Sponsoring a relative in United Arab Emirates

According to the Naturalisation and Residency Department (NRD) law, if the sponsored relative is a female, she should not be less than 25 years of age.

If an expatriate wants to sponsor his wife and children on a visit visa, he should personally apply at the NRD at the emirate which issued him residency visa.

Papers needed

The papers needed are: passport copies of the applicant as well his wife and children, marriage contract attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; attested work contract if working with a private company, or salary certificate if working in the public sector.

The salary of the expatriate should not be less than Dh3,000 per month with accommodation or Dh4,000 per month without accommodation. The applicant need not pay any deposit. He must get an e-gate card.

The e-form application will cost Dh100; another Dh100 if the visa is needed urgently, as well as Dh10 for delivery of the visa through Empost.

If an expatriate wishes to sponsor his parents on a visit visa, the application must be submitted personally at the NRD. The papers required are passport copies and an attested letter from the embassy proving the relationship.

Also needed are: an attested work contract if the person is working in a private company or a salary certificate if working in the government sector. The minimum salary requirements are the same: not less than Dh3,000 per month with accommodation or Dh4,000 per month without accommodation. No deposit is required, but the applicant must get an e-gate card.

If you are sponsoring a relative, a deposit of Dh2,000 is required and the salary must not be less than Dh5,000 per month with accommodation. But if you are sponsoring a brother or sister, the salary and accommodation allowance should be Dh6,000.

An expatriate can also sponsor two friends on visit at a time, but the salary requirements are higher - not less than Dh10,000 and Dh2,000 refundable deposit for each person which is returned after the friends leave the country. One should keep the receipt safely and present it for the refund.

Ceiling for categories

Some of the monthly salary requirements for sponsoring relatives or friends on a visit visa

• Wife or husband's parents or grandparents. Salary must be Dh4,000 or Dh3,000 and accommodation facility.

• Wife or husband's brothers and sisters and their sons and daughters who are less than 18 years. Salary should be Dh5,000 per month and Dh2,000 as deposit.

• Sister's or brother's sons and daughters. Salary must be Dh6,000 and Dh2,000 deposit for those above 18 years.

• Grandsons under 18 years of age. Salary must be Dh4,000 or Dh3,000 with accommodation facility. No deposit is required.

• Adult grandsons. Salary must be Dh6,000 as well as a deposit of Dh2,000.

• Cousin. Salary of Dh8,000 and deposit Dh2,000.

• Wife's minor sons and daughters. Salary of Dh4,000 or Dh3,000 with accommodation facility.

• Wife, sons and daughters. Salary of Dh4,000 or Dh3,000 with accommodation facility.

• A friend. Salary of Dh10,000. One can sponsor only two friends at a time. If there are more, one should justify the reason for the visit of so many friends.

* Source: Gulf News