How Can a Child Get Dubai Residence Visa?

Attestation February 5, 2020

Dubai is a beautiful country with a rich history and a modern lifestyle. 80% of the population of Dubai comprises expatriates. Hence, it is natural that a person employed in Dubai would want to provide his/her children with a good education, proper healthcare and a high standard of living. If you are an expatriate and want to sponsor your child, there are quite a few formalities and paperwork to be completed in order to get a residence visa for Dubai.

Dubai has different rules for sponsorship of a male child and a female child, so you should be careful. In this article, you will find out various criteria for a child to obtain a residence visa, certain eligibility criteria for the sponsor, procedure to apply for a residence visa, and fees incurred at various stages.

Eligibility for a sponsor

First of all, in order to be eligible to sponsor your children, the sponsor, i.e., the parent, should be eligible according to the below mentioned certain criteria i.e.

The parent must have a valid employment visa
The parent must have a minimum income of AED 4000 or AED 3000+ accommodation, in a month, to prove that they can bear the expense of the child.

Under the new visa rules, the occupation of the sponsor is not a criterion for sponsoring the family as long as the sponsor can meet the threshold regarding the minimum monthly income. Earlier, only select professions were allowed to sponsor a family member.

Eligibility for the child

There are certain criteria which the child opting for a residence visa, must fulfill:-

In the case the child being sponsored is a daughter, she must be unmarried. In the case of sponsoring a son, he must be under the age of 18. In the child being sponsored is a son and is presently studying in Dubai or abroad, then his residence visa can be availed until he attains the age of 21 years. In both cases, valid proof must be submitted to the authorities.
If the child being sponsored is a son and is studying abroad, then he must enter Dubai at least once every 6 months. This is because the residence visa, in this case, is valid only up to a year. The son must renew his visa every year and provide corresponding proof of his education every time an application for a resident visa is made. The renewing cost is AED 100.
The sponsor has 60 days after the entry of the child to apply for a residence visa. Since the entry into Dubai is done with an entry permit.
The residence visa in Dubai is granted for various durations like 1,2, or 3 years. This depends upon various factors, one of which is the employment situation of the sponsor.
Children over the age of 18 years are required to go through a fitness examination under which the applicant is tested for infections like HIV and pulmonary tuberculosis. If the applicant is found positive for anyone of them, he/she will not be granted a residence visa and will be deported. In the case of dormant tuberculosis, the applicant will be given a residence visa for one year subject to regular medical check-ups. This is why it is suggested that the applicant get themselves tested before their arrival in Dubai.

If the sponsor is a woman

If the sponsor is a woman, she must take care of some conditions:-

The sponsor must have a residence visa and a minimum monthly salary of AED 10,000 or AED 8000+ accommodation.
She must belong to these professions: engineer, teacher, doctor, nurse, or any medical profession. Otherwise, she is required to obtain special permission from the General Directorate of Residency and Foreign Affairs before she applies for the sponsorship.
She needs to provide an NOC (No-objection certificate) from the father of the children, giving her permission to sponsor the child. In the case of sponsoring a stepchild, written permission from the biological parent of the child must be produced.
If she is a single mother, she can also apply for a residence visa.

Here is a list of all documents required for a child residence visa:

Birth certificate of the child attested by competent authorities.
Copies of the passport of the child
Photographs
Medical clearance certificate if the applicant is over the age of 18
Salary statement of the sponsor issued by his/her employer
Ongoing tenancy contract
Employment contract
Sponsor’s residence visa(copy and original)
International bank account number of the person sponsoring
Passport copies of the sponsor
Recent utility bill

The procedure

In order to apply for a residence visa for your child, the process is stated step-by-
step here:

Fill the application at a registered typing center and make copies.
In relevant cases, apply for a medical test at a registered typing center.
Submit the documents at the GDRFA office at the Family entry permit counter.
Change the visa status from ‘temporary residence’ to ‘permanent residence’ at the typing center.
Apply for an Emirates ID for the child.
After the result of medical tests, submit the applicant’s passport at the GDFRA for the visa stamp on the passport. The passport can be collected after 4-5 days, or you could get it delivered to your address at a small fee.