Oct 21, 2025

How to Sponsor Your Family in the UAE: A Friendly Guide for Expats

Bringing them here is about peace of mind- Seeing your kids laugh at the dinner table or sharing morning tea with your spouse turns an empty apartment into a home.

That’s where family sponsorship in the UAE comes in. It’s a structured process that lets you legally bring your loved ones to live with you in the UAE. Sounds complicated? It can be—but only if you try to do everything alone. Many expats today save time and stress by letting professionals handle their attestation and documentation from start to finish.

**Who can sponsor a family in the UAE?**

Employers and employees with a valid UAE residence visa can sponsor their families regardless of their job titles. You should earn a minimum salary of AED 4,000 or AED 3,000 plus accommodation. Clearing the medical fitness examination applies to all those who have completed the age of 18.

Who Can You Bring Along?

So, who exactly qualifies as “family” under UAE law?

Spouse and Children
Parents
Exceptional Cases

What Documents Do You Need?

Paperwork may feel endless, but having everything ready saves days of stress. Here’s your checklist:

Passports (sponsor + dependents)
Passport-sized photos
Emirates ID (sponsor)
Attested marriage certificate
Attested birth certificates for children
Tenancy contract/Ejari
Salary certificate or labour contract
Medical insurance cards

Every certificate used for family sponsorship must be attested—especially if issued outside the UAE. This step confirms that your documents are genuine and recognized by local authorities.

Quick PRO simplifies this process with fast-track verification, secure document handling, and end-to-end tracking. No courier confusion or lost papers—they keep you updated at every stage.

The Step-by-Step Sponsorship Process

Let’s walk through the actual process:

Apply for an Entry Permit

If your family is outside the UAE, you’ll need an entry permit before they travel. This is applied online or through a typing center.

Medical Fitness Test

All dependents above 18 must complete a medical test at an approved center once they arrive.

Emirates ID Registration

Biometrics and ID registration follow the medical test.

Health Insurance

Every dependent must be covered under medical insurance.

Visa Stamping

Finally, the residence visa is stamped on the passport—marking the official start of their stay in the UAE.

It usually takes 1–2 weeks if your documents are ready and properly attested. Missing even a single attestation can delay everything—sometimes for months. Many expats now rely on expert attestation services like Quick PRO can handle these steps in parallel, avoiding last-minute setbacks.

Before you begin, ask your company if they’ll cover or refund some visa expenses. Many do, but most people never ask. A small question can save you a few hundred dirhams.

Keeping Your Family Visa Active

In the UAE, family visas usually last one to three years. The duration depends on your job type and sponsor visa. Renewal isn’t hard, but it’s easy to forget small details.

Before the expiry date sneaks up, check a few things—Is your Ejari renewed? Is your insurance still valid? Does your salary slip meet the requirement? If yes, you’re good to go.

If not, fix them first. And here’s something most expats don’t realize—any updated document might need re-attestation. When you change jobs or shift to a new place, those new papers need to be verified again. Quick Attestation handles these updates quickly. You send the documents, and they take care of the rest—no chasing, no confusion.

Some common challenges people usually face

At times, even with the best preparation, things can go other way. These are the little snags that often cause delays:

One missing attestation stamp. Maybe your marriage certificate wasn’t stamped by the embassy or MOFA.
Expired tenancy. Your Ejari must be active. Always.
Salary mismatch. Check the latest requirement; it sometimes changes.
Old insurance card. Each dependent needs valid coverage at the time of renewal.

These sound minor, but they can stop the process cold. The smart move? Let a professional team double-check everything before you apply. Quick Attestation’s team keeps an eye out for such gaps. They update you regularly, so nothing slips through unnoticed.

Simple Ways to Make the Process Smoother

Here’s what people who’ve done this a few times will tell you:

Always keep digital and hard copies of your attested documents.
Translate non-English or non-Arabic papers before attestation.
Use authorized centers—don’t risk random online agents.
If you’re working long hours, hand the attestation process over to a trusted team.

They manage the complete process very well—from embassy approval to MOFA stamping—and keep you updated real time. Imagine staying at work or home while someone else handles the paperwork. Sounds better, right?

Sponsoring your family isn’t just paperwork. It’s an emotional step—your way of turning the UAE into a real home. That first hug at the airport, the laughter at dinner—it all starts with a few documents done right.

So, start early. Keep every file updated. And most importantly, don’t skip attestation. One small missing seal can delay your joy for weeks.

Need a hand with attestation or visa paperwork?

Reach out to Quick PRO—your dependable partner for quick, secure, and smooth document processing anywhere in the UAE.

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