Want to sponsor your parents in the UAE? Key document requirements explained

Dubai: If you are looking to bring in your parents to live with you in the UAE, there are certain documents that you need to obtain before you begin the sponsorship process. As reported by Emirates 24|7 earlier , while parents are not included in the 'dependents' category for issuing a family visa by default, you can visit an immigration department to prove that your parents are dependent on you, in order for a family visa to be issued under your sponsorship. The submission process and minimum eligibility requirements are strictly regulated, so it is important to ensure that you not only meet the eligibility criteria, but also have all your paperwork in order, before you begin your application process. Here are the key documents you will need to arrange. 1. Dependency Affidavit According to Miruna Lupascu, Legal Consultant and Elnaggar & Partners, the primary document you will need is an affidavit or dependency certificate, which is issued by your home country’s embassy or consulate in the UAE. “This certificate must formally declare that you are the sole provider and supporter of your parents and that they have no other caregivers or family members to support them in their home country,” she said. Miruna Lupascu, Legal Consultant The document must be attested by the consulate or embassy, and subsequently attested by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). It then needs to be translated into Arabic by a certified legal translator. 2. Relationship and marital status proof You would also need to provide the following documents when applying to sponsor your parent: Birth certificate: An attested birth certificate proving the parent-child relationship. Mandatory sponsorship of both parents: “Under standard regulations, you must sponsor both parents together unless there is a valid legal exception. If one parent is deceased or if they are divorced, you must provide an attested death certificate or attested divorce certificate, fully legalised via MOFA and translated into Arabic,” Lupascu said. 3. Financial and accommodation threshold Minimum salary: You must provide proof of a minimum monthly salary of AED 20,000 (or AED 19,000 if your employer provides accommodation). You would need to provide a bank statement for the past three to six months, and an attested employment contract or salary certificate. Registered tenancy contract: An active, registered tenancy contract, such as an Ejari in Dubai, showing suitable accommodation. According to Lupascu, this should typically be a minimum of a two-bedroom property. 4. Medical and administrative documents Passports of both the sponsor and the parents, with a minimum of six months’ validity. Emirates ID of the sponsor. Satisfactory results from a UAE medical fitness test for each parent. Proof of comprehensive health insurance coverage in the UAE. Once you have all the documents in place, you can visit the General Directorate for Identity and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) Dubai, if you are planning to apply in Dubai, or the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP), if you are planning to apply from any other emirate. You can also check out our guide to applying for a family visa here with the step-by-step process you need to follow to get the visa issued.