Here is a list of what you have to pay, and what you don't have to pay.

Dubai residents who plan to bring their families to live with them must be thinking about how much the visa procedures and paperwork will cost. A visa application's cost may vary based on both the length of the visa and the age of the applicant's children.

Below we have discussed the documents needed and a list of all the possible fees you will be required to pay during the visa application process. 

Here's what you need to know: 

Documents Required To Start Visa Process:

Attest your documents

1. The process of applying for a visa may require you to attest to a few documents. For instance, your marriage certificate and your children's birth certificates must be attested not only by the government of your home country but also by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MOFAIC) in the UAE.

Cost of attestation: If you go directly to the Ministry for attestation, the cost is Dh160. But getting the attestation done through a typing center may come with a service fee.

2. You will also need your tenancy contract or Ejari at the time of your application. 

Note: To apply for a family visa, you must have a minimum salary of Dh4,000 per month and a valid tenancy contract under the sponsor's name.

As soon as you have all the required documents, you can begin the visa application process.

Here are the documents you must bring with you when applying for a visa:

1. Passport copies of the family members you intend to sponsor. 

2. You will need to present your original passport and Emirates ID card.

3. Attested copies of marriage, death, or divorce certificates will also be needed, as the case may be. For a single mother applying for her children's visa, a death certificate or divorce certificate may be required.

4. Degrees (Attested).

5. Your salary certificate.

6. You need an Ejari (if you live in Dubai) or a tenancy contract (if you live in another emirate).

Charges associated with the visa process:

1. Charges for opening a file: AED 269

Your first charge will be the file opening fee, which is required to open a file with the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) as a sponsor. Please note that this charge does not vary according to the number of family members you sponsor. The charge is imposed only on the sponsoring individual.

You will need to pay only AED 269 if you are sponsoring two or three family members, as you are opening a file as a sponsor.

When you are working for the same company, you will only need to pay this charge once for your family's visa. But when you change jobs, you would have to pay a file opening charge to sponsor your family members once again.

2. Entry permit Charges:  AED 500

Next, you must apply for an entry permit, which your family can use to travel to the UAE.   

If your family is already in the UAE: Even if your family is already in the UAE, you will still need to apply for the permit, which costs AED 1180. Following that, you would need to complete a process called a "change of status."

From the time the permit is issued, it is valid for 60 days. "If the person is outside the UAE, he or she must enter within 60 days, and if they are already inside, they must change their status within 60 days. 

Note: The sponsor has to pay the Entry Permit fee.

3. Change of status Charges: AED 675

You must pay this fee only if your family is in the UAE. If they are not in the UAE, they can fly in on an entry permit and proceed directly to the subsequent step - a medical fitness test.

4. Medical fitness test Charges: AED 320

Medical fitness tests are required for your spouse and your children over the age of 18 as well. The medical fitness test is not required for children under 18 years of age. The charges listed above are for applications that provide results within 24 hours. The cost of a VIP service, which gives you results within four hours, is approximately AED 570.

5. Emirates ID costs: AED 170 for one year, AED 270 for 2 years, and AED 370 for 3 years

Afterward, your family can apply for an Emirates ID. The cost is determined by the duration of your visa. If you are applying for a two-year visa, the Emirates ID costs AED 270. If you are applying for a ten-year Golden Visa, the Emirates ID costs AED1,070.

6. Visa stamping Charges: AED 500

Stamping the visa is the last step in this process. It was recently announced by the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security (ICP) that visas will no longer be stamped on passports, but the Emirates ID will be accepted as the primary proof of residency in the UAE.

Dubai residents, however, will need to get their visa stamped until further notice. Assuming this is the case, your passport will be collected and stamped with a visa, and you will receive it within four working days. The costs mentioned above are inclusive of courier costs.

If you find any errors, please let us know in the comment box. Your suggestions are always welcome.