You’ve found your footing in Dubai — got the job, got the apartment, got the Emirates ID. Now you want to bring your family. The first question everyone asks is the same: what’s the family visa price in Dubai, and how much do I actually need to set aside?
The honest answer is that the number you find online is almost always wrong — not because the information is outdated, but because it only quotes government fees and ignores the other four or five costs that land in your lap during the process. A 2-year family visa in Dubai costs between AED 4,500 and AED 6,500 per person when you add everything up. For a spouse plus two children, you’re looking at AED 11,000 to AED 14,000 in year one. Here’s exactly where every dirham goes.
The Minimum Salary You Need Before Costs Even Matter
Before price is relevant, eligibility is. In Dubai, you must earn a minimum of AED 4,000 per month to sponsor a spouse and children — or AED 3,000 per month if your employer formally provides accommodation (a housing allowance doesn’t count; the accommodation must be documented by the employer). This rule was clarified under Cabinet Resolution 65 of 2022 and confirmed by the UAE Government Portal.
Sponsoring parents is a different calculation entirely. Through GDRFA Dubai, the standard threshold is AED 20,000 per month. A humanitarian route exists through Amer centres at AED 10,000 per month, but parent visas under this route are issued with 1-year validity only — not two years — and must be renewed annually.
Women sponsoring a husband face higher thresholds: typically AED 8,000 to AED 10,000 per month, depending on the emirate and profession. These rules were updated in late 2025 when ICP standardised many gender-based provisions, but female sponsors should confirm the current salary requirement directly with GDRFA or an Amer centre before applying, as these thresholds still differ from male sponsor minimums.
Worth knowing before you budget: Golden Visa holders are exempt from all minimum salary requirements and can sponsor family for 5 to 10 years matching their own visa duration. If you hold or are close to qualifying for a Golden Visa, the calculus on family sponsorship changes significantly.
The 2-Year Family Visa Price in Dubai: Every Fee, Itemised
This is where most guides fail you. They quote a single “total” that only includes the GDRFA government fees, then leave you to discover the rest during the application. Below is the complete fee structure for a 2-year family residence visa processed in Dubai through GDRFA and Amer centres, verified against official ICP and GDRFA schedules as of June 2026.
Per-Person Costs: Spouse (Adult Dependent)
| Fee Component | Cost (AED) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Entry permit (from outside UAE) | 500–600 | Paid at application stage |
| Status change (if already in UAE) | 750–1,200 | Replaces entry permit if family is already here |
| Medical fitness test | 300–700 | Required for all dependents aged 18+ |
| Emirates ID (2-year) | 270–370 | Federal ICP fee |
| Residence visa stamping | 500–750 | Core GDRFA issuance fee |
| Amer/typing centre fee | 100–200 | Processing service charge |
| Health insurance (basic, year 1) | 700–1,500 | Mandatory; plan quality varies widely |
| Estimated total per person | AED 3,120–5,320 | Before attestation costs |
Always verify current figures at gdrfad.gov.ae and icp.gov.ae before paying. Fees are subject to change without prior notice.
The Cost Competitors Don’t Tell You About: Attestation
Marriage and birth certificates issued abroad must go through a full attestation chain before GDRFA or ICP will accept them. The chain is: foreign ministry in the home country → UAE embassy in that country → UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) → Arabic legal translation in the UAE. Most agency guides skip this section entirely.
Attestation costs vary by country of origin, but plan for AED 600 to AED 1,200 per document. A marriage certificate plus two birth certificates can add AED 2,000 to AED 3,000 to your total family cost — and that’s before translation fees. This is the line item that blindsides most sponsors during their first family visa application.
Per-Person Costs: Child Under 18
Children skip the medical fitness test, which meaningfully reduces their cost.
| Fee Component | Cost (AED) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Entry permit (from outside UAE) | 500–600 | Not required for newborns born in UAE |
| Status change (if already in UAE) | 750–1,000 | |
| Emirates ID (2-year) | 270–370 | |
| Residence visa stamping | 500–650 | |
| Amer/typing centre fee | 100–200 | |
| Health insurance (basic, year 1) | 500–1,000 | Required; child plans typically cheaper |
| Estimated total per child | AED 1,870–3,420 | Cheaper than spouse — no medical test |
One detail worth flagging for parents of sons: as of 2026, sons can be sponsored up to age 25 (previously 18), provided they are enrolled in an accredited institution. This was updated per the UAE Government Portal and confirmed by Emirates 24/7 in April 2026. Sons above 18 are treated as adults and require a medical fitness test.
What Does a Family of Four Actually Cost in Dubai?
