UAE is not just a popular tourist destination but a hub of opportunities too. The country’s ever-growing economy, world-class infrastructure, and great lifestyle make it an ideal destination to relocate to for a lot of ex-pat families around the world.
As a family looking to move to the UAE, below are the 3 types of visas you’ll probably need to apply for. We have listed below all the essential info you would need in order to apply for these visas.
Employment Visa UAE
The Employment Visa UAE is also referred to as the pink visa. If you’ve been hired by a company in the UAE, you’ll need to apply for an employment visa.
The employer acts as the sponsor of the employee for the visa application.
The employer on behalf of the employee will need to apply for a visa quota approval from the Ministry of Labor (MOL) and submit an employment contract signed by the employee to the MOL.
The Ministry then approves the work application and then issues an employment entry visa. The employee will then have 2 months to enter the UAE.
Upon entering the UAE, the employee will have 60 days to obtain a residence visa, via the GDFRA.
Employment Visa Documents Required
✓Valid passport & its photocopy (should be valid for at least six months)
✓Passport-size photo
✓Photocopy of education certificates required for the job (attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the applicant’s home country).
Child Visa UAE
To apply for a child visa in the UAE, an ex-pat parent (with valid UAE Residency) will have to act as a sponsor.
Child Visa Requirements:
- Men looking to sponsor their children should have a minimum salary of AED 3000/month or AED 4000/month plus accommodation.
- Women can also sponsor their children if they’re working as engineers, teachers, doctors, nurses or work within the medical sector and have a minimum salary of AED 10,000/month or AED 8000/month plus accommodation.
- Women who don’t work within the above-mentioned sectors may still apply for family sponsorship if their monthly salary is above AED 10,000/month. They must also take special permission from DNRD.
To start the application for a child visa UAE, the sponsor must first fill out an application form (which can be filled out at a typing center near you). The cost of the form may vary depending on the center.
Once the form is filled, a list of documents has to be submitted to the General Department for Residency and Foreign Affairs (GDRFA).
Child’s Documents
✓ Birth Certificate of the child to be sponsored. The Birth Certificate has to be translated into Arabic and attested by the UAE Embassy.
✓ Passport-size photo
✓ Valid passport & its photocopy (should be valid for at least six months)
Parent’s Documents
✓ Marriage Certificate, attested by the UAE Embassy.
✓ No Objection Certificate (NOC). In cases where the mother is the one sponsoring the child and not the Father, the husband has to sign a NOC to the mother’s petition to sponsor the child.
✓ A copy of the parent’s tenancy contract or rental agreement attested by the Real Estate Regulatory Authority online system.
✓ Sponsor’s Bank Statement for the last 3 months
✓ UAE ID card of Sponsor
✓ Salary certificate of Sponsor
✓ Labour Contract of Father (if the Father is in UAE).
After submitting the necessary documents and getting approval. the sponsor would be issued a temporary residence permit for the child, during which he/she has to undergo a medical fitness test.
After getting the results of the tests (usually within 2 working days), the applicant has to go to a Typing center to change the child’s visa from Temporary Residence to Permanent Residence Visa.
Following this, the applicant can then apply for an Emirates ID for the child and then return to the GDRFA for the stamping of the passport and visa.
Spouse Visa UAE
This is a type of Family Visa UAE for ex-pats who wish to bring their partner to the UAE. The procedure for applying for a Spouse Visa UAE is very similar to the application procedure for a Child Visa.
An application form is filled out at a typing center. Then, the necessary documents will be submitted to a GDRFA office. Once approved, a temporary residence permit will be granted to the spouse.
After the spouse clears his/her medical exam, they can apply for Permanent Residence Visa UAE, Emirates ID, and then return to the GDRFA for stamping.
Spouse Visa Requirements:
- Minimum salary of 4000 AED/month or 3000 AED/month plus accommodation, if the husband is the sponsor
- Minimum salary of 10,000 AED/month or 8000 AED/month plus accommodation, if the wife is the sponsor
Spouse visa Documents Required
✓Salary Certificate of Sponsor in Arabic
✓Marriage Certificate (Attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
✓Accommodation or Tenancy Contract of Sponsor
✓Attested University Diploma of Sponsor
✓Photo of Sponsor’s passport
✓Photo of Sponsor’s visa page
✓Photocopy of Dependent’s passport
✓Passport-size photograph of sponsor
For all the residence visas mentioned above, the applicants must clear a medical test for HIV & pulmonary tuberculosis.
