How To Get UAE Family Visas In 2021

How To Get UAE Family Visas In 2021 – that will be the topic of today’s article.

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Introduction

Foreigners who seek to work, live, or both in any of the emirates in the United Arab Emirates for an extended period will need to get a United Arab Emirates residence visa.

Plus, anyone with a United Arab Emirates residence visa can have their family moved to the United Arab Emirates. Contrary to what happened before, not regarding their jobs or the titles they hold, they can sponsor their family as long as they earn a minimum of 3,000 United Arab Emirates dollars and have accommodation. 

Nonetheless, to get a United Arab Emirates residence visa, certain compulsory criteria are to be met. More so, one can only sponsor their family after they have gotten their residence visa.

Eligibility For A UAE Residence Visa

To qualify for a residence visa, applicants have to be within any of the categories below;

• Those who seek to retire in the United Arab Emirates.
• Those dependent on a United Arab Emirates permanent resident.
• Those who seek to invest in the United Arab Emirates
• Those who want to become a student in one of the United Arab Emirates’s Institutions.
• Those who bought a property in the United Arab Emirates.
• Those who intend to be an employee in any of the United Arab Emirates’s private and public institutions.

Anyone that doesn’t fall into any of the categories above can’t get a UAE Residence Visa.

Types Of UAE Residency Visa

Here are the different types of residency visa a foreigner can possess depending on their reasons for immigration;

UAE Student Visa

This visa is for those that have gotten admission into a United Arab Emirates institution.

United Arab Emirates’ Work Visa

This visa is for those employed by a private or public institution in the United Arab Emirates who have a work permit.

United Arab Emirates’ Retirement Visa

This visa is for the elderly who seek to retire in the United Arab Emirates and have sufficient money.

United Arab Emirates’ Investment Visa

This visa is for those that make a substantial investment in the United Arab Emirates. In comparison with the others, this visa has a longer duration—as long as 10 years.

United Arab Emirates’ Family Visa

This visa is for close relations with the United Arab Emirates permanent residents. Plus, it is the one we are going to delve into.

Requirements For a UAE Residence Visa

Now that all the permanent residence visas that an intending immigrant can apply for are known, it is best to know what is needed to further the process.

Here are some documents that should be kept close at hand if an applicant wants to apply for a residence visa;

• An international passport.
• 2-passport size photos that follow all the United Arab Emirates photo requirements.
• Entry Visa
• Proof of sponsor’s citizenship.
• A document that specifies a United Arab Emirates health insurance plan
• A proof of passing the medical fitness test.
• A United Arab Emirates application form. Either an online one or one from a reputed typing center.
• Sponsors have to submit the company’s venerable firm card, trade license, and work contract for a work residence visa. 
• For a family sponsorship visa, the applicant would need to have proof of ties.
• Plus, applicants can bring along any other document they might consider important or relevant to their travel.

Applicants should note that every foreigner in the United Arab Emirates should be considered viable in their medical fitness test before they can be given a visa. 

Plus, employees and employers can sponsor their families in the United Arab Emirates if they have a residency permit for United Arab Emirates family visas.

Requirement for UAE Family Visa

For male permanent residents, they can sponsor immediate family relations like their wife/wives or children. They are, however, subject to the requirements of having a minimum of 3,000 United Arab Emirates dollars and accommodation or 4,000 United Arab Emirates dollars.

Furthermore, if a father that resides in the United Arab Emirates meets all the requirements for the sponsorship of his children, his wife is prohibited from sponsoring them.

An intending sponsor has a max of 60 days to render their application for the person they wish to sponsor. Nonetheless, Sponsors can only do this after they have changed their entry permit to a residence visa.

Family relations are offered the visa for a duration between a year to three years. All of this is dependent on how capable they are as an employer or employee. Plus, the labor contract and nature of their job also play a colossal role. Generally, though, employees are offered a one-year durational residency visa while an employer is offered three years.

Also, sponsored relations, except for mature males who are still in the education system and sponsored parents, are open to enjoy the same visa duration as those who sponsor them. The exceptions—sponsored parents and mature males—must have their residency visa granted yearly, not the sponsor’s visa duration.

Fitness Requirements

To renew or get a United Arab Emirates residence visa for any family relation, male or female, above 18, they will have to undergo and scale through the medical fitness test in any United Arab Emirates-approved health centers.

All visa applicants, either first-timers or returnees, have to undergo the test for a contagious disease. If found positive of any infectious diseases, the United Arab Emirates authority would regard the applicant as medically unfit and thereby unfit for the residence visa. After that, the applicant will be deported.

Wife And Children Requirements

To sponsor his wife, the sponsor must submit proof of marital relations(an authentic marriage certificate) in Arabic or one that has been translated to Arabic by a certified, venerable translator.

However, in cases of sponsoring more than two wives, Muslims, under severe cases, can be permitted —if they pass the requirements by the respective GDRFA (General Directory of Residency and Foreign Affairs.).

Furthermore, away from marital relations, a father can sponsor his daughter under the condition that she is unmarried. More so, a father can sponsor his son as long as he is 18 or younger. A father can sponsor a son above 18 to study till he is 21 if he can prove he is studying. United Arab Emirates residence visa is granted yearly; The GDRFA can renew it only after finishing his education.

