Bring your family to the UAE with a clear, organised route.
From spouse and children sponsorship to parent, stepchild, newborn, renewal, and special family cases, Nexent helps you understand the route before documents are submitted.
Start with the right route
A family residence visa is more than an entry permit.
A UAE Family Residence Visa allows an eligible UAE resident to sponsor qualifying family members to live in the UAE under a residence permit. The correct route depends on the sponsor's valid residence, income, accommodation, relationship, family member's age and status, immigration jurisdiction, and supporting documents.
Nexent reviews the complete family file, then coordinates the practical sequence: entry permit or status change, medical fitness where applicable, Emirates ID, residence issuance, renewal, cancellation, and authority follow-up.
Residence visa vs visit visaA family visit visa is temporary travel permission. A family residence visa gives an eligible family member residence status under the sponsor's file.
One coordinated file from first review to residence issuance.
Who may be sponsored
Start with the relationship, then confirm the conditions.
These are the main family sponsorship categories. Parent, stepchild, newborn, and special cases need a more individual document review.
01
Spouse
Husband or wife sponsorship with proof of relationship, sponsor documents, accommodation, and the applicable immigration requirements.
Marriage certificate02
Children
Eligible sons under 25, unmarried daughters, and children with special needs under the applicable provisions.
Age & status matter03
Parents
A separate sponsorship category with additional relationship, income, accommodation, insurance, and supporting-document requirements.
Individual assessment04
Stepchildren
May require custody or guardianship evidence, marriage documents, and a father's NOC where applicable.
Special documents05
Newborn children
Birth registration, UAE birth certificate, passport, identity documents, and residence processing must be coordinated in sequence.
Birth-to-residence06
Special family cases
Divorce, widowhood, custody, guardianship, children above the standard age, and humanitarian circumstances need tailored review.
Case assessment
Salary & eligibility
Know the government threshold and Nexent’s service benchmark.
The current UAE Government and ICP information identifies a minimum monthly income of AED 4,000, or AED 3,000 with employer-provided accommodation, subject to the applicable route and current rules.
Nexent uses AED 4,500 as an initial benchmark for its standard service assessment. This is a practical screening benchmark, not a replacement for the government requirement and not a guarantee of approval.
Government routeAED 4,000Monthly income without employer-provided accommodation
Government routeAED 3,000Monthly income with employer-provided accommodation
Nexent screening benchmarkAED 4,500Initial benchmark for standard service assessment
Salary alone does not guarantee approval.Valid sponsor residence, suitable accommodation, proof of kinship, document attestation, medical fitness where applicable, and the correct immigration route still matter.
Choose the authority route
Abu Dhabi and Dubai follow different operational channels.
The family relationship may be the same, but the application route, portal, service centre, and document handling can vary by jurisdiction.
ICPFederal route
Abu Dhabi family residence
Abu Dhabi family residence applications generally sit within the federal immigration framework administered by ICP, with the applicable digital and service channels.
Dubai immigration applications are handled through GDRFA Dubai and authorised channels, including Amer, according to the applicant and sponsor profile.
Before applying, confirm whether the sponsored family member is already in the UAE and which status-change route is available.
IN
Family member already in the UAE
An applicable inside-country status-change route may be available for someone on a visit, tourist, existing residence, previous dependant, or another eligible status.
Current status→Family residence application→Status change→Medical, ID & residence
Additional government charges may apply. Not every visa category can be converted automatically.
OUT
Family member outside the UAE
The process generally begins with the applicable family residence entry permit, followed by entry, medical fitness, Emirates ID, and residence issuance.
Foreign marriage, birth, custody, or guardianship documents may require legalisation and translation.
04
Application route
ICP, GDRFA Dubai, Amer, or the applicable authority and service centre.
05
Entry or status change
Complete the approved route according to whether the family member is inside or outside the UAE.
06
Medical & Emirates ID
Sponsored persons aged 18 and above generally complete approved medical fitness; ID processing follows.
07
Residence issuance
Complete the approved residence file and confirm the family member's status is active.
08
Aftercare & renewals
Track expiry dates, insurance, document updates, renewals, transfers, and cancellation when the family situation changes.
