The UAE Cabinet announced landmark changes to the country’s visa rules. The amendments were on the family sponsorship policies for expatriates living and working in the UAE. This opens up the opportunity for more expats to be reunited with their families.
Can a single mother sponsor children in UAE?
The new family visa rules in the UAE state that female residents, regardless of marital status, can sponsor their families, provided that they fulfill the conditions. This includes:
- A monthly salary of not less than Dhs 4,000 or Dhs 3,500 with accommodation
- A residency permit stating the sponsor is a doctor, nurse, engineer, teacher, or any profession that is related to the healthcare sector
Note: for women who aren’t employed in the aforementioned categories, the General Directorate of Residency & Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) has to be sought for their approval. Mothers can sponsor their children eighteen years of age or below. For a son who’s studying in UAE, he may be sponsored up to the age of twenty-one provided there is proof submitted to the GDRFA that he’s studying.
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What documents are required for sponsoring children of mothers in Dubai?
When it is the mother that applies for the residency visa of her children, the requirements are different as opposed to when the applicant is the father. For single and/or divorced mothers, they are advised to seek PRO visa services in Dubai. Professional PRO services in Dubai can help compile the requirements, which include the following:
- Divorce judgment – the divorce judgment must confirm the children’s custody awarded to the mother applying for a family visa. The same has to go through the proper process of document attestation in the home country and in UAE, especially with the UAE Ministry/Dept of Foreign Affairs.
- Translation of the divorce judgment – if the document is not in Arabic, it has to be translated legally by an official translator in UAE. The official translation must also be attested by the UAE Ministry of Justice.
- Birth certificates of the children – the birth certificates of the kids must be attested by the appropriate departments, including the UAE Ministry/Dept of Foreign Affairs, Department of Foreign Affairs in the home country of the applicants, and UAE embassy in the home country of applicants. It’s also recommended to have the attested birth certificates officially translated to Arabic. Legal translation must be attested by the UAE Ministry of Justice.
- Copies of the mother’s tenancy contract (registered with Ejari) or proof of ownership of property anywhere in the UAE
- If the mother or applicant isn’t a doctor, teacher, engineer, or nurse, original bank statements for the previous three months must be presented to the GDFRA (the original bank statements must be duly stamped by issuing bank where the salary of an applicant is credited monthly; printed online bank statements are not allowed)
- IBAN number of the mother/applicant
- Salary certificate (for an applicant that works in the government sector or free zone) or a labor contract (for an applicant working in UAE’s private sector)
- Original passport and Emirates ID of applicant/mother
- Copies of passports of sponsored children
- Recent photos of the sponsored children against a crisp white background (must be colored and passport-sized)
- An updated or annotated marriage certificate of a mother/applicant (document must be properly attested by all relevant government ministries)
- Application to sponsor visas of dependents (online or through any registered typing office)
- Medical clearance certificate of sponsored children
- A certified no-objection certificate (NOC) issued by the father of the children (applicable for married and unmarried women)
The no-objection certificate is among the most important documents to submit to the GDFRA when sponsoring children in the UAE. Additional documents may be asked by authorities, depending on the circumstances of the applicants. To verify the complete and updated list of requirements for sponsoring children in UAE, we suggest you consult with experts offering PRO services in Dubai.
How long is the validity of a family-sponsored residency visa in the UAE?
The duration of a residency visa will depend on the kind of sponsor and the individual that is sponsored. It’s typically valid for a year. Visas can be renewed, with the renewal subject to conditions that are similar to the policies for processing fresh visas.
Family-sponsored residency visas are linked to residency permits of sponsoring expatriates. Should the residency permit of the mother get cancelled, the residency visas of the dependent will have to be cancelled.
Dependents are granted 30 days as a grace period from the cancellation date of their visas or date of expiry for obtaining new residence permits. Should a sponsor fail in renewing or cancelling visas of dependents, dependents will be deemed as illegal residents liable to pay substantial fines.
To know more about PRO services in Dubai, UAE, call us here in FAR Consulting Middle East today!
