A UAE resident can sponsor a visit visa for family or friends if they earn enough. Under GDRFA Dubai’s rules:
- Salary: a monthly salary of at least AED 4,000 for parents, spouse or children; AED 8,000 for siblings, grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins; AED 15,000 for friends.
- Visa and cost: 30, 60 or 90 days, from AED 200, plus a refundable deposit.
- Yearly limit: visitors can stay up to 120 days a year.
- Speed: most applications are processed within 48 hours.
Checked on 30 October 2026 against GDRFA Dubai’s published rules (July 2026). Residents of other emirates apply through ICP, which may apply different thresholds. Sources are at the end.
What salary do I need to sponsor a visit visa?
| Visitor | Relationship | Minimum monthly salary |
|---|---|---|
| Parents, spouse, children | First degree | AED 4,000 |
| Siblings, grandparents, grandchildren | Second degree | AED 8,000 |
| Uncles, aunts, cousins | Third degree | AED 8,000 |
| Friends | None | AED 15,000 |
You need a valid UAE residence visa and Emirates ID. Prove your income with a salary certificate or an attested labour contract. Business owners use their partnership documents.
Visit visa fees and deposit
| Visa length | Single entry | Multiple entry |
|---|---|---|
| 30 days | AED 200 | AED 300 |
| 60 days | AED 300 | AED 500 |
| 90 days | AED 400 | AED 700 |
| Refundable deposit | AED 1,000 | AED 2,000 |
Fees exclude VAT, compulsory medical insurance and service-centre charges. You get the deposit back when the visitor leaves on time. See all visit visa routes in our UAE visit visa fees guide.
Documents for a family visit visa
- Your Emirates ID and passport copy.
- Your salary certificate or attested labour contract.
- Your proof of accommodation: a tenancy contract (Ejari in Dubai) or title deed.
- The visitor’s passport copy, valid at least 6 months, and a recent photo.
- Proof of relationship, attested where required. For parents, your birth certificate showing them. For a spouse, the marriage certificate.
Attestation takes time. Relationship certificates from abroad usually need attestation or an apostille in the issuing country, then UAE MOFA attestation. Start weeks ahead.
How to sponsor a visit visa: step by step
- Check your salary against the table, and check that your residence visa is valid.
- Prepare the documents, including attested relationship proof.
- Apply through your emirate’s authority. If your visa is from Dubai: GDRFA Dubai Smart Services, the GDRFA app (log in with UAE Pass), an Amer centre or a Customer Happiness Centre. If it’s from another emirate: ICP’s smart services or a typing centre.
- Choose the visa length (30, 60 or 90 days) and single or multiple entry.
- Pay the visa fee, the deposit and the medical insurance.
- Send the e-visa to your relative. They must enter within 60 days of issue.
- Get the deposit back after they leave on time. Apply through the same channel.
Check first: does your relative even need a sponsored visa?
- Visa-free passports: citizens of the GCC, the EU, the UK, the US and many other countries get a visa on arrival or are visa-free.
- Indian, Filipino and some other passports with a US, UK, EU or similar visa or residence: may get a UAE visa on arrival. For Filipinos it’s 14 days for AED 100, or 60 days for AED 250. See UAE visit visa for Filipino family.
- Everyone else: needs a sponsored visit visa, or a tourist visa through an airline, hotel or licensed tour operator.
Rules while your family is here
- 120 days a year maximum in total.
- Extensions are possible from inside the UAE, if approved.
- No work. A visit visa doesn’t allow employment. The visitor would need a job offer, a work permit and a change of status.
- Overstay fines apply for every extra day, and the sponsor can lose the deposit.
Questions people ask
What salary do I need to bring my parents to Dubai on a visit visa?
AED 4,000 a month under GDRFA Dubai rules. Parents are first-degree relatives.
Can I sponsor my brother or sister on a visit visa?
Yes, if you earn at least AED 8,000 a month. Siblings are second-degree relatives.
Can I sponsor a friend on a visit visa?
Yes, if you earn at least AED 15,000 a month.
How much is the deposit for a family visit visa?
AED 1,000 for a single-entry visa, or AED 2,000 for multiple entry. It’s refunded when the visitor leaves on time.
How long does a family visit visa take?
GDRFA Dubai says most applications are processed within 48 hours. Allow extra time for attested relationship documents.
Related guides
Sources
- Gulf News (17 July 2026): GDRFA clarifies visit visa rules for relatives and friends: gulfnews.com
- KPMG GMS Flash Alert 2026-210 (10 August 2026): UAE visit visa rules for relatives and friends
- GDRFA Dubai: gdrfad.gov.ae · ICP: icp.gov.ae
Written by Asad Waleed M, Dubai. Asad has lived in the UAE for nine years and researches visa rules from government sources. He is not an immigration lawyer or consultant, and Sifqa does not process visas. Read the editorial policy.
Last checked 30 October 2026. Found an error? Email [email protected] and it will be fixed and logged.