How to apply for your family's visa in the UAE?
The visa application process for your family explained with all the documents needed
Dubai – Millions of workers and businessmen have made UAE their home and if you are new to the UAE, it is important to know how to apply for your family’s residence visa.
Whether your family is already in the country on a visit visa or in another country, here is a step-by-step process of all you need to know and do to apply for their visa.
Dubai
In Dubai, the visa process is managed by Amer services, by the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA). Once your Dubai employment visa is stamped, make sure you have the following documents and certificates:
Step 1 - Get your documents in order
These are the documents you will require:
- For sponsoring your spouse, marriage certificate attested by your home country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- If you are sponsoring your children, original birth certificates of children attested by the relevant authorities.
- Copy of valid passport of family members. The passport needs to be valid for at least 6 months.
- Passport-sized photograph. NOTE: For visa and Emirates ID applications, the photograph needs to be taken on a white background, with ears, forehead to chin completely visible.
- A copy of your registered tenancy contract
- If you are sponsoring your parents, you need to have at least a two-bedroom flat and a minimum salary of Dh20,000 a month.
- If a woman is sponsoring her husband, the husband’s passport copy will also be required.
For applicants who were already residents of the UAE and are simply changing jobs, it is important to keep old Emirates IDs that were issued to your family members as well.
Step 2 – Visit an Amer centre
Once you have all the documents in place, visit an Amer service centre with your (sponsor’s) original Emirates ID.
What is an Amer centre and where can I find one?
- Visit a branch. Branches of the Amer service centres can be found across the emirate, with many shopping malls also having centres that provide all the necessary information.
- You can also access the services online via www.amer247.com, which is run by a semi-government organisation, providing services related to visa, Emirates ID and medical testing applications.
- There is also an app for ‘Amer GDRFAD’ on Apple appstore and the Google Playstore
Once the process is initiated by Amer services, it takes 48 hours to receive an e-visa, which will be sent to your registered email address.
Saleem Ahmed Rahmatullah, a public relations officer with a Dubai-based company, spoke to Gulf News about the process and said that once the e-visa has been processed, there are three ways in which you can apply for your family’s residence visa.
- If your family is not in the country, the normal e-visa will be issued and your family can enter the country on the e-visa.
- If they are already in the country, either on a visit visa or an old residence visa, you will need to exit the country and enter it using the e-visa.
- Alternatively, you could place a request at the Amer centre for change of visa without exit.
Charges
- File opening charges - Dh269
- Normal e-visa (when the family is outside the UAE) – Dh500 entry permit.
- If your family is in the country, entry permit is for Dh1,170 for each member you are sponsoring
- If you choose the third option, you will need to pay an additional fee of Dh670 per person for ‘change of status’.
Next, at the Amer centre, go to the typing services and ask for a medical test application and Emirates ID application.
Step 3 – Get the medical test done
"When requesting for the medical test application at the Amer centre, mention which Dubai Health Authority (DHA) medical fitness centre is closest to your home, or most convenient for you to visit as this will be mentioned in the application," Rahmatullah said.
Important note: Some Dubai Health Authority medical fitness centres are open for longer hours. Find out which service centre would be most convenient for you to visit. You can find a list of the medical fitness centres here.
Take the application to the DHA health centre, where you will need to first get your blood test and x-ray done. Applicants are tested for HIV, tuberculosis, Hepatits B and in some occupations syphilis.
Charges:
- Regular application - Dh320 (where the medical test results come within five working days)
- Urgent – Dh410 (where the medical test results come within 48 hours)
- VIP - Dh750 (where the medical test results come within four hours)
Once the medical test results are in, you will be notified via email on your registered email address.
For any medical test related queries, you can call the Dubai Health Authority on 800 342
Step 4 – Get the Emirates ID
Take the Emirates ID application, which was typed at the Amer centre, to a Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship centre. A list of all the centres is provided here.
Take the following documents with you:
- Emirates ID application of the family members
- Your original Emirates ID
- Photograph of your family members
If you have never had your Emirates ID made, you will need to provide biometric data like your finger print and an iris scan. This is only applicable for people 18 years and above.
Charges
- Dh270- for two year
- And Dh370 for three years
Step 5 – Get the health insurance
Health insurance is mandatory in Dubai and family members need to get at least a basic health cover – referred to in Dubai as the Essential Benefits Plan. To know more about how to get your health insurance, read our detailed report here.