One spouse plus two young children, all arriving from outside the UAE:
| Person | Estimated Total (AED) |
|---|---|
| Spouse | 4,500–5,500 |
| Child 1 (under 18) | 2,500–3,200 |
| Child 2 (under 18) | 2,500–3,200 |
| Marriage certificate attestation | 700–1,200 |
| Birth certificate attestation × 2 | 1,200–2,000 |
| Sponsor file registration (one-time) | 200–250 |
| Total — Year One | AED 11,600–15,350 |
That range is wide because health insurance varies the most. A basic compliant plan for a spouse starts around AED 700 per year; a mid-tier plan for a family of four can run AED 5,000 to AED 8,000 annually. The visa itself doesn’t require a specific insurance tier — it just requires active, valid UAE health coverage. Choosing a bare-minimum plan upfront and upgrading later is a common and practical approach.
Inside UAE vs Outside UAE: The Cost Difference
Whether your family is currently in the UAE on a visit visa or applying from abroad changes the fee structure.
- Applying from outside the UAE: You pay the entry permit fee (AED 500–600 per person) and your family enters, then completes medical and Emirates ID in the UAE within 60 days of arrival.
- Applying from inside the UAE: You skip the entry permit and pay a status change fee instead (AED 750–1,200 per person). This is typically more expensive than the entry permit but avoids travel costs and the complexity of coordinating an entry.
The status change option is faster for families already living in Dubai on a tourist or visit visa. In terms of stress, the most common issue we see with status-change applications is the 60-day deadline pressure — from the moment the new entry permit is issued, all steps (medical, Emirates ID, visa stamping) must be completed within that window or daily fines apply. Build your timeline with that deadline front of mind.
Year Two and Beyond: Renewal Costs
The good news is that renewals are meaningfully cheaper than the first application. You skip the entry permit, the status change fee, and — crucially — you’ve already paid for attestation once.
Per person, expect to pay:
- Residence permit renewal fee: approximately AED 460–740 (GDRFA rate for a 2-year renewal)
- Emirates ID renewal: AED 100 per year of validity (so AED 200 for a 2-year ID)
- Fresh medical fitness test (adults 18+): AED 300–700
- Health insurance renewal: varies by provider
Renewal is roughly AED 1,200–1,800 per adult, and AED 800–1,200 per child who skips the medical. For a spouse plus two children, budget AED 2,800–4,200 for renewal — about half the year-one cost.
Common Mistakes That Cost More Than the Visa Itself
- Submitting unattested documents. GDRFA and ICP will reject unattested foreign marriage or birth certificates. The resubmission delay — usually two to four weeks — has real costs in overstay risk if your family is already in the UAE.
- Assuming a housing allowance counts as employer-provided accommodation. It doesn’t. If you’re relying on the AED 3,000 salary threshold, your employer must formally certify accommodation in writing.
- Missing the 60-day completion window. Daily fines of AED 25 per day apply to expired entry permits beyond the grace window, per GDRFA guidelines. Applications go live the day the entry permit is issued — not the day your family arrives.
- Letting the sponsor’s own visa lapse. If your residence visa expires mid-process, your family’s application stalls. Renew your own visa first.
- Buying health insurance after submission. The visa stamping step requires active health insurance. Order the policy before you reach that stage, not after.
Pros and Cons of Processing Through an Amer Centre vs DIY
Using an Amer Centre (or visa service agency):
- Handles submission, tracking, and coordination across GDRFA, ICP, and medical centres
- Amer centres in Dubai offer extended hours and an express same-day option for an additional AED 100–150
- Reduces risk of rejection from document formatting errors
- Service fee of AED 100–300 per application
Doing it yourself via the ICP Smart Services portal:
- Lower cost — you pay only government fees
- Works well for straightforward cases: clean documents, family outside the UAE, no attestation complications
- Requires you to coordinate multiple authorities and track the 60-day window independently
For a first family visa application with foreign-issued documents, using a professional service is genuinely worth the AED 100–300 per person. The resubmission cost of a rejected application — additional fees, delays, potential overstay risk — is almost always higher than the service fee itself.
AlNomadi Tourism’s Dubai family visa service handles the full process — document review, Amer centre submission, and timeline tracking — so you don’t hit a wall two weeks into the application. Book a consultation if you’d like your documents reviewed before you start.
The Bottom Line on 2-Year Family Visa Price in Dubai
The 2-year family visa price in Dubai is not a single number — it’s a stacked set of charges across four different authorities. For a spouse alone, plan for AED 4,500 to AED 6,500 in year one. For a family of four, budget AED 11,000 to AED 15,000 including attestation. Renewals cost roughly half. The gap between the “headline fee” and the real total usually comes down to attestation, health insurance, and whether your family is applying from inside or outside the UAE.