In addition to the above, applicants have to follow GDRFA (General Directory of Residency and Foreign Affairs.) conditions to sponsor a stepchild. Some of these conditions include;

A written certificate of no-objection from the child’s biological parents.

A deposit for each child.

These visas last for a year and have to be renewed every year.

Documents Required for Wife and Children

• All of the documents above.
• The wife and child’s passports
• For wife and children above age 18, a medical clearance certificate.
• Photographs of children and wife.
• An employee’s salary certificate.
• A legal marriage certificate
• Most recent utility bill
•  A veritable tenancy contract.
• Employment contract

Sponsoring Parents Requirements

An employee or employer can sponsor their parents by paying the stipulated amount for each parent by the immigration offices.

Moreover, an employee is not allowed to sponsor only one of his parents. Therefore, he has to sponsor both of his parents. Plus, he has to prove that he is their sole support and that there is no one his parents at home.

In a probable case where one of his parents is divorced or deceased, he has to provide the respective proof(documents) as justification for sponsoring one parent.

To sponsor his parents, the employee must earn above or stipulated minimum salary. For example, in the Dubai Emirate, the DNRD puts the minimum salary at 20,000United Arab Emirates dollars.

Women Sponsorship Requirement

In the emirate, Abu Dhabi, if a woman has a residence permit, she is employed as a teacher, doctor, engineer, nurse, or any other medical-related profession and earns about 10,000 United Arab Emirates dollars or 8,000 United Arab Emirates dollars with accommodation, she can sponsor her husband and children.

However, in Dubai, things work a little differently. Suppose a woman is not employed in any of the categories stated above. She can still sponsor her family relations—as long as her salary is beyond the 10,000United Arab Emirates dollars mark and she has gotten special permission from the DNRD.

 A single mum can also sponsor her children. However, the documents requested for when a father sponsors a stepchild will be similar to those she would have to provide.

Note; Recent rules for parent-child sponsorship

Starting from October 2018, university or secondary school graduates will be granted a one-year residence visa, which is only renewable a year from graduation.

More so, this type of visa doesn’t require the parent to make any deposits. The visa will go for AED100 for the first time and also for the renewals.

However, to qualify for this visa, parents must prove graduation from secondary school or university either in the United Arab Emirates or abroad.

University Students Family Relations

Earlier this year, the United Arab Emirates cabinet granted the resolution that allows university students to sponsor family relations. However, there is a catch; they can only do this if they have stable housing. The resolution seeks to attain moral stability. This will support its education, thereby fortifying it as the global destination for study and work.

Application Process

A person can only apply for a United Arab Emirates residence visa when they are in the United Arab Emirates. Hence, to apply for this residence visa, they have to get an entry permit. Plus, as it is done with an entry visa—they can’t apply; they will need someone to do it for them. And in the case of a family sponsorship visa, a relationship in the United Arab Emirates is the most probable option.

How To Apply

The first and foremost step is to have an entry permit. Nonetheless, the only way an applicant can get an entry permit is through their sponsor.

Their sponsor can get an entry permit at any of the below;

At the GDRFA (General Directory of Residency and Foreign Affairs.)– General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affair. They can do it via their online or offline site. Suppose the sponsor wishes to do it offline. In that case, they should get to a GDRFA (General Directory of Residency and Foreign Affairs.) licensed typing center in any emirates or, better still, the Amer centers in Dubai.

Federal Authority For Identity and citizenship

The moment the person to be sponsored is in the United Arab Emirates, their intended sponsor will have to apply for a United Arab Emirates residence visa the GDRFA (General Directory of Residency and Foreign Affairs.) of any of the emirates the to be sponsored will like in.

To begin the application, sponsors will have to pay a certain fee depending on how valid the visa is.

The moment the application is approved, GDRFA (General Directory of Residency and Foreign Affairs.) will stamp a residence visa on the passport of the sponsor’s relation. The GDRFA (General Directory of Residency and Foreign Affairs.) will also give the sponsored an Emirates ID, which has the same expiry date as their residence visa. 

Below are all of the Emirates’ GDRFA (General Directory of Residency and Foreign Affairs.) websites;

• Dubai (There is also Amer. This is the site where Dubai citizens can plan family reunions and  immigrants can use to elongate their Visa on Arrival.)
• Ajman
• Abu Dhabi
• Sharjah
• Ras Al Khaimah
• Fujairah

Residence Visa Fees

The residence visa fee is dependent on the visa’s duration of their sponsor. For example, a visa for a year would attract a fee of AED100.

Plus, a processing fee would also be required. Unlike the residence visa fee, the process depends on where the sponsor made the application. Hence, if the application were made online, the processing fee would be AED40, while if the sponsor did it in person, it would attract a fee of AED70.

Note, however, that the fees are likely to change. And in addition to the fees above, there are also medical exams and insurance fees.

Residence Visa’s Validity And Renewal.

The residence visa duration depends on the person sponsored and the sponsor. The Visa duration can be one, two, or three years. Plus, visas are renewed just as a new visa is obtained.

