Who you can sponsor
Age and family-composition requirements change periodically and differ in their details between emirates. We verify the requirements as of the date of application — here that is not a formality, it is the difference between ’approved’ and ’refused on age grounds’.
- Spouse — provided a legalised marriage certificate is available
- Sons — up to age 25
- Daughters — unmarried, with no age limit
- Children with special needs — as a separate ground, with no age limit
- Parents — under separate, stricter conditions with an income requirement and a deposit
- Domestic workers — a separate procedure with its own requirements
What is required of the sponsor
Three things: a valid residence visa, income above the established threshold, and housing with a registered lease agreement. The threshold is stated clearly: the sponsor’s minimum salary is 4,000 dirhams, or 3,000 dirhams if housing is provided. The authority notes that conditions change from time to time and should be verified directly with it or with the relevant emirate authority — which is why we quote the figure with a verification date, not as a guarantee.
The salary threshold for a spouse and children is lower than for parents; when sponsoring parents an additional refundable deposit is required along with medical insurance for each person. Green visa holders may sponsor first-degree relatives — one of its practical advantages over a standard work visa.
Income is confirmed by an employment contract and a payslip; for a company owner it works differently, through the company’s documents. This deserves a separate conversation before you apply — for self-employed people and business owners, proving income is usually the sticking point.
Something people think about last: family visas are tied to the sponsor’s visa. If the sponsor’s visa is cancelled, dependants’ visas are subject to cancellation as well. Dependants are given a grace period of six months from the date of expiry or cancellation to transfer their status, and a sponsor who neither renews nor cancels their dependants’ visas may face a fine.
Documents: legalisation — the longest step
Marriage and children’s birth certificates are not simply translated: they go through consular legalisation, then translated into Arabic by an accredited translator and certified by a UAE authority. An apostille does not work here — the UAE is not party to the relevant convention, so the chain is longer.
In practice, this takes months, not weeks, and depends on the country that issued the document. That is why we tell every client the same thing: start your paperwork at home, before you leave. Someone who begins the legalisation process after relocating ends up waiting months longer to reunite with their family — even though the visa side moves quickly.
- Marriage certificate and children’s birth certificates — with the full legalisation chain
- Translation into Arabic by an accredited translator and notarisation
- Passports with sufficient validity for all family members
- Medical examination for adults and teenagers, biometrics and Emirates ID
- Health insurance for every family member — mandatory
Children: school and timelines
Schools require early action: strong schools accept applications six months to a year before the academic year starts, and enrolment requires legalised educational records — the same long chain as with birth certificates. A school transcript or leaving certificate must be legalised and translated, and that again takes months.
The practical order is: sort the documents and school first, then move the family. Doing it the other way around means a year spent with a child at home, waiting for paperwork.
What family member status gives you
- The right to live in the country for the duration of the sponsor’s visa, renewable alongside it
- Emirates ID, without which you cannot arrange rental, mobile services or schooling
- Right to work — only with a separate work permit; the family visa itself does not grant one
- Status depends on the sponsor: if their visa lapses, the whole family’s status is called into question
- Holders of long-stay visas can sponsor family members for the full duration of their status
Family visas in the UAE
- Checking whether you qualify as a sponsor: income, housing, and family composition
- The document list for legalisation — before you leave, not after
- Legalisation, translation and notarisation support
- Applying for visas for a spouse and children, medical examination, biometrics, Emirates ID
- Separately — visas for parents, with deposit and insurance calculations
- Finding a school and submitting enrolment documents
A legal consultation — 80 $.Credited toward the full service fee if you continue with us.
During the consultation the lawyer reviews your situation based on your documents and provides filing route: which basis, what will be needed and in what order.
Government fees, notarisation, certified translations and apostille, where required, billed separately at actual cost — we will itemise them for your situation. Processing time depends on the authority and its workload, which is why we do not publish an average figure.
Frequently asked questions
What income is needed to bring family to the UAE?
For a spouse and children, a minimum sponsor salary threshold applies; for parents, it is noticeably higher, plus a returnable deposit and insurance for each person. The thresholds are set by the government and revised periodically, so the figures must be checked at the time of application.
Does a marriage certificate need an apostille for the UAE?
No, an apostille does not apply here: documents go through consular legalisation, followed by translation into Arabic by an accredited translator and notarisation in the UAE. The chain is longer than an apostille and takes months, so it needs to be started well in advance.
Up to what age can children be sponsored?
Sons — up to the age of majority, longer if enrolled in full-time education with proof of student status; daughters — until marriage. Details vary between emirates and are subject to periodic change, so they should be verified before filing.
Can a family member work on a family visa?
A family visa does not itself grant the right to work: a separate work permit is required, and it is arranged by the employer. Switching to a work visa is not necessary — the permit can be issued on top of your existing status.
What happens to the family if the sponsor loses their visa?
Family visas are tied to the sponsor’s status: if it is cancelled, the family visas are cancelled too, and there is a limited window to leave or transfer to a new visa. For this reason, a job change or company closure should always be planned alongside the family’s visa situation.
Verified August 16, 2026. The thresholds and amounts are tied to indicators that are reviewed annually — check the official source for your country before filing.
Services and prices — openly, before any conversation
- Family member visa, separately$1 525
People usually add: personal bank account — $1 080 · document attestation (mofa) — $149. Two or more services — 5% off each.
Turnkey pricing: government fees are included, and 5% VAT is built in.