Dubai: If you just had a baby, you may be looking for the easiest way in which you can sort out all the paperwork that comes with getting a residency for your newborn.
In Dubai, you can apply for a new residence visa for your child by using the smart services platform offered by Dubai’s General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA). To use the service, you will need to make sure that you have the digital copies of your child’s identification documents, as well as your (or the sponsor’s) documents, too. Here is a step-by-step guide on how you can complete the process.
Get your documents in place
After your child is born, you would firstly need to get their birth certificate and passport issued. It is also helpful to have your UAEPass account set up, as this links your details that are on the government system with the application, making it easier to fill out only the additional details when you start the process.
When you are about to begin the visa application process, it is advisable to have digital copies of all these documents in place, as well as the documents of both parents.
Here is a list of the documents you will need:
- Child’s attested birth certificate. The birth certificate needs to be attested by the UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA).
- Copy of your (sponsor’s) and spouse’s passport with valid residence visa stamped.
- Emirates ID copy of the sponsor
- Passport-sized photograph of the newborn baby.
- Attested marriage certificate of the parents.
- A copy of your registered tenancy contract
- Salary certificate or labour contract
How to apply for a newborn visa online in Dubai
1. Visit gdrfa.gov.ae
2. Click on ‘Services’ from the top menu.
3. Select ‘Residency services’. You will then be asked to log in using your GDRFA account or the UAE Pass.
4. Once you log in, you will be directed to a personal dashboard, which has the details of your residency, as well as any dependents under your sponsorship.
5. Click on ‘New application’ on the right hand corner of the screen.
6. Under the dependents section, select ‘new applicant’ and check ‘New residence entry permit’ and click ‘apply’. You will then be directed to the application form.
7. Enter your salary and Ejari number.
8. Enter your child’s passport details.
9. Enter the address details for Dubai as well as your home country.
10. Click ‘continue’.
11. You will then be asked to upload the following documents:
a. Birth certificate
b. Photograph of the child
c. Salary certificate or labour contract
d. Passport copy of the child
12. Make the payment, as per the duration of the visa you have applied for. For a two-year visa, the total cost for the visa application would be around Dh2,300. (This does not include the Emirates ID cost).
13. Once you have made the payment, you will need to confirm the collection date and time for the passport for the visa to be collected for stamping purpose.
Once the visa is stamped on your passport, you would need to apply for an Emirates ID if you are in Dubai.
Hire the services of a typing centre
If instead of applying for the visa online, you would prefer paying an expert to complete the process for you, you can approach a registered typing centre, which will allow you to simply submit the necessary documents and receive the passport back once the visa is stamped.
“For a newborn baby’s visa, the whole process is complete in seven to eight days. This includes the Emirates ID application process,” Adnan Khan, marketing executive at Siddique Haider Corporate Services Provider told Gulf News.
For a newborn baby’s visa, the whole process is complete in seven to eight days. This includes the Emirates ID application process.
According to Khan, as newborn applicants do not require a medical test or biometric data for Emirates IDs, a parent can simply visit the centre, provide the documents and make the payment, after which they will receive a receipt of the application.
Which documents do I need to submit?
According to Khan, these are the documents required by applicants:
- Original Emirates ID of the sponsor
- Parents’ passport copies
- Birth certificate attested by MOFA
- Attested marriage certificate
- High-resolution digital photograph of the child
- Tenancy contract
- Labour contract
“Once we receive the documents, we type the application for the visa and Emirates ID. Both services are done simultaneously. The cost for a two year visa is approximately Dh3,500, including Emirates ID costs, but the total cost will vary depending on which visa you are applying for. Free zone visas are issued for three years, and you may even have a five- or 10-year visa, so the costs can vary slightly,” Khan added.
