According to regulations in place in the UAE, parents of expats living in Dubai may join their families. In order to do so, they must be sponsored by their child, son-in-law or daughter-in-law who holds a valid residency visa and who otherwise meets the qualifying criteria.

Each application for sponsorship is subject to the approval of the Dubai Naturalization and Residency Department. After approval, there are two options available, depending on the length of the planned visit.

Visit Visa

Parents can obtain a short-term (30-day) visit visa or long-term (90-day) visit visa. Application consists of standard documents, but the sponsoring child or step child also needs to prove the relationship with parents.

Depending on whether the sponsoring foreigner is working in a Free Zone or not, either an original labor contract or original salary certificate may be requested. A deposit for each parent is also necessary, which is refundable once they leave the country and their visa is canceled.
Please contact Move One for a detailed list of required documents.

Both short- and long-term visit visas can be changed to residency visas if needed. Once entry visas have been issued, parents will have 60 days to enter the country. Conversion to a residency visa must take place no later than 30 days (in case of short-term visit visa) or 90 days (in case of long-term visit visa) from their date of entry. Both parents must go for a standard medical check before the final residency visa stamp may be obtained.

Residency Visa

Residency visa is a recommended solution in case of longer stays. It is usually valid for one year, and is renewable yearly.

Regulations require both parents to be sponsored together. In case where one parent is deceased, this needs to be documented by an attested death certificate. Parents who are divorced must provide an attested divorce certificate.

The application package should include standard documents plus additional confirmation of the relationship as well as documents confirming that sponsor is a sole provider for the family. Sponsor also has to prove ability to financially support parents and provide accommodation which has to be supported with appropriate documentation.

Our articles are for informational purposes only. Should you have any further questions regarding immigration issues, please do not hesitate to contact your global Move One immigration specialist, or send an e-mail to immigration@moveoneinc.com.