UAE Family Visa Cost: Full Breakdown

Sponsoring your family for a UAE residence visa is one of the most common questions for expats – and the cost is rarely a single number. It is the sum of several government fees per dependant, plus health insurance and a refundable deposit, and it changes depending on who you sponsor and which emirate you are in. This guide breaks down what a UAE family visa actually costs, the salary you need to sponsor, and how to keep the total down. For the step-by-step process, see our UAE family visa sponsorship guide.

Quick answer

The cost of a UAE family visa is made up of per-dependant government fees (entry permit, status change or stamping, medical test, Emirates ID), plus health insurance and a refundable deposit. As an indicative guide, budget in the region of a few thousand dirhams per family member for the government portion, with health insurance and any typing-centre or agent service on top. Because the exact fees depend on the emirate, the dependant, and whether you apply from inside or outside the UAE, use the UAE visa cost calculator for an estimate tailored to your case.

What you pay for: the cost components

A family visa is not one fee but a stack of them, charged for each dependant:

• Entry permit – allows the family member to enter or remain while the visa is processed;
• Status change (if applying from inside the UAE) or visa stamping;
• Medical fitness test – required for dependants over a certain age;
• Emirates ID – issued for the residence period (typically 2 years for family);
• Health insurance – mandatory, and a major variable in the total;
• Refundable deposit – some cases require a deposit held by immigration;
• Attestation and translation – for marriage and birth certificates, if not already done;
• Typing centre or PRO service fee – if you use one rather than applying yourself.

The government portion per dependant is usually the smaller part; health insurance is often the item that moves the total the most, because premiums vary widely by age and coverage.

Salary required to sponsor family in the UAE

Cost is not the only requirement – you must also meet a minimum salary to be eligible to sponsor. As a general rule, sponsoring a spouse and children requires a minimum salary of around AED 4,000 (or about AED 3,000 plus employer-provided accommodation). Sponsoring parents is treated differently and requires a substantially higher salary (commonly cited around AED 20,000) plus specific conditions and insurance for them. These thresholds and conditions can change and vary by case, so confirm your eligibility before budgeting. Our minimum salary for family sponsorship page covers this in detail.

Cost per dependant and worked example

Because most fees are charged per person, the total scales with family size. A single spouse costs one set of fees; a spouse plus two children roughly triples the per-dependant government portion, and each person needs their own health insurance. So the practical way to budget is: estimate the per-dependant government fees, multiply by the number of dependants, then add each person’s insurance premium and any service fee. For a family of three or four, insurance can easily be the largest line, especially for older dependants. The visa cost calculator lets you model this by number of dependants.

Applying from inside vs outside the UAE

Where your family applies from affects the cost. If they are already in the UAE (for example on a tourist visa), you pay a status change fee to switch to residence without leaving. If they are abroad, you pay for an entry permit and they enter on it before completing the medical and Emirates ID inside the country. Neither route is always cheaper – it depends on flights, the status-change fee, and timing – but knowing which applies to you avoids a surprise line on the bill.

How to keep the cost down

There are legitimate ways to reduce a family visa bill. Compare health insurance plans, since a compliant plan that meets the minimum requirement can cost far less than a premium one. Get your marriage and birth certificates attested early and in your home country where possible, as last-minute attestation in the UAE is more expensive. Decide honestly whether you need a PRO or typing service or can handle the application yourself through the official channels. And time the applications together where practical to avoid repeating steps. Avoid the false economy of an insurance plan that does not meet requirements, because a rejected application costs more to redo.

Renewal cost

Family visas are typically issued for two years and must be renewed. Renewal repeats most of the same components – medical, Emirates ID, insurance and stamping – so budget for a similar (sometimes slightly lower) cost every two years per dependant, with health insurance renewal again being the main variable. Building the renewal into your budget from the start avoids being caught out when it comes due.

Next steps

For the full process – documents, where to apply, and timelines – see the UAE family visa sponsorship guide, estimate your total with the visa cost calculator, and compare other visa costs in our UAE visa cost guide. If you would like help, Emirae can connect you with support through Visa and Residency.

FAQ

How much does a UAE family visa cost?

A family visa is the sum of per-dependant government fees (entry permit, status change or stamping, medical test, Emirates ID), plus mandatory health insurance and any refundable deposit. As an indicative guide, budget a few thousand dirhams per family member for the government portion, with insurance and any service fee on top. Use the visa cost calculator for an estimate tailored to your case.

What salary do I need to sponsor my family in the UAE?

As a general rule, sponsoring a spouse and children requires a minimum salary of around AED 4,000 (or about AED 3,000 plus employer-provided accommodation). Sponsoring parents requires a substantially higher salary, commonly cited around AED 20,000, plus specific conditions. These thresholds can change and vary by case, so confirm your eligibility.

Why does the cost depend on the number of family members?

Because most fees – entry permit, medical, Emirates ID, insurance – are charged per person. A spouse plus two children roughly triples the per-dependant government portion, and each person needs their own health insurance, which is often the largest single line for a family.

Is it cheaper to sponsor family from inside or outside the UAE?

It depends. If your family is already in the UAE you pay a status-change fee to switch to residence without leaving; if they are abroad you pay for an entry permit. Neither is always cheaper – it depends on flights, the status-change fee and timing.

How much does it cost to renew a UAE family visa?

Family visas are usually issued for two years. Renewal repeats most components – medical, Emirates ID, insurance and stamping – so budget a similar cost every two years per dependant, with health insurance renewal the main variable.