Prepare before you apply
A document file that is complete, consistent, and ready to review.
Scanned copies can be shared for an initial assessment. The final requirements depend on the authority, family category, document origin, and applicant circumstances.
Sponsor
Passport and Emirates ID
Valid UAE residence permit
Salary certificate or income proof
Employment contract where applicable
Tenancy contract or accommodation proof
Spouse or children
Passport and photograph
Attested marriage or birth certificate
Existing UAE visa, if applicable
Medical fitness where applicable
Additional age or status evidence
Parents & special cases
Proof of relationship and birth records
Custody or guardianship documents
Father's NOC where applicable
Insurance or bank evidence where required
Divorce, death, or court documents where relevant
Documents & processing stages
Common family-file services.
01
Attestation & legalisation
Foreign-issued marriage, birth, divorce, custody, guardianship, and relationship documents may need issuing-country authentication, UAE Embassy or Consulate processing, UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs attestation, and legal translation where required.
02
Medical fitness
Sponsored family members aged 18 and above generally need to pass an approved medical fitness examination in the UAE. Children below 18 generally do not follow the adult medical fitness requirement.
03
Emirates ID
Residence processing includes identity and Emirates ID steps for sponsored residents, including children and newborn residents, subject to the applicable identity requirements.
04
Renewal & cancellation
Plan residence renewal, Emirates ID renewal, medical fitness, insurance, updated accommodation documents, and cancellation when sponsorship ends or the family member changes status.
Beyond standard employment residence
Golden, Green, and Blue residence routes need their own assessment.
Family sponsorship is not limited to a standard employment-residence file. Nexent can review the sponsor’s residence category before applying the wrong checklist.
Golden
Golden Residency
Long-term residence holders may have specific family residence benefits for spouse and children under the applicable framework.
Green Residence holders have family sponsorship provisions that should be assessed against the current category and relationship.
Blue
Blue Residency
Blue Residency is a specific long-term category with its own family provisions and documentation rules.
Special family cases
When the family story does not fit a standard checklist.
Divorce, widowhood, custody, guardianship, stepchildren, children above the standard age, sponsor death, and humanitarian circumstances can require a different route.
Nexent reviews sponsor status, family relationship, age, custody, court documents, current visa, and immigration history before recommending the next step.
Divorce or widowhoodCustody and guardianshipStepchildren and father's NOCChildren above the standard ageNewborn identity documentsHumanitarian circumstances
Questions families ask
Family visa FAQs
Useful starting points before you send documents for a case review.
Eligibility
What salary do I need?
The current government-published standard is AED 4,000 without employer-provided accommodation or AED 3,000 with employer-provided accommodation, subject to the route and current rules. Nexent uses AED 4,500 as an initial service-screening benchmark.
Can I sponsor my son after 18?
Eligible sons can generally remain sponsorable until under 25, subject to the applicable conditions and supporting documents.
Can I sponsor my parents?
Potentially, but parent sponsorship is a separate category with additional requirements and should be assessed individually.
Can a woman sponsor her husband?
Yes, subject to the applicable relationship, income, accommodation, and immigration requirements.
Documents & timing
Can I send scanned documents first?
Yes. Scanned copies can be reviewed initially to identify likely attestation, translation, and submission requirements.
Does my family need medical fitness?
Sponsored persons aged 18 and above generally need an approved medical fitness examination in the UAE.
How long do they have after entering?
ICP and GDRFA services generally require the residence issuance process to be completed within 60 days from entry under the applicable route.
Is approval guaranteed?
No. Final eligibility, fees, processing times, and approval remain with the relevant authority.
Ready for a family file review?
Send the sponsor details and family relationship first.
Share the sponsor’s emirate, residence category, income, accommodation, family relationship, current location, and available documents. Nexent will help map the likely route and next checklist.
Get practical guidance before you commit to an application route.
This page is for general information and customer education. UAE immigration requirements, fees, processing times, eligibility, medical, insurance, attestation, grace periods, and approval decisions can change. Final requirements are determined by ICP, GDRFA Dubai, Amer, or another competent authority. Nexent provides administrative and document coordination support and does not guarantee approval.
