Visit visa for relatives of Dubai residents: fees, deposit and documents

Dubai residents can sponsor a relative or friend on a visit visa from the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA), valid 30, 60 or 90 days, single or multiple entry. A 30-day single-entry visa costs about AED 310 in fees plus a refundable AED 1,000 deposit, and GDRFA processes it in 48 hours.

This page follows the two GDRFA Dubai service pages for a relative or friend. It is general information, not legal advice; GDRFA notes the total can vary with the visitor’s circumstances.

The fees

Worked examples

Each total adds the visa fee, 5% VAT on it, medical insurance and the AED 60 deposit fees, using the GDRFA figures above. The deposit itself is shown separately because it is refundable.

If the visitor is already in the UAE, add the AED 500 inside-country fee and the two AED 10 fees: a 30-day single-entry visa then comes to 310 + 520 = AED 830 before the deposit. Try other combinations with the Dubai visit visa cost calculator.

Who can be sponsored

• A relative or friend of a UAE citizen or of a foreign resident.
• You must attach proof of the relationship and the reason for the visit, and pay the financial deposit.
• A foreign wife visiting her husband who is a GCC citizen must first hold a valid residence permit in the husband’s country.

Federal conditions published by ICP

The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) publishes further conditions for its own visit visa for a relative or friend. The GDRFA Dubai pages do not list them, so check what your application asks for:

ICP also lists valid UAE health insurance and a return ticket, says the holder must enter within 60 days of the permit being issued, and allows extensions as long as the total stay does not exceed 120 days. ICP announced the income thresholds on 29 September 2025.

Documents

• Personal photos of the visitor.
• A copy of the visitor’s passport, valid for at least 6 months.
• Marriage contract and birth certificate, to prove the relationship where relevant.
• Your salary certificate (government, semi-government or free zone employers), your employment contract (private companies), or a partnership contract if you are a partner.
• For some nationalities (Iraq, Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan), the national ID card from the home country.

How to apply, step by step

Online, 24/7

1. Log in to the GDRFA website or app with UAE Pass or a username.
2. Search for the visit visa for a relative or friend (single or multiple entry).
3. Fill in the application and upload the documents.
4. Pay the fees and deposit.

In person

At a GDRFA Customer Happiness Centre or an AMER service centre during its working hours: take a queue ticket, submit the application with the documents, and pay. GDRFA gives 48 hours to complete the service.

Common mistakes

• A passport close to expiry. The visitor’s passport must be valid for at least 6 months.
• Budgeting without the deposit. The AED 1,000 or AED 2,000 deposit is paid on top of the fees.
• Missing proof of relationship. GDRFA asks for proof of the relationship and the reason for the visit.
• Forgetting the home-country ID for visitors from Iraq, Pakistan, Iran or Afghanistan.

Frequently asked questions

Single or multiple entry?

A multiple-entry visa lets the visitor leave and come back during its validity, but costs more and needs a AED 2,000 deposit instead of AED 1,000.

How long does it take?

GDRFA lists 48 hours.

What if the visitor stays too long?

Fines apply: see UAE overstay fines. For a longer stay, compare the family residence visa.

Does my visitor need this visa at all?

Some nationalities can enter without arranging a visa in advance: see do I need a visa for Dubai. More guides are in rights for UAE residents.

Checked against the GDRFA Dubai service pages on 5 October 2026. GDRFA notes the total may vary with the visitor’s circumstances. General information, not legal advice. See our editorial policy.