New UAE Visit Visa Rules: Minimum Salary Requirements to Sponsor Family and Friends
Residents must earn between Dh4,000 and Dh15,000 monthly to sponsor relatives or friends under the updated UAE visit visa regulations.
The UAE has updated its visit visa regulations, introducing new minimum salary requirements for residents who wish to sponsor family members or friends. The changes, announced by the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP), are part of broader efforts to streamline entry procedures and support the UAE’s economic and social goals.
According to the latest rules, residents can now sponsor relatives up to the third degree or even non-relatives, provided they meet specific monthly income thresholds.
Here’s the breakdown of the new requirements:
- First-degree relatives (father, mother, spouse, son, daughter): Minimum salary Dh4,000 per month.
- Second-degree relatives (siblings, grandparents, grandchildren): Minimum salary Dh8,000 per month.
- Third-degree relatives (uncle, aunt, cousins): Minimum salary Dh8,000 per month.
- Friends (non-relatives): Minimum salary Dh15,000 per month.
Applicants must also provide a valid passport (minimum six months) and a return travel ticket when applying for the visit visa. Proof of relationship will be required for family sponsorships.
The ICP stated that these revisions aim to enhance transparency, attract skilled individuals, and ensure smoother visa processes in alignment with the UAE’s evolving immigration framework.
New Visit Visa Categories and Updates
In addition to salary-based sponsorship, the ICP has introduced four new visit visa categories catering to specialists in artificial intelligence, events, entertainment, cruise ships, and leisure vessels.
A new humanitarian residence permit has also been introduced, allowing eligible individuals to reside in the UAE for one year, with an option for renewal under specific conditions. Furthermore, foreign widows and divorced women can now obtain residency without a sponsor, renewable under defined terms.
The decision also modifies existing visa types, enabling foreign truck drivers to secure single or multiple-entry visas, provided they are sponsored by a transport company and meet financial and health coverage requirements.
Enhancing Quality of Life and Competitiveness
Major General Suhail Saeed Al Khaili, Director General of the ICP, explained that the amendments were based on extensive studies of local, regional, and global residency trends.
He added that the updates reflect feedback from customers and stakeholders, with the goal of “improving quality of life, enhancing trade and transportation, supporting technology sectors, and strengthening the UAE’s competitiveness and economic capability locally, regionally, and internationally.”
The new rules are expected to make the UAE’s visit visa system more adaptable, transparent, and aligned with its Vision 2031 goals of attracting global talent and fostering sustainable growth.