How to apply for family visa in Abu Dhabi?

How to apply for family visa in Abu Dhabi?

If you have an employment visa or businessman visa, you can apply for residency visa for your family, that is your wife and children.

The minimum salary required to apply for family status is AED 5,000 + Accommodation or AED 6,000.

UPDATE: From 02-05-2014, the minimum salary required to sponsor family visa is AED 10,000 (Ten Thousand Dirhams)

UPDATE: As per news reports in Gulf News and Emirates 24/7 the requirement of minimum AED 10000 salary has been reversed.

The procedure for application throughout all the UAE is similar.

However, it is the time taken and the documents required that make the difference.

Document required to apply for wife and children visa in Abu Dhabi:

• Original passports.
• Take original and a copy of Marriage certificate translated into Arabic by a Legal Translation firm. The original should be attested by the respective authorities like UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, attestation by UAE embassy in your respective country and so on.
• Take original marriage certificate and a copy for the file.
• Take original and a copy of Arabic birth certificate for your children. Legal translation and attestation if the certificate was not issued in UAE.
• Copies of the dependents’ passports.
• 2 photograph each for the dependents with white background.
• Your original passport (sponsor’s passport).
• Your original labour contract and salary certificate in Arabic from your Employer.
• UPDATE: Your Tenancy contract with a stamp from Baladiya (Municipality) is to be provided at the time of stamping.  If you are a Dubai Resident, you will need to take the original DEWA bill of the previous month. It is better to also get your tenancy contract attested at Land Department Dubai through Ejari. UPDATE(08-04-2015): Ejari is mandatory. 

Procedure to apply for family visa in Abu Dhabi:

Residence Permit (Entry Permit is required for those outside UAE):

-First, go to an authorised typing centre and request them to for family visa application.
-The Charges for Urgent visa (same day) are AED 260 and Normal (2-3 working days) are AED 160. The costs include typing charges as well.
-Once the typing is done go to the Naturalisation and Expatriate Affairs Department and wait for your turn with the token.
-The officer will verify the documents and upon satisfaction will issue the residency permit to your family. There you will receive the ‘Pink visa.’

If your family is in the country you will have to change the status for which you will again approach the typing centre and request them for application for status change. The charges for this are AED 550 each.

If there are any fines that you have to pay may be for overstaying if the visa was cancelled, you have to pay it now. Per day charges for overstay are AED 25. Inform the typist to type the fine payment application as well, if you have any fines.

Once this is done, go the immigration counter and submit the documents.

Once the application is approved, you now have legal right to stay in the UAE.

The Medical Test:

After this, you will need to carry out medical test at authorised medical centre. Go to the SEHA centre near Al Wahda Mall Abu Dhabi, take the token and wait for your turn.
The medical examination contains blood test and x-ray of the chest and will cost AED 290. There is no medical examination for ages below 18 years.

After the successful Medical Test, you will receive you Fitness certificate in 48 hours. At this time you will also receive an SMS notifying you of the test results.

Health Insurance:

Health Insurance has been made mandatory in Abu Dhabi and you will be required to take insurance for the family, once the medical tests are done.

Emirates ID:

You will then need to apply for Emirates ID if you already do not have. Go to EIDA (Emirates ID) centre and wait for your turn. You should already be having application typed at an authorised typing centre for Emirates ID. Emirates ID will cost you AED 270 per applicant and is mandatory.

The Residence Visa stamping process

While you Emirates ID is under process take your Medical Fitness certificate and approach typing centre for typing to stamp the residence visa on your passport.

Once the typing is completed, visit the immigration department and present the typed form. Take the original passports for this purpose. The officer at the counter will stamp the passports with UAE residence visa. The visas will be stamped immediately for Urgent applications. For normal applications, you will have to collect the passports the following day.

Incase of failed medical examination you will be required to exit the country with immediate effect if you are found unfit post the medical examination.

Location Map to the Abu Dhabi Immigration Department:

View Larger Map

NOTE: The rules and regulations regarding the residency permit change from time to time. You are requested to keep yourselves updated.