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To get a parents visa in Dubai, you need a monthly salary of at least AED 10,000, an attested tenancy contract and three months of bank statements. GDRFA handles it as a humanitarian residence: a committee reviews each request, and if it is approved you lodge a guarantee of AED 5,000 per request, up to AED 15,000. The residence is valid for one year and renewable.
Parents are a separate GDRFA service
A spouse or child goes through the ordinary family residence. Parents do not. GDRFA puts them under "Issuance of a residence permit for humanitarian cases", with its own rules:
| Point | Spouse or children | Parents |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum salary | AED 4,000, or AED 3,000 plus housing | AED 10,000 |
| Decision | Standard processing | Committee, case by case |
| Expected time | 48 hours | 14 days |
| Guarantee | None listed | AED 5,000 per request, AED 15,000 cap |
| Residence length | Up to the sponsor's visa | One year, renewable |
Source: GDRFA humanitarian residence and family residence service pages, checked .
Because a committee decides, meeting the salary does not guarantee approval. A clean file with every document matters more here than on any other family visa.
Who you can sponsor
Under the humanitarian service GDRFA accepts, for a resident:
- your father and mother;
- your spouse's father and mother;
- your minor brothers and sisters, if they depend on you, and normally only after the parents are sponsored first.
So you can sponsor your in-laws without your spouse being the sponsor. The salary rule is the same AED 10,000.
If you hold a golden visa, the route is different. ICP lets golden visa holders sponsor parents on the golden residence itself. A green visa holder can sponsor first-degree relatives. See our golden visa page if you are close to qualifying, because it can be the simpler path for parents.
Documents GDRFA asks for
| Document | Detail |
|---|---|
| Parents' passport copies | Valid passports, colour photos |
| Salary certificate or employment contract | Must show AED 10,000 a month or more |
| Tenancy contract | Attested; in Dubai, registered on Ejari |
| Bank statements | Your last three months |
| Partners and investors | Partnership agreement, trade licence and partners' annex |
Source: GDRFA humanitarian residence page, checked .
Every parent aged 18 or over, which is every parent, also takes the Dubai medical fitness test. The normal service costs AED 270. Details on our medical test page.
Sponsor parents in Dubai: what the committee looks at
GDRFA does not publish the committee's criteria beyond the conditions above. What you can control is the evidence: a salary certificate that clearly states the full monthly figure, bank statements that show that salary arriving, and housing big enough to look credible for extra adults.
Parents visa Dubai cost
GDRFA fees
| Fee | Parent abroad | Parent in the UAE |
|---|---|---|
| Residence permit | AED 200 | AED 200 |
| Knowledge Dirham and Innovation Dirham | AED 10 + AED 10 | AED 10 + AED 10 |
| Fee for issuing inside the country | none | AED 500 |
| Delivery | AED 20 | AED 20 |
| Guarantee, if approved | AED 5,000 per request | AED 5,000 per request |
Source: GDRFA humanitarian residence service page, checked . The guarantee is capped at AED 15,000 in total.
Other costs
- Medical test: AED 270 normal, AED 700 for VIP in 6 hours.
- Emirates ID: ICP charges AED 100 per year of residence plus an AED 100 smart application fee.
- Health insurance: price lists for family visas include it, and for older parents it is often the biggest yearly item, so get quotes early.
- Typing: typing centers usually charge about AED 100 to 300 per family application.
Typing price range: published price lists of Dubai typing centers, PRO firms and free zones, checked . We did not find a reliable published all-in market range for parents, so we do not quote one.
Renewing every year
The residence lasts one year. Each renewal means a new medical, the fees again and your salary still at AED 10,000 or above. If your income drops, the renewal may fail. Keep the renewal date in your calendar and see our visa renewal page for the general process. After expiry or cancellation the page states a 60-day grace period.
Residence or a visit visa
| Your parents plan to | Better option |
|---|---|
| Visit for a few weeks | Visit visa, see Dubai visit visa |
| Spend winters with you | Visit visas each trip |
| Live with you full time | Humanitarian residence |
| Live with you, and you hold a golden visa | Golden visa family sponsorship |
Where to apply
You can submit on the GDRFA website or app with UAE Pass, at an Amer center, or in person at the Humanitarian Cases Section at Festival Centre. Our Amer centers near you page lists the centers by area.
Preparing your parents' humanitarian file
Send your passport and visa, salary certificate, three months of bank statements, Ejari and your parents' passports. The partner team checks the file against the humanitarian conditions before anything is submitted, because a committee rejection costs weeks, so gaps are fixed first. It then types and submits the request, tracks the committee decision, arranges the guarantee payment, books both medicals and the Emirates ID biometrics and follows the residence to issue. You are spared repeat trips to GDRFA. One total price comes first, with the government fees, the guarantee and the service charge each on its own line.