The residence visa of the person sponsored is linked to the visa of the person sponsoring. If the sponsored visa is canceled, The United Arab Emirates authorities would also cut off all those depending on their visa.

Furthermore, all dependents are given a grace period of 30 days from the expiry date to get a renewal. If the sponsored person persists after the 30days grace period without a renewal, they would be deemed an illegal immigrant and might’ve to pay a fine.

Additional Information

To better understand how the process works, there is extra information that is necessary for the whole process.

Difference Between UAE Residence Visa And Entry Permit

Entry permit allows the person who has it to enter the United Arab Emirates  for a limited period (usually up to three months.) An entry permit is given in relation to the holder’s purpose. For instance, for tourism, the entry permit is known as a United Arab Emirates Tourist Visa.

However, a residence visa lasts longer. It has a duration of about 1 to 3 years. Plus, to get a residence visa, an entry permit is needed.

How To Get A Residence Visa Renewed

The sponsor is meant to renew the residence visa within thirty days before its expiration date. Nonetheless, the sponsor can still renew the residence visa even after the expiration date as long as it is still within the grace period.

The renewal process is exactly like the first time of getting a visa. The concerned sponsor is to apply at the GDRFA (General Directory of Residency and Foreign Affairs) in any Emirates.

United Arab Emirates Residence Overstay Fee

If a sponsored person stays past the 30-days grace period, they would have to pay a fee.

Here is a list;

The first six months would attract a fine of AED25 for each of the 180 days.

The second six months would attract a fine of AED50 for each of the 180 days.

Lastly, every day after the first year has passed would cost the offender AED100 every day.

How Widows and Divorcee Renew their Residence Visa

The United Arab Emirates authority, as of October 2018, made a resolution that permits widows and divorcees to stay a year without a sponsor after the expiration date has been crossed, starting from the death of their husband or divorce. More so, a current rule has been passed, which includes the children of the widow or divorcee, if there are any.

However, here is the catch, to qualify, the woman must have been under the sponsorship of her husband at the time of his death or depart. Suppose that is the case, they can tender these documents at the GDRFA (General Directory Of Residency and Foreigners Affairs);

•  Her husband’s death certificate or proof of divorce.
• Proof of an accommodation
• Proof of the widow’s/divorcee financial stability
• Her Emirate’s ID card
• Her medical fitness certificate
• The  GDRFA can only extend this type of visa once.

UAE Visa On Arrival — 30 days visit eligibility

Suppose an intending immigrant holds a passport for any of the countries below. There are no advanced arrangements needed to visit the UAE. They have to drop at the Dubai International Airport, proceed to immigration. There, The immigration authorities will stamp their passport with a thirty-day visit visa at no charge.

Here is the list of the countries;

• Austria
• Andorra
• Brunei
• China
• Canada
• Hong Kong
• Japan
• Kazakhstan
• Malaysia
• Macau
• Mauritius
• Monaco
• New Zealand
• San Marino
• Singapore
• Republic of Ireland
• Ukraine
• United Kingdom
• United States of America
• Vatican City

90 Days Eligibility

Suppose an intending immigrant holds a passport for any of the countries below, the passport of the sponsored will be stamped with a multiple entry 90 days visa valid for 6 months after it has been issued.

• Argentina
• Austria
• Bahamas Islands
• Barbados
• Belgium
• Brazil
• Bulgaria
• Chile
• Colombia
• Costa Rica
• Croatia
• Cyprus
• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• El Salvador
• Estonia
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• Greece
• Honduras
• Hungary
• Iceland
• Italy
• Kiribati
• Latvia
• Liechtenstein
• Lithuania
• Luxembourg
• Maldives
• Malta
• Montenegro
• Nauru
• Netherlands
• Norway
• Paraguay
• Peru
• Poland
• Portugal
• Romania
• Russian Federation
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
• San Marino
• Serbia
• Seychelles
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• Solomon Islands
• South Korea
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• Uruguay

How to Get a Dubai Residence Visa

Dubai is a well-known emirate out of all the seven emirates that makes up the United Arab Emirates. As such, the way a visa is gotten there is just the same as it is gotten anywhere else in the United Arab Emirates (as explained above). It has no special distinction of any sort.

 A family sponsor is needed—as it is a United Arab Emirates family visa. After the case of the sponsor is settled, the sponsor has to get an entry permit and residence visa at any of the GDRFA( General Directory of Residency and foreigners affair) licensed typing centers for whomever they seek to sponsor in Dubai or at the Amer center.

However, it is worthy of note that the Dubai immigration authorities are conducting eye screening for visitors to Dubai to reinforce their security.

Visitors asked to go for eye screening should present a hard copy of their visa or a printed copy of their visa confirmation number page. Failure to do that would lead to a fine of AED 30.

Conclusion

Getting a UAE family visa isn’t exactly an uphill task if visitors follow through with all the instructions—ensures that they fit perfectly into all of the visa’s requirements and no fraudulent activity is intended.

With all of the information above, anyone who wishes to get a family sponsorship from a family relation in UAE can do so easily and smoothly without any unnecessary restraints.