If your salary meets the AED 4,000 threshold and your documents are in order, the process takes two to three weeks through GDRFA. If it doesn’t — or if any document is missing an attestation stamp — expect it to take longer and cost more. Sort eligibility and documents before the fees, not after. One detail that’s easy to miss: salary and policy thresholds are reviewed periodically, so confirm current requirements directly at u.ae or gdrfad.gov.ae before submitting anything. What’s accurate today may shift with the next regulatory update.
The families who move through this process cleanly are the ones who knew exactly what they were walking into.
FAQ SECTION
1. What is the total 2-year family visa price in Dubai for a spouse and two children? Plan for AED 11,000 to AED 15,000 in year one for a spouse and two children applying from outside the UAE. This includes entry permits, medical fitness tests for adults, Emirates ID fees, visa stamping, health insurance, attestation of marriage and birth certificates, and Amer/typing centre charges. Renewals after two years cost roughly AED 2,800 to AED 4,200 for the same family unit.
2. How much does a 2-year family visa cost per person in Dubai? Per person, a 2-year family residence visa in Dubai costs AED 4,500 to AED 6,500 for an adult dependent and AED 2,500 to AED 3,500 for a child under 18. Children skip the medical fitness test, which accounts for most of the cost difference. These figures include health insurance; the government-only fee portion is significantly lower.
3. What is the minimum salary to sponsor family in Dubai? The minimum monthly salary to sponsor a spouse and children is AED 4,000, or AED 3,000 if your employer formally provides accommodation (a housing allowance doesn’t qualify). To sponsor parents, GDRFA Dubai requires AED 20,000 per month under the standard route, or AED 10,000 per month via the humanitarian route through Amer centres, with parent visas issued for 1 year only.
4. Is the family visa price different if my family is already in the UAE? Yes. If your family is already in the UAE on a visit or tourist visa, you pay a status change fee of AED 750 to AED 1,200 per person instead of an entry permit fee (AED 500 to AED 600). The status change option is usually more expensive but avoids international travel. Either way, the 60-day countdown to complete all steps starts from when the new entry permit is issued.
5. Does the 2-year family visa cost include health insurance? Health insurance is not included in the government fee but is a legal requirement before the visa can be stamped. Basic compliant plans for adults start around AED 700 per year; comprehensive family plans can reach AED 5,000 to AED 8,000 annually. You must hold active UAE health insurance before reaching the stamping stage — policies purchased too late will delay the process.
6. Do I need to attest my marriage certificate for a Dubai family visa? Yes, foreign-issued marriage certificates must be fully attested before GDRFA or ICP will accept them. The attestation chain is: foreign ministry in your home country → UAE Embassy in that country → UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) → Arabic legal translation in the UAE. This process can add AED 700 to AED 1,200 per document and two to six weeks depending on the country of origin.
7. How much does it cost to renew a family visa in Dubai? Renewal is significantly cheaper than the first application because you skip the entry permit, status change, and attestation costs. Per adult, plan for AED 1,200 to AED 1,800; per child under 18, around AED 800 to AED 1,200. You will need a fresh medical fitness test for adults, an Emirates ID renewal, and continued health insurance. For a family of four, budget AED 2,800 to AED 4,200 for a 2-year renewal.
8. Can I sponsor my parents on a 2-year family visa in Dubai? Parent sponsorship follows different rules. The standard GDRFA route requires a salary of AED 20,000 per month; the humanitarian Amer centre route requires AED 10,000. Parent visas are typically issued for 1 year, not 2, and must be renewed annually. A refundable security deposit is also required. If neither income threshold is met, a multi-entry visit visa for parents is a practical alternative allowing multiple annual stays.
9. How long does the 2-year family visa process take in Dubai? With complete and properly attested documents, the process typically takes 2 to 3 weeks from submission through GDRFA or an Amer centre. If documents need attestation or if corrections are required, add 2 to 6 weeks. The 60-day deadline from entry permit issuance to final visa stamp is strict — plan your timeline from day one to avoid fines.
10. Is it worth using a visa service agency for a family visa in Dubai? For most first-time applicants, yes. Service fees range from AED 100 to AED 300 per person, and the value comes from document verification before submission, which prevents the most common cause of delays. If a rejected application requires resubmission, the repeat government fees and delay costs typically exceed the service fee several times over. Straightforward cases with UAE-issued documents and simple employment structures can reasonably be done independently via the ICP Smart Services portal.