- Passport copies, photos, and your own Emirates ID and visa.
Certificates in languages other than Arabic or English need legal translation into Arabic.
The application, step by step
- Apply for the entry permit for each dependant via the GDRFA app (Dubai), ICP smart services, or an Amer/typing centre. If the family member is already in the UAE, request an in-country status change instead.
- Medical fitness test for every dependant aged 18 or over.
- Emirates ID biometrics for each dependant.
- Visa stamping and Emirates ID issuance, all digital now, usually complete within one to two weeks of the medical.
Government fees run roughly AED 1,500 to 3,000 per dependant including entry permit, medical, Emirates ID and issuance; confirm current amounts on the GDRFA or ICP portal. Dependant visas usually match your own visa cycle, so a two-year work visa gives two-year dependant visas.
Keeping the sponsorship valid
Dependant visas hang off yours. If your own visa is cancelled, your family's visas are cancelled with it, and everyone shares your grace period; the timings are in our visa cancellation guide.
Two more rules worth knowing. A sponsored spouse can work with a MOHRE work permit, no visa transfer needed, which makes family sponsorship the most flexible setup for a job-hunting partner (point them at the UAE job search guide). And dependants staying outside the UAE for more than six months continuously risk their visa being invalidated, unless they hold a Green or Golden dependant visa.
Key takeaway
AED 4,000 salary, a registered tenancy in your name, health insurance, and attested certificates: that is the whole checklist for sponsoring a spouse and children in the UAE. Attest your marriage and birth certificates before you leave home; it is the only step that regularly causes real delays.
FAQ
What salary do I need to sponsor my family in the UAE?
AED 4,000 per month, or AED 3,000 plus employer accommodation, for a spouse and children. Sponsoring parents requires a significantly higher salary, around AED 20,000, plus proof of sole support; confirm the current threshold with ICP or GDRFA.
Can a wife sponsor her husband in the UAE?
Yes. Women sponsor spouses and children under the same income rules as men. The old profession-based restrictions were removed in the 2022 reforms.
Can my sponsored spouse work in the UAE?
Yes. A spouse on family sponsorship needs only a MOHRE work permit from the hiring employer, not a visa transfer. Many families keep the spouse on family sponsorship even after they find work, because it decouples their residence from any single employer.
How long does family sponsorship take?
One to two weeks per dependant once documents are ready, dominated by the medical test and Emirates ID issuance. Unattested certificates are the usual cause of longer delays.
What happens to my family's visas if I change jobs?
During a normal job switch your visa is cancelled and reissued, and dependant visas ride through the same grace period. Plan the switch so your new visa is issued before the grace period ends, and no one needs to exit.
