UAE Family Sponsorship Visa Tool
For Nigerians. Check sponsor eligibility and estimate total visa costs instantly.
Two pathways covered: (1) a UAE resident inviting you as a visitor, and (2) you as a UAE resident sponsoring your family to live with you. Select your situation below.
Document Attestation: The Step Most People Underestimate
Common Mistakes in UAE Sponsorship Applications
Two Different Things Nigerians Search For
When Nigerians ask about “UAE family sponsorship,” they usually mean one of two completely different situations. The first is: a friend or family member already living in the UAE wants to invite them for a visit. The second is: they themselves are living in the UAE and want to bring their spouse, children, or parents to live with them. The requirements, costs, and timelines are entirely different for each. This tool covers both.
How the Tool Calculates Results
Visit Visa (Being Invited by Someone in UAE)
The tool checks whether the person in UAE meets the minimum income threshold to legally sponsor your visit. UAE immigration sets different salary floors depending on your relationship to the sponsor:
Second/third-degree relatives (grandparents, cousins, aunts): AED 8,000/month required
Friends (no family relationship): AED 15,000/month required
Visit Visa Fee (per person) = AED 200 (30-day) / AED 300 (60-day) / AED 400 (90-day) + 5% VAT
Security Deposit per visitor = AED 1,000 (refundable)
Total Cost (NGN) = (Visa Fee + Security Deposit) × Number of Visitors × AED Rate
Residence Visa (Sponsoring Family to Live with You)
For this pathway, the tool calculates the total per-person cost of obtaining a UAE family residence visa: entry permit, medical fitness test, Emirates ID, and mandatory health insurance. The cost is estimated per dependent based on publicly available government fee schedules.
Visa Stamping: AED ~500 to AED 700
Medical Test (adults 18+): AED ~300 to AED 500
Emirates ID per person: AED ~370
Health Insurance (est.): AED 750 to AED 2,500/year
Estimated Total per Person = AED 1,100 to AED 4,910
Total in NGN = Number of Dependants × Cost Per Person × AED Rate
Why the UAE Attracts Nigerians for Family Reunification
The UAE, particularly Dubai, hosts one of the largest concentrations of Nigerian professionals outside Nigeria. Many work in finance, healthcare, technology, hospitality, and trade. Once settled, the natural next step is bringing family over, whether for a short visit or to live permanently as dependants.
For short-term visits, Dubai is straightforward to navigate once you are inside: transportation is organized, healthcare is accessible, and English is widely spoken. For longer-term family reunification, the UAE’s school system, housing market, and social infrastructure make it a practical option for Nigerian families.
Salary Thresholds: The Gate Most Sponsors Miss
| Who You Are Sponsoring | Min. Salary Required (AED/month) | With Employer Accommodation | Visa Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spouse (husband or wife) | AED 4,000 | AED 3,000 | Visit or Residence |
| Children (under 25) | AED 4,000 | AED 3,000 | Visit or Residence |
| Parents | AED 20,000 (Dubai) / AED 10,000 (federal) | Higher threshold; check emirate | Residence only |
| Siblings or extended family | AED 8,000 | Varies | Visit visa only |
| Friends (no family link) | AED 15,000 | AED 15,000 | Visit visa only |
Table of Truth: Cost Estimates by Scenario
| Scenario | Pathway | Est. Total (AED) | Est. Total (NGN) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 visitor, 90-day visit, sponsored by resident spouse | Visit Visa | ~AED 1,420 | ~₦535,000 |
| 2 visitors, 30-day visit, sponsored by resident sibling | Visit Visa | ~AED 2,420 | ~₦913,000 |
| Sponsor spouse to live in UAE (2-year residence visa) | Residence Visa | ~AED 4,910 | ~₦1.85M |
| Sponsor spouse + 2 children (2-year residence visa) | Residence Visa | ~AED 14,730 | ~₦5.55M |
| Sponsor both parents (residence, Dubai, AED 20k salary) | Residence Visa | ~AED 12,000+ | ~₦4.5M+ |
All NGN figures calculated at approximately ₦377 per AED. These are estimates. Actual fees vary by emirate, typing centre charges, and health insurance provider.
Realistic Scenarios
Scenario 1: Single applicant, visit visa
Tunde’s wife Amaka is living in Dubai on a work visa earning AED 7,000 per month. Tunde wants to visit her for 90 days. Amaka earns above the AED 4,000 threshold for spouses, so she qualifies as a sponsor. She applies through the GDRFA portal. The visa fee for 90 days is AED 400 plus 5% VAT, and AED 1,000 security deposit per visitor. Total cost to Amaka: approximately AED 1,420, about ₦535,000 at current rates. Tunde also needs his own DVN (as a Nigerian passport holder) before his UAE visa application can be submitted.
