Dubai Family Visa 2026: Cost, Documents & Salary Rules

A Dubai family visa can mean three different things in 2026: a residence visa that lets your spouse and children live in the UAE, a family visit visa sponsored by a UAE resident for a short stay, or a tourist visa for a family holiday. To sponsor your family for residence, the UAE Government requires a valid UAE residence visa and a minimum salary of AED 4,000, or AED 3,000 plus accommodation. This guide explains all three routes, the official fees, the documents, and how to choose the right one.

Dubai family visa options at a glance

Which Dubai family visa do you need?

• You live in the UAE and want your spouse and children to live with you: apply for the family residence visa.

• A relative or friend lives in the UAE and will host you for a short stay: the resident applies for a family visit visa.

• You are travelling for a holiday and have no UAE sponsor: apply for a tourist visa. Each family member, including children, needs their own application.

• The sponsor does not meet the salary condition: a residence visa is not possible, but a short visit can still be arranged through the visit or tourist route.

Who can sponsor a family visa in the UAE?

According to the UAE Government portal, both employers and employees with a valid UAE residence visa can sponsor their families. Employees can do so regardless of job title if they earn at least AED 4,000 per month, or AED 3,000 plus accommodation.

The family members a resident can bring in are:

• A spouse

• Unmarried daughters

• Sons under 25 years old

• Children with special needs

Green visa holders can also sponsor first-degree relatives. Sponsoring parents carries stricter and higher-income conditions that differ from the spouse and children rules, so confirm the current requirement with ICP or GDRFA Dubai before you plan around it.

Family members who are 18 or older must pass a medical fitness test at an approved health centre in the UAE. Dependents' residence permits are linked to the sponsor's permit. If the sponsor's visa is cancelled, the dependents' visas must be cancelled too, and they get a 6-month grace period to obtain a new residence permit.

Dubai family visa cost in 2026

The government charges below come from the GDRFA Dubai service pages. They are the official line items, not a total.

• Entry permit for residence (family sponsorship): AED 200 plus 5% VAT. This permit lets the family stay up to 60 days from entry while the residence is completed.

• Extra fees if the family is already inside the UAE: AED 10 Knowledge Dirham, AED 10 Innovation Dirham and an AED 500 inside-country fee.

• Residence permit for family members: AED 200, plus the Knowledge Dirham charge.

Your final total also depends on the medical test, Emirates ID, health insurance and typing-center charges, which vary by case. That is why totals quoted online differ so much. Build your own total from the live GDRFA or ICP checkout, and always check fees before paying because they can change.

Documents required for a family visa in Dubai

For the entry permit (GDRFA):

• One personal photo

• Passport copy valid for at least 6 months

For the residence application, documents commonly requested for a spouse and children:

• Passport copies and recent photos of each family member

• Attested marriage certificate (spouse) or attested birth certificate (children)

• Sponsor's passport and valid residence visa

• Salary certificate or employment contract showing the minimum salary

• Tenancy contract (Ejari in Dubai)

• Medical fitness result for family members aged 18 or over

The exact list can vary by nationality and case, so follow the checklist shown in your GDRFA or ICP application.

How to apply: steps and processing time

1. Confirm eligibility: valid residence visa and the salary condition.

2. Apply for the entry permit if your family is outside the UAE, through the GDRFA Dubai website or smart app, an AMER center or a licensed typing center.

3. Family enters the UAE within the entry permit's validity (60 days from entry to complete residency).

4. Complete the medical test and biometrics for family members who require them.

5. Receive the residence permit and Emirates ID.

GDRFA lists service times per step, for example 48 hours for the visit visa. The pages I reviewed do not publish one fixed time for the whole residence process, because medical results, attestation and Emirates ID all affect it. Do not rely on a single quoted number. You can track an application with GDRFA Dubai or ICP, or use our visa status page for visas we process.

Family visit visa sponsored by a UAE resident

If a relative or friend lives in the UAE, they can sponsor a single-entry visit visa through GDRFA Dubai for 30, 60 or 90 days.

• Visa fee: AED 200 (30 days), AED 300 (60 days) or AED 400 (90 days), plus 5% VAT

• Security deposit: AED 1,000, plus AED 20 service fee and AED 40 collection and reimbursement fee

• Medical insurance: AED 40 (30 days), AED 60 (60 days) or AED 90 (90 days)

• If the visitor is already inside the UAE: extra AED 10, AED 10 and AED 500 fees

• Processing time: 48 hours

Documents: two personal photos, a passport copy valid for 6 months, marriage contract, birth certificate, and the sponsor's salary certificate, employment contract or partnership contract. For some nationalities, including Pakistan, a home-country identity card is also required.

The visitor must be a relative or friend of a UAE citizen or resident, with proof of the relationship and the reason for the visit. The sponsor applies through the GDRFA website or smart app with a UAE Pass, or at a Customer Happiness Center or AMER center.

Dubai tourist visa for family and children

If you are visiting for a holiday and have no UAE sponsor, a tourist visa is the simpler route. There is no single family tourist visa that adds children to a parent's approval. Each traveler, including infants, needs their own passport and their own application. Read our guide on whether children need a Dubai visa for the passport and document details.

• Passports should be valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry.

• Apply for the whole family together so the dates match.

• Carry each child's birth certificate, and a consent letter if one parent is not travelling.

Our visa prices start from AED 550, and the current price is always shown on the application page. Not sure about the length? See 30-day vs 60-day Dubai tourist visa. In a hurry? Check our express visa options.

Chat with a visa expert on WhatsApp

Dubai family visa for Indian and Pakistani families

Indian families: if you are planning a holiday, see our guide to the Dubai visa for Indian citizens for visa types, prices and documents.

Pakistani families: under the resident-sponsored visit visa, GDRFA asks for a home-country identity card for some nationalities, including Pakistan. Before applying on any route, check whether your nationality has extra conditions.

Common family visa mistakes

• Choosing the wrong visa for the purpose. A tourist visa does not give residency, and changing status inside the UAE costs extra.

• Missing the entry permit window. The permit lets the family stay 60 days from entry while residency is completed.

• Skipping the medical test for family members aged 18 or over.

• Incomplete or unattested certificates, which delay or block the application.

• Forgetting the link to the sponsor's visa. If it is cancelled, dependents' visas are cancelled too.

If an application is refused, see Dubai visa rejection: reasons and what to do next.

Official sources

• UAE Government: Residence visa for families of employees (updated 28 Sep 2026)

• GDRFA Dubai: Visit visa for a relative or friend, one entry

• GDRFA Dubai: Entry visa for residence, family sponsorship

• GDRFA Dubai: Residence permit for family members of a foreign resident

Rules and fees change. Confirm the current requirements with ICP or GDRFA Dubai before you apply.