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A Dubai Parents Visa is a legal residency card that allows Dubai residents to sponsor their parents for a legal stay there. It is regulated by the Dubai General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) following the Executive Regulation of Law No. 29 of 2021 on Entry and Residence of Foreigners. The GDRFA provides visas with different validity periods, allowing parents to obtain 1 to 10 years of residency. The validity period depends on the sponsor’s visa type, income, housing eligibility, and, of course, the will of the sponsor if they hold a Golden Visa. For instance, the Sponsor person with a Golden visa is allowed to get a parent’s visa for 10 years, requiring the sponsor’s salary of around AED 20,000 with valid housing.
However, after fulfilling the eligibility criteria, specific regulations and requirements have to be fulfilled regarding parents, including parents’ health insurance, medical tests, and proof of relationship. Once you fulfil all the requirements that we mention below, as per the visa you have, getting a parent’s visa in Dubai is an easy process that supports expatriates. The main steps include applying for an entry permit, submitting required documents, paying fees, completing medical tests, activating insurance, registering biometrics, and final visa stamping.
The cost of a parent visa depends on the validity time, the insurance you choose, and the type of visa you have. However, on average, the parents’ visa costs AED 3000 – AED 10000. This is an approximation. To get the exact cost, you can consult directly with our visa consultants. Similarly, the time required to acquire the visa varies; however, on average, it takes from 7-15 business days.
Once the Dubai Parents Visa is granted, your parents gain a stable and secure legal stay in the UAE. They can access healthcare and insurance, enjoy easy entry and exit travel rights, and benefit from financial relief through tax-free living. However, your parents can enjoy these perks until the validity ends; after that, you have to review the visa if you want them to continue. Understanding the step-by-step processes and the reasons for rejection, including incorrect details, an invalid passport, previous overstay, and unpaid fines, helps to avoid rejection.
In this guide, we have covered everything you need to know before sponsoring your parents in Dubai. These include eligibility criteria, types of visas available and their requirements, application process, costs, benefits, and common reasons for rejection. But still, if you feel uncomfortable, feel free to contact us for help.
What is a Dubai Parents Visa?
A Dubai Parents Visa is a type of family residence visa that allows you to sponsor your parents in Dubai, granting them legal residency of 1-10 years, typically issued after the sponsor fulfils the minimum salary requirement of AED 4,000, along with providing a tenancy contract (Ejari), while parents need to have full health insurance and medical fitness clearance. The validity of a parent’s visa depends on the visa of the sponsoring person. For example, a standard visa is valid for up to three years, while a Golden Visa offers a 10-year residency permit.
What types of visas are available for parents in Dubai?
Dubai offers a standard one-year Parent Residence Visa, a Tourist Visa, and a long-term Parents Golden Visa (10 years) for parents sponsored by their children. The type of visa you choose depends on how long you want them to stay and what facilities you need. For instance, a Standard Visa requires renewal every 2–3 years, a Tourist Visa every 30–60 days, and a Golden Visa every 10 years. The main 3 types are provided below.
- Standard Visa
- Tourist Visa
- Golden Visa
Standard Visa
A Standard Sponsored Visa allows your parents to live with you for a steady period. The stay lasts for 2–3 years. However, to get the visa, parents must show proof of dependency and pass a medical test. Along with this, sponsors need a salary of about AED 10,000 and valid housing. The benefit is steady residency access with clear renewal cycles used by thousands of UAE families each year.
Tourist Visa
A tourist-sponsored visa is suitable for short family visits lasting 30–60 days. However, to obtain that, parents need a passport valid for at least six months and confirmed return tickets. Additionally, the sponsors have to provide an Emirates ID and financial proof. The benefit is quick entry processing, with over 4 million tourist visas issued annually for short medical visits and family stays.
Golden Visa
A Golden Sponsored Visa lasts for 10 years. To meet these conditions, parents must have valid medical insurance and clean health records. In addition, sponsors are required to fulfil Golden Visa criteria, including a minimum salary of AED 30,000 or specialist professional status, depending on how they obtained the Golden Visa. Consequently, families gain stable residency, access to standard healthcare, and freedom from annual renewals.
Who is eligible to sponsor parents in Dubai?
UAE residents, Golden Visa holders, employees who meet the income limit, business owners with active residency, and sponsors who can prove full responsibility for their parents are eligible to apply for a Dubai Parents Visa.
