Key takeaways
- GDRFA Dubai lists a resident's father and mother under its residence for humanitarian cases, provided the condition of dependency is met; a committee reviews each request.
- For parents, GDRFA Dubai asks for a salary of at least AED 10,000, an attested tenancy contract and three months of bank statements.
- Upon approval, GDRFA Dubai requires an AED 5,000 security deposit for each request, with the total capped at AED 15,000.
- Golden and Blue residents can sponsor parents for 10 years, renewable (Golden under the regulation's annex, Blue per ICP); Green residents can bring first-degree relatives.
- The UAE government portal says parents' residence is granted yearly, regardless of how long the sponsor's own visa runs.
Who can sponsor a UAE residence visa for parents
Who can sponsor depends on your own residence. Cabinet Resolution No. 65 of 2022, the Executive Regulation of the entry and residence law, covers Golden, Green and citizen sponsors; GDRFA Dubai and ICP set out the rest.
| Your residence | What the official source says about parents | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Resident in Dubai | One-year renewable residence for your father and mother if they depend on you; each request reviewed by a committee | GDRFA Dubai |
| Resident in another emirate | u.ae says a resident can sponsor parents yearly; ICP asks for proof of kinship when parents are brought | u.ae; ICP |
| Green resident | May bring first-degree relatives; family residence can't outlast yours | Cabinet Resolution 65/2022, Art. 54 |
| Golden resident | Spouse, children regardless of age and parents, 10 years renewable | Cabinet Resolution 65/2022, Golden annex; ICP |
| Blue resident | Spouse, children regardless of age and parents, 10 years renewable | ICP |
| UAE citizen | Foreign-passport parent, five-year residence | Cabinet Resolution 65/2022, Art. 56; u.ae |
Under the regulation's Golden residence annex, the holder must support the family without government support and keep valid health insurance for themselves and their family. Compare the routes in our golden visa benefits and blue visa guides.
Dubai parents visa requirements and ICP's conditions
GDRFA Dubai processes a resident's parents under its residence permit for humanitarian cases. It covers the father, mother and minor siblings, provided the condition of dependency is fulfilled. For parents, it asks for:
- Salary. A salary certificate (government sector) or employment contract (private sector) showing a minimum salary of AED 10,000.
- Housing. A copy of an attested tenancy contract suitable for the number of family members. Dubai tenancies are registered through Ejari; see ejari registration.
- Bank statements. The last three months.
- Partners and investors. The partnership agreement, trade license and partners' annex as well.
- Security deposit. Upon approval, AED 5,000 for each request, with the total capped at AED 15,000.
GDRFA Dubai's FAQ pages add that both parents are sponsored together unless one has died or they are divorced, and list an affidavit letter from the sponsor's consulate for parents. Those pages are undated, so confirm both points when you apply.
Outside Dubai, ICP's Issuing Residency Permit page asks a resident sponsor for a valid residence, a monthly family income of at least AED 4,000 (or AED 3,000 with employer housing), suitable housing, proof of kinship and valid health insurance. Its family list for ordinary residents names the spouse and children, and it shows no separate income figure for parents, so check eligibility with ICP before you apply.
Documents, attestation, insurance and medical test
- Your parents' documents. Passport copies and a recent photo with a white background, as GDRFA Dubai's residence services list.
- Proof of kinship. Usually your own birth certificate naming your parents. MOFA says documents issued abroad are attested by the issuing country's foreign ministry, the UAE embassy there, then MOFA in the UAE, in English or Arabic or with an official translation. See birth certificate attestation.
- Your documents. Passport, Emirates ID, salary proof, tenancy contract and bank statements; see family visa documents.
- Health insurance. Article 37 of the Executive Regulation requires health coverage throughout the stay, and ICP lists valid health insurance among its documents.
- Medical test. Dubai's family residence steps include a medical fitness test for members above 18; see our medical fitness test guide.
Parents visa fees in Dubai and the other emirates
GDRFA Dubai issues Dubai residence and ICP covers the other emirates, and each publishes its own fees.
| Authority and service | Fees listed | Expected time |
|---|---|---|
| GDRFA Dubai: residence for humanitarian cases (parents) | AED 200 residence permit fee, AED 10 Knowledge Dirham, AED 10 Innovation Dirham, AED 20 delivery; plus AED 500 if your parent is inside the UAE | 14 days |
| GDRFA Dubai: security deposit | AED 5,000 for each request upon approval, total capped at AED 15,000 | Paid on approval |
| GDRFA Dubai: renewal of humanitarian-case residence | AED 200 renewal fee, AED 10 Knowledge Dirham, AED 10 Innovation Dirham, AED 20 delivery | 5 days |
| ICP (other emirates): issuing a residence permit | AED 100 application, AED 100 a year issuance, AED 100 smart service, AED 20 financial security deposit fee; AED 500 status adjustment if applying inside the UAE | 2 days |
ICP also lists a deposit for an investor's family of AED 3,000 per member, up to AED 15,000, but none specific to parents. The medical test, Emirates ID and insurance cost extra; check the total on your payment voucher.
How to sponsor your parents, step by step
- 1. Check your route. Dubai residents apply to GDRFA Dubai; the other emirates apply to ICP.
- 2. Prepare and attest documents. Attest the proof of kinship first.
- 3. Submit the application. GDRFA Dubai takes it through its smart services (UAE PASS) or an Amer service center, and a committee reviews it.
- 4. Pay the deposit and fees. In Dubai, the AED 5,000 deposit is due upon approval.
- 5. Entry permit or inside the country. Dubai's family steps start with an entry permit; if your parents are already in the UAE, GDRFA Dubai's AED 500 inside-country fee or ICP's AED 500 status adjustment applies.
- 6. Medical test, residence and Emirates ID. Dubai's family steps end with the residence visa and the Emirates ID application.
Global Sky PRO prepares and submits family residence applications to GDRFA Dubai and ICP and follows them up; the authority decides each one. See our family visa service.
Renewal and what happens if your visa is canceled
The UAE government portal says parents' residence is granted yearly, regardless of the duration of the sponsor's visa, so you renew every year. GDRFA Dubai's renewal service keeps the same father, mother and dependency condition.
Your parents' residence depends on yours. The UAE government portal says canceling the sponsor's visa requires canceling the dependents' visas, and a sponsor who neither renews nor cancels one could be fined. Grace periods differ by source:
- GDRFA Dubai. 60 days on its humanitarian-case residence page.
- ICP. 60 days for residence issued with a sponsor or host; 180 days for Golden, Green and Blue residents and their families.
- UAE government portal. Six months for dependents.
Confirm the end date on the cancellation record. If a Golden or Blue resident dies, ICP says dependent family members may stay for the validity of their residence.
Sources
- GDRFA Dubai: Issuance of a residence permit for humanitarian cases
- GDRFA Dubai: Renewal of a residence permit for humanitarian cases
- ICP: Issuing residency permit (Arabic)
- ICP: UAE Golden Residency
- ICP: UAE Blue Residency
- UAE Legislation: Cabinet Resolution No. 65 of 2022, Executive Regulation of the entry and residence of foreigners law
- UAE government portal: Sponsorship requirements for family residence
Official sources checked on 13 November 2026. This guide explains published rules in plain English and is not legal or tax advice. Rules change; we check the current position for your case before you act.