Expat Alert: Sponsoring family, parents explained

By Eudore R. Chand

DUBAI 13 February 2019: Dubai attracts the world’s top talent and investors and one major reason is the high quality of life families enjoy in the UAE.

With access to most major destinations, family-friendly attractions, excellent schooling options, and a reputation as a safe and secure place to live, the city is popular with people looking to relocate with their families.

Thankfully, just like a company formation in Dubai, sponsoring dependents is generally a straightforward process, allowing families to relocate to the UAE together. Below are some requirements and points to consider when sponsoring dependents in Dubai, according to business set-up firm Decisive Zone.

Recent Changes

Family sponsorship is now more accessible than ever before. As of July 2019, an expat may sponsor their spouse and children as long as they earn a minimum monthly salary of Dh4,000 or Dh3,000, if accommodation is provided by the employer, and subject to certain visa designation restrictions. Additionally, women can more easily sponsor dependents themselves, rather than relying on their husbands or fathers; however, some key differences still exist.

For example, if a woman wants to sponsor her children, she must submit a no-objection certificate from her husband to the authorities. Similarly, widowed and divorced women also have to submit documents as proof of their marital status before they can apply for their children’s visas.

Visa Requirements

Whether it’s a visa from a Dubai free zone or mainland Dubai, expats with valid residence visas may sponsor their spouse and children. Sponsors must also meet minimum income requirements and prove their family relationship by providing authorities with authentic and attested, marriage and birth certificates that have been translated into Arabic.

Visas for Children

For children, expats may sponsor unmarried daughters at any age and may sponsor sons up to the age of 18. Sons aged between 18 and 21 years may be sponsored if they are attending university in the UAE or abroad. But if sponsored children leave the UAE, they must visit once every six months to keep their visas valid. Additionally, parents now have the option of sponsoring sons for one year after they turn 18 or for one year after graduating from secondary school or university.

Family members over the age of 18 must also undergo medical fitness tests at government-approved health centres in the UAE.

Visas for Parents

Some residents also want to sponsor their own parents. Residence visas for parents require a guarantee deposit and proof of medical insurance coverage. Additionally, minimum income requirements are higher, with a required minimum salary of AED 20,000 or AED 19,000 plus a two-bedroom accommodation. Residents must sponsor both parents, if both are living, and show that they have no one to support them in their home country. In case of death or divorce, proof must be provided to the authorities.

A straightforward sponsorship system ensures that the UAE is a welcoming place for families from around the world. With recent changes making it easier than ever to sponsor dependents in Dubai, more and more people are looking to make the UAE their new home.

A company setup in UAE gives residents the ability to take charge of their own residence visa, allowing them to manage their dependents’ visas more effectively. To find out how to start a business in Dubai, contact business consultants in Dubai and in UAE, like Decisive Zone, for more information.