Step 6 – Get the visa stamped
The final step is to get your visa stamped on the passport. For it, you will need to visit the Amer centre with the following documents:
- Medical fitness report
- Emirates ID application
- Original passport of the family members
- Health insurance papers
- Your (sponsor’s) original Emirates ID
Charges
- Regular - Dh460 (You will get the passport with the stamped visa in three to four working days)
- Urgent - Dh560 (Same day stamping, but the sponsor will need to go to the Immigration service)
Rahmatullah told Gulf News that once an application has been sent for typing, the applicant will receive a call from the authorised courier service – Zajel – for your passport to be collected. You will also receive an SMS on your registered mobile number with the Zajel airway bill number.
"Once the visa is stamped, the passport will be returned to you through the same courier service," he added.
Other emirates
The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs manages the visa application process for Abu Dhabi and all other emirates.
Step 1 - Get the entry permit
In other emirates, the entry permit or e-visa is referred to as the tasheera.
To apply for the tasheera, you can either visit a typing centre or apply for the visa online. You will need the following documents:
- For sponsoring your spouse, marriage certificate attested by your home country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- If you are sponsoring your children, original birth certificates of children attested by the relevant authorities.
- Copy of valid passport of family members. The passport needs to be valid for at least 6 months.
- Passport-sized photograph. NOTE: For visa and Emirates ID applications, the photograph needs to be taken on a white background, with ears, forehead to chin completely visible.
- copy of your registered tenancy contract
If you would like to apply online, visit https://echannels.moi.gov.ae and click on the 'Individual Services' option. Once you enter your email address, you will get an email with the link for registration.
Follow the steps required to apply for the tasheera or entry permit.
Once the application has been submitted, you will get the tasheera in two working days.
Charges
- Normal tasheera (when the family is outside the UAE) – Dh500 entry permit.
- If your family is in the country, tasheera is for Dh1,170 for each member you are sponsoring. They will need to exit the country and enter on the tasheera.
- Or, you can pay an additional fee of Dh670 per person for ‘change of status’ without the need to exit the country.
NOTE: Even though you have the option to apply online, the process can be quite detailed and if you prefer paying a little extra to get the application done by a professional typing centre, you can do so for a fee of Dh50.
Step 2 – Apply for Emirates ID
To apply for the Emirates ID, you will again need to go to a typing centre to fill out the application.
Once the application is filled out, visit a Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship centre with the following documents:
- Original passport of each family member
- Original photograph
- Sponsor’s visa copy and Emirates ID
- Any old Emirates IDs issued to the members (for previous residents of UAE)
Past residents of the UAE simply need to provide their Emirates ID and do not need to provide biometric data.
New applicants will be scanned for biometric data like finger print and iris scan.
Biometric scan is not required for children under 18.
Charges
- Dh270- for two year
- And Dh370 for three years
Step 3 – Medical test
If you are applying for the visa in Abu Dhabi, visit a Health Authority of Abu Dhabi Medical Fitness Centre.
A list of all the HAAD screening centres can be found here: https://www.haad.ae
Charges
- Dh250 per person
For all other emirates, visit a Ministry of Health and Prevention centre.
A list of all the medical fitness centres can be found here: https://www.mohap.gov.ae/
Charges
- Dh110 per person
Step 4 - Health insurance
Health insurance is mandatory in Abu Dhabi. For other emirates, you can skip to step 5. However, it is advisable to get health coverage, even if it is a basic health insurance plan, as medical costs during emergencies can mount quickly.
For medical insurance in Abu Dhabi, visit a Health Authority of Abu Dhabi health centre or contact Abu Dhabi’s National Health Insurance Company – Daman.
Charges
Apart from the insurance premium, you will need to pay:
- Dh250 per person
- Dh500 for same day processing
Step 5 – Get the visa stamped
You will then need to visit a typing centre again with the following documents:
- Your (sponsor’s) passport copy and visa copy
- Original passport of family members
- Stamped Emirates ID application
- Health insurance papers (for Abu Dhabi)
Even though more recently health insurance and Emirates ID systems have been linked to the immigration services, it is better to carry all copies in case they are requested for by the immigration department.
The typist will then fill out the visa stamping application.
Charges
- Dh400 per person for stamping visa.
- Dh500 for same day stamping (the sponsor will need to go to the immigration office to get the visa stamped on the passport/s)
Once the visa stamping application has been submitted, you will need to pay an additional Dh35 for Empost delivery service.
The passport, with the stamped visa will be delivered to you through the courier service.