Dubai: Thinking of sponsoring your husband on your visa? Whether you have a full-time job in the UAE or you are a businesswoman, you can sponsor your husband’s residence visa as long as you fulfil certain eligibility criteria.
In Dubai, visas are issued by the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) Dubai. Here is a detailed guide on how you can sponsor your husband in Dubai.
Can a wife sponsor her husband?
Yes, as long as you meet the salary criteria.
"A wife sponsoring her husband and children, should be earning at least Dh3,500 and have proof of accommodation," Abdulhusen Munpurwala, Business Development Manager at PRO Deskk Document Clearing Services LLC, said. He added that some applicants may be required to pay a security deposit in certain cases.
The requirement for a deposit depends on the profession or designation of the sponsor. This is not always required, and the decision is taken on a case-to-case basis by the authority and each application is reviewed by the immigration authorities. To know more about when you might need to put in a warranty deposit for a visa, read our detailed guide here.
A wife sponsoring her husband and children, should be earning at least Dh3,500 and have proof of accommodation
Where can I go to apply for the visa?
You can apply for the visa through:
1. Amer centres
2. A registered typing cenre
3. Online, through DubaiNow.
Which documents do I need to sponsor my husband?
Before applying for the visa, you first need to ensure you have the following documents with you:
• Emirates ID of the sponsor (wife)
• Passport copies of the husband and wife.
• Wife’s salary certificate and labour contract.
• Tenancy contract or Ejari registered under the wife’s name
• Husband’s passport photo with white background.
• Attested marriage certificate and translated in Arabic. How do I get documents translated in Arabic in the UAE? Click here
• Copy of husband’s entry permit or residence visa, as applicable
• International Bank Account Number (IBAN) Number
How to apply for the visa
Step 1: Apply for an entry permit
If your husband is outside the UAE, you will first need to visit an Amer centre or a registered typing centre and apply for an entry permit. Your husband can travel to the UAE on this entry permit, and you can then complete the steps to apply for a residence visa. If he is inside the UAE, you can still apply for an entry permit and will also need to complete a process called ‘change status’, which allows an applicant to receive an entry permit from the immigration authorities while he or she is already inside the country.
Step 2: Fill out the visa application
You then need to apply for a visa application, which can also be done at the Amer centre or typing centre. While filling out the visa application, you can also get the application for your medical fitness test typed out, which will assist you in the next step.
Step 3: Get a medical fitness test done
Your husband then needs to get a medical fitness test done at a DHA Medical Fitness test centre near you. Read our deatiled guide here on how to apply for a medical test in the UAE.
Step 4: Apply for Emirates ID
You then need to fill out an Emirates ID application form, which can be done at an Amer Centre or typing centre. However, if this is the first time that your husband is getting a residence visa in the UAE, he would need to provide his thumb print for the biometric data. If he has a previous visa issued in the UAE, he would not be required to provide his biometric data, as it would already be available in the ICP database.
When applying for the Emirates ID, you will be asked to provide your address for the Emirates ID to be delivered to you.
Step 5: Apply for health insurance
Health insurance is mandatory in Dubai, after the Dubai Health Insurance Law that came into effect in January 2014. According to the law, the health insurance is supposed to be provided by the sponsor.
However, if you are working with a company in Dubai, you may also check your employment contract to find out if your company offers spouse insurance, as part of its company policy. If it does, you can ask them to apply for your spouse’s health insurance. If not, you would need to apply for the insurance policy yourself. To know more about how you can apply for health insurance in the UAE, read our guide here.
Step 6: Receive your Emirates ID
Once the process is complete, you will then receive your Emirates ID and your visa application process is complete.
What is the cost of residence visa application process?
• Entry permit if the husband is inside the country – Dh1,138
• Entry permit for outside the country – Dh492
• Cost for changing status – Dh642
• Medical Fitness Test – approximately Dh300
• Health insurance – varies depending on your policy coverage
