How to Sponsor Your Parents in the UAE (2026)

Many expat residents want their parents to live with them in the UAE. It is possible, but parents are treated differently from a spouse or children: the income level is higher, housing must be suitable, and health insurance is required. This guide explains what is commonly asked for, the documents you will need, and how the visa usually works. Requirements can change and vary between emirates, so we confirm the current rule for your case before you pay anything.

Why the rules for parents are stricter

When you sponsor your parents, you take full financial responsibility for them, including their health care. For this reason the authorities ask for a higher income and proof that your home has enough space. The standard family visa rule of AED 4,000 per month only applies to a spouse and children. See our salary requirement guide for the general rule.

Salary and housing commonly required

In Dubai, the levels most commonly cited for sponsoring parents are:

• A monthly salary of around AED 20,000, or
• Around AED 19,000 per month plus a two-bedroom home.

These figures are commonly required, not a guarantee, and other emirates may apply their own conditions. Some applications are also reviewed case by case. We confirm the current rule for your case before you start, so you do not pay for an application that cannot succeed.

Health insurance is required

Each parent must have valid health insurance in the UAE before the residence visa is issued. Policies for older people can have their own terms, so it is worth arranging this early.

Documents you will need

A typical application for parents includes:

• Passport copies of each parent, valid for the required period.
• Your own passport, residence details and Emirates ID.
• Your birth certificate, attested, showing your parents' names. This proves the relationship. If it was issued abroad it must be attested in your home country, by the UAE embassy there, and by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, then translated into Arabic.
• Your tenancy contract (Ejari in Dubai), showing suitable housing.
• Your salary certificate or labour contract, and sometimes bank statements.
• Health insurance for each parent.
• Recent passport-style photos of each parent.

Need help with attestation? Our certificate attestation service handles the full chain.

How the process works

1. Eligibility check: we review your salary, housing and documents against the current rule.
2. Entry permit if your parents are outside the UAE, or a change of status if they are already inside on another visa.
3. Medical fitness test for each parent, because the medical test applies to everyone aged 18 and over.
4. Emirates ID biometrics.
5. Residence issued digitally. UAE residence no longer uses a passport sticker.

A parents residence visa is usually issued for one year and is renewable, as long as you still meet the conditions and their insurance stays valid.

If your parents are visiting you on a tourist or visit visa, it is often possible to change their status inside the country, which saves them a trip home. Plan the timing so their visit visa does not expire before the new residence is issued.

Golden Visa holders

If you hold a UAE Golden Visa, you can sponsor your parents, and the standard salary rules are generally different for you. Insurance and documents are still needed. See our Golden Visa family service.

Start with a free eligibility check

Because the rules for parents are strict, the best first step is a quick check. Send your salary certificate, tenancy contract and your parents' passports to us on WhatsApp, and we will tell you free of charge whether you can apply now. You can also see the exact government fees in our visa calculator.