How much do you need to earn to sponsor your family in the UAE?
Want to bring your spouse or children to the UAE? Here’s the minimum salary requirement, who qualifies and what happens to their visas if yours is cancelled
Dubai: Working in the UAE and want to bring your family to the country as well?
If you’re planning to apply for a residence visa, there are different requirements that you need to fulfil in order to be eligible as a ‘sponsor’ of your family’s visa.
Here are all the eligibility requirements you need to keep in mind, before beginning the application process.
What is the minimum salary threshold for family visa?
Once your UAE residence visa is in place, you can proceed to apply for your family’s residence visa. According to the UAE government’s official website – u.ae, the minimum salary requirement is:
- AED4,000, or
- AED3,000, in case you have company accommodation
Other requirements to keep in mind
UAE-based employees – whether male or female – can apply for their family’s residence visa, regardless of their job titles.
You can sponsor your:
- spouse
- unmarried daughters
- sons under 25 years old
- children with special needs, regardless of age limit
The visa type is referred to as a ‘dependent’ visa, while your immigration status is that of a ‘sponsor’.
The visa that will be issued to your dependents will be for the same duration as your residence visa. So, for example, if your employment visa is for a duration of two years, the visa issued to your family members will also be issued for a similar duration of time.
The salary threshold mentioned above only applies to sponsoring your wife and children. In case you wish to bring in your parents on a residence visa, the eligibility requirements, application process and visa duration differ. For a complete guide on how you can sponsor your parents in the UAE, click here.
Visa cancellation
As mentioned above, your family's residence visa is linked to yours. If your residence visa has to be cancelled, it requires cancellation of the visas of the dependents as well.
The dependents who are on your visa will be granted a six-month grace period from the date of expiry or cancellation of their visas to obtain a new residence permit. According to u.ae, if the sponsor fails to renew or cancel the visa of his dependents, he or she could be liable to pay a fine.
For a step-by-step guide on UAE family visa requirements, fees and application process, click here.