- Golden Visa holders
- Employees who meet the income limit
- Business owners with active residency
Golden Visa holders
Golden visa holders have to fulfil the following requirements to sponsor their parents in Dubai for 10 years.
- Valid ten-year Golden Visa
- Attested parent relationship proof
- Parents’ valid passport copies
- Mandatory health insurance coverage
- Evidence of financial dependence
- Housing contract or ownership
- Passed the UAE medical fitness
Employees who meet the income limit
Employees have to fulfil the requirements below to sponsor their parents in Dubai for one year.
- Minimum monthly salary of AED 20,000.
- Valid UAE residency and active employment.
- Salary certificate and recent bank statements.
- Ejari or tenancy contract proving suitable housing.
- Proof that parents depend on the sponsor.
- Both parents must be sponsored together unless exempt.
- Full health insurance and medical fitness testing for parents.
Business owners with active residency
Business owners have to fulfil the requirements below to sponsor their parents in Dubai for 1-3 years.
- Valid UAE residence visa based on business ownership.
- Valid trade license proving the business is active.
- Minimum monthly income of AED 20,000 or equivalent profits.
- Company bank statements show steady income.
- Ejari or tenancy contract proving suitable housing.
- Proof that parents depend on the sponsor.
- Full medical insurance and medical fitness tests for parents.
What are the legal requirements for a parent’s visa in Dubai?
The legal requirements for a parent’s visa in Dubai vary depending on the sponsor person visa type. However, a common requirement across all is that the monthly income of the sponsor sho
uld reach the sponsorship threshold. Below are 8 common requirements for obtaining a parent’s visa.
- A valid UAE residency held by the sponsor.
- Minimum income that meets Dubai’s parent-sponsorship limit.
- Proof that the parents depend fully on the sponsor.
- Both parents must be sponsored together unless a valid exception is proven.
- A tenancy contract or Ejari showing suitable housing.
- Health insurance coverage was purchased for both parents.
- Medical fitness tests completed in Dubai.
- An attested birth certificate proving the sponsor–parent relationship
What documents are needed to apply for a Dubai Parents Visa?
The documents needed to apply for a Dubai Parents Visa include parents’ passport copies, proof of relationship, and the sponsor’s salary certificate. On top of that, medical insurance for each parent is required, and official documents are required if sponsoring only one parent due to death or divorce.
- Passport copies of parents.
- Proof of relationship (birth certificate).
- Salary certificate of the sponsor.
- Medical insurance policy for each parent.
- Official documents if sponsoring only one parent due to death or divorce
Step-by-step process to apply for a Dubai Parents Visa
The process of sponsoring parents for a Dubai visa involves several clear steps. First, ensure you meet all eligibility and income requirements and collect all required documents for yourself and your parents. Next, apply for the entry permit online or at Amer and submit all documents proving your eligibility. Then, pay the visa fees, deposit, and processing charges.
After approval, parents can travel to Dubai, complete medical fitness tests, activate mandatory health insurance, and register biometrics at the Emirates ID centre. Finally, submit the residency application and wait for the visa to be stamped in your passport. To help you in a much better way, the Felix Happich team has come up with 11 clear steps. These include
- Make sure you meet all eligibility and income requirements.
- Collect all required documents for yourself and your parents.
- Apply for the entry permit online or at Amer.
- Submit all documents and proof showing your eligibility.
- Pay the visa fees, deposit, and processing charges.
- Parents can travel to Dubai after entry permit approval.
- Parents complete medical fitness tests at an approved centre.
- Make sure mandatory health insurance is active for parents.
- Register your parents’ biometrics at the Emirates ID centre.
- Submit the final residency application with all documents.
- Wait for the visa to be stamped in passports.
How much does a Dubai Parents Visa cost?
The cost of a parent’s visa in Dubai is not fixed, as it depends on the visa type and health insurance. Along with these, some fixed cost steps include Medical examination, Emirates ID and Visa stamping and entry permit. However, our team has gathered average estimations based on years of experience, and the total estimated cost per parent is AED 3,818 to AED 9,088. The main cost-covering steps are provided below.
| Cost Item | Estimated Amount (AED) |
|---|---|
| Visa package | 3,000 (single parent) |
| Health insurance | 1,500–3,000 per person |
| Medical examination | 300–500 per person |
| Emirates ID | 250–450 per person |
| Visa stamping and entry permit | 500–1,000 each |
| Sponsor file and Tasheera | 268–1,138 per person |
How long does it take to get a Dubai Parents Visa?