Scenario 2: Resident sponsoring spouse and children
Chukwuemeka has been working in Dubai for two years. He earns AED 8,000 per month with no employer accommodation. He wants to bring his wife and two children (ages 4 and 9) to live with him. All three need family residence visas. Each visa involves an entry permit, medical test (wife only, as children are under 18), Emirates ID, and mandatory health insurance. Estimated cost: AED 4,910 per person, approximately AED 14,730 total (about ₦5.5 million). His wife’s marriage certificate and the children’s birth certificates must all be attested from Nigeria before submission.
Scenario 3: Sponsoring parents
Ngozi lives in Abu Dhabi earning AED 15,000 per month. She wants to bring both her parents from Lagos to live with her. Parent sponsorship has much stricter income requirements. In Dubai, the threshold is AED 20,000 per month; in Abu Dhabi (federal rules), AED 10,000. Ngozi meets the federal threshold. She must show both parents together (UAE rules generally require both to be sponsored), and her parents’ home is required to have a separate room (not a studio or one-bedroom apartment). Costs are similar to spouse/child visa fees per parent, but health insurance for older parents is significantly more expensive. Both parents must pass a medical fitness test.
How Long Does the Process Take?
- Visit visa entry permit: 2 to 7 business days after application
- Residence visa entry permit: 2 to 7 business days
- Medical fitness test (once in UAE): 1 to 2 business days
- Emirates ID registration: 3 to 5 business days
- Visa stamping after all steps: 3 to 5 business days
- Overall for residence visa: 2 to 4 weeks from entry permit to stamped visa
- Document attestation from Nigeria: 3 to 8 weeks (this happens before everything else)
Common Questions About UAE Family Sponsorship
Can a female Nigerian resident in the UAE sponsor her husband?
Yes, but with a higher income threshold. Female UAE residents sponsoring a husband typically need to earn AED 10,000 per month (or AED 8,000 with employer-provided accommodation), higher than the AED 4,000 required for male sponsors. This rule exists under current federal UAE policy and is not applied equally.
Can a friend in Dubai invite me for a visit without a family relationship?
Yes, but your friend needs to earn at least AED 15,000 per month to legally act as a sponsor for a visit visa. Many Nigerian friends in the UAE earn between AED 5,000 and AED 12,000 and do not qualify. In that case, you would need to apply for a self-sponsored tourist visa, which has different requirements.
Is the AED 1,000 security deposit refundable?
Yes. The security deposit of AED 1,000 per visitor is refunded when the visitor exits the UAE before the visa expires. If the visitor overstays, the deposit is forfeited, and the sponsor may face additional penalties. This deposit is required per person, not per group.
Does my child need health insurance to get a UAE family residence visa?
Yes, in Dubai. Health insurance is mandatory for all residents, including children sponsored by a UAE resident parent. In other emirates, the requirement may be slightly different. Budget for AED 750 to AED 1,500 per year for a child’s health insurance policy.
What happens to my family’s visa if I lose my job in UAE?
If your UAE residence visa is cancelled, your dependants’ visas are also cancelled. Dependants receive a 6-month grace period after cancellation to either obtain a new residence visa under a different sponsor or exit the UAE. Do not ignore this timeline.
Can I sponsor my unmarried sister who is over 25?
UAE immigration rules allow resident expatriates to sponsor unmarried daughters of any age, but sons above 25 are generally not eligible unless they are full-time students or have special circumstances. For sisters (siblings, not children), the relationship category shifts to second-degree relative, which requires AED 8,000 minimum salary for a visit visa. Residence visa sponsorship for adult siblings is generally not available unless specific exceptional cases apply.
Does my Nigerian marriage certificate need to be attested?
Yes. Your Nigerian marriage certificate (or birth certificate, for children) must go through the full attestation chain: Nigerian notarization, Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs authentication, UAE Embassy in Abuja attestation, and then UAE MOFA verification after arriving in the UAE. This takes time and money. Plan for it early.
Assumptions This Tool Uses
- Visit visa fees: AED 200 (30-day), AED 300 (60-day), AED 400 (90-day), each plus 5% VAT.
- Security deposit for visit visa: AED 1,000 per visitor (refundable on departure).
- Salary thresholds: AED 4,000 for first-degree family (AED 3,000 with employer accommodation), AED 8,000 for second/third-degree relatives, AED 15,000 for friends. These are federal ICP guidelines.
- Residence visa cost estimate: AED 4,910 per person (2-year visa, Dubai, per published estimates). Actual fees vary.
- Health insurance estimate: AED 750 to AED 1,500 per dependent per year for spouses and children, AED 2,500 to AED 5,000 for parents over 60.
- Attestation costs from Nigeria are not included in this tool’s calculations. Budget ₦30,000 to ₦150,000 separately.
- Nigerian applicants still need a DVN (Document Verification Number) before submitting a UAE visa application. DVN fee is not included in this tool’s output. Use the DeyWithMe UAE DVN Cost Planner for that.
- AED rate default: ₦377 per AED (late March 2026 estimate). Update to today’s rate.
