New Family Visa Regulations in the UAE
The United Arab Emirates government announced some prominent changes in the family visa rules in 2019. Consequently, the UAE Cabinet issued new resolutions and regulations aimed at changing the family sponsorship policy for expatriates in the United Arab Emirates, alongside announcing the possibility of sponsoring adult children aged 18 by their parents. Follow along to learn everything related to family visa rules in the UAE and the required procedures.
Family Visa Rules in the UAE
The new laws affirmed that educational qualification and job title are no longer essential requirements for the applicant, as long as the financial status and residency permit in the country enable such commitment.
Issuing family visas in Dubai or any other emirate is open to a wide range of expatriates in various professions. However, before the amendment of the family sponsorship policy in the United Arab Emirates for the year 2019, male residents were required to engage in any occupation except for domestic help or similar categories. But since 2019, any male resident in the UAE can sponsor his immediate family members such as his wife and children, provided that his monthly salary is not less than AED 4,000 or AED 3,000 in addition to residency.
However, it's different for women. Female residents in Abu Dhabi who wish to sponsor their families have slightly different circumstances. To sponsor her family, a woman must hold a residency permit stating that she is an engineer, teacher, doctor, nurse, or any other profession related to the medical sector, and her monthly salary should not be less than AED 10,000 or AED 8,000 in addition to residency.
Meanwhile, in Dubai, a working woman who does not fall under the mentioned categories is allowed to sponsor her family provided that her monthly income exceeds AED 10,000, and she must also submit a request for permission from the Citizenship and Residency Department.
Parental Sponsorship for Children Over 18
Expatriate residents in the UAE can apply for sponsorship for their male children for a period of one year, renewable once they reach 18 years of age or after graduating from high school or university within or outside the country. The cost of issuing or renewing this visa is AED 100 for the first time only.
Previously, residents in the country could sponsor their children until the age of 18 only, after which a student visa would be issued to them following the submission of documents and evidence of completing studies in the United Arab Emirates.
As for sponsorship rules for daughters, they have never changed, and there is no minimum age limit for their sponsorship by their parents. This situation continues until they get married and move under their husbands' sponsorship.
The family visa regulations in the United Arab Emirates have been widely praised since their amendment and announcement in 2019. The new rules continue to contribute to the stability of the UAE economy by creating a cohesive environment for individuals to establish families in the United Arab Emirates.
This concludes our discussion on family visa rules in the UAE. You can learn about retirement visas, investor visas in the UAE, and other topics related to real estate and entertainment in Dubai.