It takes 7 to 15 working days to get a Dubai Parents Visa if every step is performed legally and properly. The time varies based on different factors, including document completeness, medical tests, insurance activation, entry permit, biometrics, and any previous visa or legal issues. As per visa experts, as reported by a Gulf News reporter, the process usually takes 7 working days, or about one week. The main time stamps are:
| Step | Estimated Time |
|---|---|
| Entry Permit Issuance | 2–5 working days |
| Medical Fitness Test & Emirates ID Biometrics | 2–3 working days |
| Visa Stamping (residence permit) & Emirates ID Issuance | 3–7 working days |
| Total Estimated Time | 7–15 working days |
What are the benefits of a visa for parents in Dubai?
A parent visa in Dubai offers many benefits, including stable residency, easy travel, strong healthcare access, and long-term security. It also keeps your family close, which reduces stress and supports daily care and comfort. Here are seven common benefits:
- Stable and secure legal stay for parents
- Access to strong healthcare and insurance
- Easy entry and exit travel rights
- Financial relief through tax-free living
- Better chances for long-term residency
- Access to the UAE government services easily
- Close family support and emotional comfort
What are the reasons for parents’ visa rejection?
The reasons for parents’ visa rejection are incorrect details, invalid passports, overstays, unpaid fines, visa violations, insufficient proof, or security issues. Along with this, if you are unfamiliar with the process, you will mix up the steps, making the process complex, leading towards rejection. But our consultants have collected the 7 core reasons why a visa gets rejected in Dubai, i which you can avoid to enjoy a tension-free process. These include.
- Incomplete or incorrect details provided.
- The passport is not valid enough for visa application approval.
- A previous overstay on a UAE visa causes application rejection.
- Unpaid fines or ongoing legal issues block approval.
- Violations of previous work visas affect new applications.
- Family visa rejected because the relationship proof is insufficient.
- Criminal record or security concerns prevent visa approval.
What is the difference between a Dubai Parents Visa and a standard residency visa?
The main differences between a Dubai Parents Visa and a standard residency visa include that a Dubai Parents Visa is for the long-term stay of parents with strict income and housing rules, while a standard residency visa is shorter, for work, study, or family, and has standard eligibility based on visa type. The table below provides the key differences between the two.
| Feature | Dubai Parents Visa | Standard Residency Visa |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Purpose | Long-term stay for parents | General stay for work, study, or family |
| Term | 5 or 10 years | 1 to 3 years |
| Sponsorship | Sponsored by a resident child | Sponsored by an employer or a family member |
| Renewal | Renewed for 1 or 10 years | Renewal depends on job or family ties |
| Visa Stability | Depends on the sponsor person visa | Depends on the visa type you have |
| Eligibility Rules | Strict income and housing rules | Standard requirements based on visa type |
What is the difference between a Parents Visa and a Parents-in-law Visa?
The main differences between a Parents Visa and a Parents-in-law Visa include that a Parents Visa is for sponsoring your own mother and father with birth certificate proof, while a Parents-in-law Visa is for your spouse’s parents and requires a marriage certificate and often a no-objection letter. The main differences between the two are provided in the table below.
| Feature | Parents Visa | Parents-in-law Visa |
|---|---|---|
| Who You Sponsor | Your own mother and father | Your spouse’s mother and father |
| Proof Required | Birth certificate showing parent–child link | Marriage certificate plus spouse’s birth certificate |
| Extra Requirement | None | No-objection letter from spouse (often required) |
| Sponsor Eligibility | Your income, housing, and support affidavit | Same rules, but applied through you on behalf of your spouse |
| Responsibility | You take full responsibility | You take full responsibility for the in-laws |
FAQs
Yes, you can sponsor both parents together in Dubai. In fact, employees must sponsor both at the same time as per the official government portal.
The minimum salary requirement for sponsoring parents is mentioned as AED 20,000 per month, as per the Executive Regulation of Law No. 29 of 2021 on Entry and Residence of Foreigners.
Yes, health insurance is mandatory to apply for a parent’s visa in Dubai.
A security deposit of AED 2,000 per parent is required for the Dubai Parents Visa.
Yes, female expatriates are allowed to sponsor their parents as long as they meet the salary and other requirements.
