Dubai for Visitors

Expatriates who have a valid resident visa in UAE can sponsor their parents for a year’s stay by paying a Dh5,000 deposit as guarantee for each parent.But according to new regulations, you cannot sponsor only one of your parents and have to sponsor your father and the mother together, with proof that you are their sole supporter and they have no one to take care of them back home.

If one of your parents has passed away or if you are divorced, you have to show papers to prove that to the Naturalisation and Residency Department, as justification why you want to sponsor only one of your parents.

The son or daughter must also prove he or she is the only supporter of the parents and that there is no one to take care of them back home.

One should apply for the residency visa for parents at the department which issued his or her own resident visa.

The son or the daughter can sponsor the parents or the father and mother-in- law. In order to be able to sponsor your parents or father and mother-in-law, one should have a minimum salary not less than Dh6,000 with accommodation allowance or minimum salary of Dh7,000.
 
They also need to obtain a medical insurance policy for both with a minimum coverage of Dh600 for each, to be renewed each year.

Now besides a medical health check, an HIV test is also needed before applying for the residence visa.

To obtain a residence visa for the parents, one has to show proof to the Naturalisation and Residency Department that there is a humanitarian issue that requires to sponsor them and that the son or daughter are their lone supporters.

The expatriate should also obtain a letter from his or her embassy or consulate certifying that the person is the sole supporter.

The Dh5,000 guarantee deposit will be returned after the parents leave the country and the visa is cancelled or the parent dies.

Procedure

- The UAE has allowed sponsoring the residency of parents because of ‘humanitarian reasons’ as elderly parents should be taken care of by their children, according to the Interior Ministry.

- Earlier, you could sponsor your parent for a residency visa without having to pay  Dh5,000 as refundable guarantee. The new rule implemented few months ago now requires the deposit.

- All expatriates can sponsor their parents but the sponsor’s minimum salary should be Dh6,000, with housing allowance.

- You will now also need a Dh600 medical insurance policy for your parents.

- One can sponsor the father-in-law or mother-in-law, under the same conditions.

- The residence visa for the parents is valid for one year only and should be cancelled or renewed after the end of the validity.

- If you fail to renew or cancel the visa, the parents will be deemed to be illegal overstayers and will have to pay a fine.