Sponsoring your family in Dubai: who can sponsor whom

A foreign resident of Dubai (man or woman) with a valid residence can sponsor: a spouse (wife or husband); sons under 25; unmarried daughters of any age; and children with special needs of any age. The salary must be at least AED 4,000 a month, or AED 3,000 plus accommodation from the employer, regardless of job title. Suitable housing (Ejari or own property) and proof of kinship (attested marriage and birth certificates) are needed, the family lives with the sponsor, and the family's residence lasts as long as the sponsor's. When the mother sponsors the children, GDRFA asks for the father's no-objection letter. Green residence holders may also sponsor first-degree relatives. Parents, parents-in-law, sons aged 25 and over who are still studying or have graduated, stepchildren, siblings, and some other relatives can be sponsored through GDRFA's 'residence permit for humanitarian cases': for parents and parents-in-law the sponsor needs a salary of at least AED 10,000, an attested tenancy contract suitable for the family size and a 3-month bank statement; the other categories have their own document lists. If approved, a financial guarantee of AED 5,000 per request (at most AED 15,000) is asked; that residence is for one year, renewable, and GDRFA expects about 14 days. A wife and children can also go through this route when the salary is below AED 4,000. Family members aged 18 and over must pass the medical test, and Dubai's health insurance law requires the sponsor to insure the persons he sponsors.