Bringing your family to the UAE means a separate residence visa for every person — each with its own entry permit, medical test, Emirates ID and insurance. Sponsors are routinely surprised by how the “small” fees stack up. This guide gives you the real per-person cost for 2026, line by line.
The short answer
All-in, budget roughly AED 2,000–4,500 per dependent for the first year, including basic health insurance. A spouse typically costs AED 4,000–6,500 all-in; a child under 18 around AED 3,000–5,000; a newborn AED 1,500–2,500. The biggest swing factors are whether your family applies from inside or outside the UAE, and the insurance tier you choose.
Who can sponsor family?
The headline requirement is income: the sponsor must generally earn at least AED 4,000 a month (some free zones and cases require AED 10,000+). You will also need suitable housing — typically demonstrated with a registered Ejari tenancy contract — and the relationship documents below.
Full cost breakdown per dependent (2-year visa)
| Fee line | Spouse | Child under 18 | Newborn (born in UAE) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sponsor file opening (one-time, per family) | ~AED 230 | — | — |
| Entry permit | ~AED 365–530 | ~AED 365–530 | Not needed |
| Status change (if already inside UAE) | ~AED 530–750 | ~AED 530–750 | Not needed |
| Medical fitness test (18+ only) | AED 320–400 (express up to ~750) | Exempt | Exempt |
| Emirates ID (2-year) | ~AED 370 | ~AED 370 | ~AED 370 |
| Residence visa issuance | ~AED 610 | ~AED 610 | ~AED 610 |
| Health insurance (per year) | AED 650–4,000 | ~AED 650+ | ~AED 650+ |
| Typing / service charges | ~AED 300–500 | ~AED 300–500 | ~AED 300–500 |
| Realistic first-year total | ~AED 4,000–6,500 | ~AED 3,000–5,000 | ~AED 1,500–2,500 |
Inside vs outside the UAE matters
If your family member applies from outside the UAE, the entry permit is the cheaper variant (~AED 365–530). If they are already inside the country (for example on a visit visa), the entry permit costs more (~AED 990–1,150) and you pay a status change of roughly AED 530–750. One provider’s comparison puts an outside-UAE adult at roughly AED 1,376 in government fees versus about AED 2,656 inside. If timing allows, having family enter on the entry permit is the cheaper path.
The hidden costs: documents
The fees above assume your paperwork is ready. Getting it ready costs money too:
- Marriage certificate attestation: roughly AED 500–1,200
- Birth certificate attestation (per child): roughly AED 300–800
- Certified translations (if documents are not in English or Arabic): varies by provider
Start attestations early — they are the most common cause of delays, and delays inside the UAE can mean extra status-change or visit-visa-extension costs.
Health insurance: the real variable
Insurance is mandatory for every visa holder and it is where budgets diverge most:
- Basic compliant cover: from around AED 650 a year per person
- Mid-range family cover: roughly AED 1,500–4,000 per person per year
- Parents: significantly more — often AED 4,000–15,000+ a year, higher with pre-existing conditions
Check what the plan actually covers before buying cheap: hospital network, maternity, dental and chronic-condition limits vary enormously.
Sponsoring parents: the special case
Parents follow the same process with two extras: a refundable security deposit of roughly AED 2,000–5,000 per parent (held by immigration, returned when the visa is finally cancelled), and the higher insurance noted above. You will also need to prove you are their sole supporter in most cases.
How long does it take?
With documents ready, a straightforward spouse or child visa typically completes in one to three weeks: entry permit (a few days), medical and biometrics (a day or two), then visa issuance. Attestation delays are the usual bottleneck — not the government processing.
The application process, step by step
- Get your documents attested — marriage and birth certificates, translated if needed. Do this first; it is the slowest step.
- Open the sponsor file — a one-time file per family (around AED 230), done at an Amer centre or online via ICP.
- Apply for the entry permit — issued in a few working days once the file is open.
- Medical fitness test — for everyone 18 and over, at an approved medical centre. Standard results take a day or two; express same-day options cost more.
- Emirates ID biometrics — fingerprints and photo at an ICP centre; the card itself follows by courier or post-office collection.
- Residence visa issuance — the final stamping, now digital and linked to the Emirates ID rather than a passport sticker.
Do the steps in this order and a straightforward case completes in one to three weeks.
Renewal: what year two costs
Renewal is cheaper than year one: no entry permit, no status change, no attestation. Budget roughly the Emirates ID renewal (priced by validity — about AED 200 for one year, AED 300 for two), a fresh medical test for adults (AED 320–400), the visa renewal fee itself, and — the big one — another year of health insurance. All-in, renewal typically runs AED 1,500–3,000 per person plus insurance.
Get Your Exact Number
Family visas are one line in a much bigger move. Run the free MoveWise UAE calculator for your full year-one family budget — visas, school fees, housing and the move-in cash you will need on day one.
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Comparing emirates for your family? See our comparison page and the practical moving checklist.
FAQs
How much does a family visa cost in the UAE in 2026?
Roughly AED 2,000–4,500 per dependent all-in for the first year including basic insurance. A spouse realistically costs AED 4,000–6,500; a child under 18 around AED 3,000–5,000; a newborn AED 1,500–2,500. Costs run higher if family members are already inside the UAE when you apply.
What is the minimum salary to sponsor family in Dubai?
Generally AED 4,000 a month, though some free zones and specific cases require AED 10,000 or more. You must also show suitable accommodation, usually via a registered Ejari tenancy contract.
Do children need a medical test for a UAE family visa?
No — children under 18 are exempt from the medical fitness test. They still need an entry permit, Emirates ID and residence visa issuance, plus mandatory health insurance.
How much is health insurance for family visa holders?
Basic compliant plans start from around AED 650 per person per year. Realistic mid-range family cover is roughly AED 1,500–4,000 per person annually; parents cost significantly more.
Can a mother sponsor her children in the UAE?
Yes. The rules now allow mothers to sponsor children, subject to the same income and housing requirements as fathers. Check current GDRFA/ICP guidance for your emirate, as documentation requirements can differ.
What happens if my family is already in the UAE on a visit visa?
You can still sponsor them, but it costs more: the inside-UAE entry permit runs around AED 990–1,150 plus a status-change fee of roughly AED 530–750 per person. Factor this in before deciding whether they should exit and re-enter on the entry permit instead.