Family and Dependent Visa Services
Build your life in Dubai with the people who matter most. BizCafe supports residence applications for spouses, children, parents and eligible household support categories, with guidance through GDRFA Dubai requirements.
Residence Options for the People Who Share Your Life
GDRFA Dubai allows eligible residents to sponsor family members, with requirements varying according to the relationship and sponsor profile.
Spouse Residence
Eligible UAE residents may sponsor a husband or wife subject to the prescribed relationship evidence, sponsor documentation, accommodation and immigration requirements.
Marriage certificate requiredChildren & Dependants
Current GDRFA guidance allows sponsorship of children under the applicable age rules, unmarried daughters, and children with special needs regardless of age where the conditions are met.
Birth / dependency evidenceParents
Parent sponsorship is assessed separately and commonly requires stronger income, accommodation and financial evidence. GDRFA guidance states that both parents should generally be sponsored together unless death or divorce applies.
Additional eligibilityCore Family Sponsorship Conditions
GDRFA Dubai's current family sponsorship guidance requires the sponsor to hold qualifying UAE residence and to provide relationship, accommodation and income evidence appropriate to the case.
Common Requirements
- ✓Valid passport and personal photograph of the sponsored person
- ✓Attested marriage certificate or birth certificate, depending on relationship
- ✓Valid tenancy / accommodation evidence
- ✓Salary, employment or partnership evidence depending on sponsor type
- ✓Medical fitness examination for sponsored persons over 18 where applicable
Bringing Parents to Live With You in Dubai
Parent sponsorship has additional conditions because GDRFA assesses the sponsor's ability to support the parent and provide suitable accommodation.
Income & Financial Evidence
Current GDRFA guidance for parent sponsorship references a minimum salary of AED 10,000 for employed sponsors, with company documentation used where the sponsor is an investor or partner.
Suitable Accommodation
An attested tenancy contract suitable for the number of family members may be required together with supporting residential evidence.
Both Parents Generally Together
GDRFA guidance states that parents should generally be sponsored together unless one parent has died or the parents are divorced, subject to the supporting documents.
Residence Support for Eligible Domestic Workers
Domestic helpers such as maids, nannies and other recognised assisting categories follow a separate sponsorship process from ordinary family dependants.
Sponsor File
GDRFA Dubai provides a sponsor-file process for residents and eligible sponsors who wish to sponsor assisting categories. The sponsor's residence, identity, accommodation and supporting documents are reviewed.
Separate Employment Rules
Domestic-worker sponsorship is not treated as a normal spouse or child visa. Separate domestic-worker employment, contract and regulatory requirements apply in addition to residency processing.
Eligibility Before Filing
BizCafe can review the sponsor profile and explain the applicable route before the household commits to the domestic-worker visa process.
More Than Residency — Build a Family Life in Dubai
For many residents, family sponsorship is the step that turns a job, investment or business move into a long-term home. Dubai and the wider UAE offer an international family environment built around safety, convenience, education, healthcare and diverse communities.
From Sponsor Review to Family Residence
Eligibility Review
Check sponsor residence, relationship and the correct dependent category.
Document Preparation
Review passports, certificates, salary/company and accommodation evidence.
Entry / Status Route
Determine the appropriate entry or in-country status procedure.
Medical & Emirates ID
Coordinate applicable medical fitness and Emirates ID steps.
GDRFA Residence
Complete the Dubai family residence process and final follow-up.
Family & Dependent Visa FAQs
Can both male and female UAE residents sponsor family members?
Yes. GDRFA Dubai states that both male and female foreign residents may bring eligible family members into the UAE, subject to the applicable sponsorship rules and documentation.
What children can be sponsored?
Current GDRFA guidance includes sons under the applicable age limit, unmarried daughters, and children with special needs regardless of age where the requirements are met.
What income is generally required to sponsor a spouse or children?
GDRFA's current family entry guidance states that the sponsor's salary should generally be AED 4,000 or AED 3,000 plus accommodation, subject to the particular case and current requirements.
Can I sponsor my parents?
Potentially. Parent sponsorship has additional conditions. GDRFA currently references AED 10,000 salary for employed sponsors in its parent-sponsorship guidance, along with suitable accommodation, financial evidence and other supporting documents.
Do I have to sponsor both parents?
GDRFA guidance states that both parents should generally be sponsored together unless one has died or the parents are divorced, subject to documentary proof.
Is a maid or nanny visa the same as a family dependent visa?
No. Domestic helpers follow a separate assisting-category/domestic-worker sponsorship process with different eligibility and regulatory requirements.
Can BizCafe process the entire family residence journey?
BizCafe can assist with document review, application preparation, GDRFA/Amer coordination, medical and Emirates ID stages, and dependent-residence follow-up based on the specific category.
Make Dubai More Than a Place to Work
Tell BizCafe who you want to sponsor — spouse, children, parents or household support — and we will guide you through the appropriate residence route.