Starting in September, the new visa categories are expected to come into force in the United Arab Emirates. The residence visa is a pink sticker affixed to the resident's passport in the emirate of Dubai. In the other emirates, it is the identity card (Emirates ID) that attests to the validity of the residence.
Residence visas for dependents in Dubai
In the United Arab Emirates, parents can sponsor their sons until the age of twenty-five (25), compared with 18 in the past.
As for daughters, parents can sponsor them for an unlimited period as long as they remain unmarried. Children with disabilities can also be sponsored for life by their parents.
Only these two categories can be sponsored by their parents, regardless of their age.
These new regulations are intended to benefit families by providing broader possibilities for sponsoring their children in the country. In addition, they will allow them to extend their stay in the country and will also make the Emirates a more family-friendly country.
Here is a step-by-step guide to the period during which visa holders can sponsor their children:
Information about the requirements and residence visas in Dubai for your children
Golden Visa holders
The recently introduced changes allow Golden Visa holders to sponsor their family, including their spouse and children, regardless of their age. Previously, there were age requirements for sponsoring children, particularly boys. Under these new regulations, there is no longer an age limit, which is the major change.
Regarding domestic staff, Golden Visa holders can now sponsor them without a limit on the number. You can therefore hire as many domestic workers as you wish.
Green residence holders are also permitted to sponsor their first-degree relatives.
Green Visa and other residence visa categories in Dubai
For Green Visa holders, it is now possible to sponsor their sons until the age of twenty-five (25), compared with eighteen (18) previously. Daughters, meanwhile, can be sponsored as long as they are single.
Finally, just like Golden Visa holders, children with disabilities are entitled to sponsorship without an age limit.
Requirements for applying for a visa in the Emirates
Who is eligible, and what are the steps for applying for a visa for your children?
According to the Emirates immigration services, expatriate residents, whether employers or employees, can sponsor family members to reside in the Emirates, provided they hold a valid residence visa.
Until the age of fifteen (15), your children are exempt from the mandatory medical examination required to obtain the visa. After that, they must undergo a medical fitness examination at approved health centers in the Emirates to obtain it. People deemed medically unfit will not be granted a visa.
The following documents and conditions are mandatory for obtaining a residence visa for your children. The applicant must submit a complete application:
- Hold a tenancy contract for a property located in the Emirates;
- The applicant must also present the original marriage certificate and the children's birth certificates, certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of your country of origin, in order to apply for residence;
- A valid passport, as well as a valid residence permit;
- The passport(s) of the children to be sponsored;
- A copy of an electricity bill if the sponsor does not reside in Dubai;
- The applicant must have a minimum salary of at least 20,000 AED (in dirhams).
Please note: the marriage and birth certificates must be attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of your country of nationality, followed by the UAE Embassy in your country of origin. It is possible to use a service provider that can handle these formalities.
We then handle the attestation with MOFA (Ministry of Foreign Affairs), the translation into Arabic by a sworn translator in Dubai, and submission of the application to the authority.
Once the electronic entry permits have been issued for the children by the authority, they may enter the UAE within 2 months of the permits' issue date. The sponsor will have an additional sixty (60) days to complete the children's visa procedures once they have entered the country. The visa can be obtained in less than 3 weeks.
Please note that parents can also sponsor and arrange residence for their own parents (subject to conditions).
Attention: allow 2 weeks to finalize the procedures from the date the application is submitted. The sponsor's physical presence is required to submit the application. The procedure may take from 2 weeks to 30 days.
Ps: Immigration requirements may be changed, and our team will share the new rules with you in the event of any changes.
Support from our firm in Dubai
The immigration process can be complicated if you need to settle in a new country and are unfamiliar with its rules. That is why, for a hassle-free relocation, it is recommended that you receive support and advice.
For more information, and if you are looking for information about visas, our team will welcome you free of charge at our offices for a consultation. We can also handle all the procedures on your behalf. You simply need to meet the required conditions. Our team can also take care of certifying all your documents. When a visa expires, it can be renewed by our firm.
Regarding the processing fees for your application, please contact us by phone at +9714 422 1345 or by email at support@merritt.group.
