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Family Visa Renewal in Dubai
Renewal is a fresh assessment, not a rubber stamp. The salary and accommodation gates apply again — here is what that means and what it costs.
The short version
- Your dependants' visas are re-assessed at renewal, not rubber-stamped. The salary and accommodation gates apply again.
- Renew from 60 days before expiry. Grace after expiry is generally 30 days, then AED 50 per day per dependant.
- Budget roughly AED 2,000–3,000 per dependant. No attestation is needed again if it was done first time.
- The sponsor's own visa must outlast the dependants' renewal window.
Family renewal catches people out because they assume it is administrative. It is not. If your circumstances have changed — a lower basic salary, a smaller apartment, a lapsed Ejari — the renewal is assessed against the new position, not the old one.
What renewal costs, per dependant
| Component | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Medical fitness test | AED 300 – 700 | Adults only; under-18s generally exempt |
| Emirates ID renewal | AED 100/yr + AED 100 | Plus typing |
| Visa stamping | AED 500 – 1,000 | |
| Medical insurance | AED 650 – 2,500+ | Mandatory per person |
| Ejari renewal | AED 200 – 300 | Once, not per dependant |
| Typing and submission | AED 100 – 300 | |
| Realistic per dependant | AED 2,000 – 3,000 | Lower than a first application — no attestation or entry permit |
The gates that apply again at renewal
| Gate | Requirement | Read from |
|---|---|---|
| Basic salary | AED 4,000/month | Current attested MOHRE contract |
| With employer accommodation | AED 3,000/month | Same, plus documented housing |
| Accommodation | Min. 1 bedroom | Currently valid Ejari, sponsor's name |
| Sponsor status | Valid visa + Emirates ID | Must outlast the renewal window |
This is where renewals fail. A new contract may have a lower basic salary even if your total package rose. The assessment reads basic salary, so check the figure on your current MOHRE contract before you start — full detail in our guide to the family visa salary requirement.
What you need
Document checklist
- Sponsor's passport, valid residence visa and Emirates ID
- Each dependant's passport, with six months validity remaining
- Each dependant's current visa page and Emirates ID
- Current salary certificate or attested MOHRE labour contract
- Valid registered Ejari and a recent DEWA bill
- Medical insurance for each dependant
- Photographs to current specification
Marriage and birth certificates do not need re-attesting if they were attested for the original application. That is the main reason renewal is cheaper and faster than a first-time family visa.
How long it takes
| Stage | Working days |
|---|---|
| Eligibility re-check and typing | Same day |
| Medical fitness, adults | 1 – 3 |
| Emirates ID biometrics, if required | 1 – 2 |
| Stamping | 2 – 5 |
| End to end, per family | 5 – 12 working days |
Where family renewals go wrong
- Basic salary dropped after a job change, even though the package rose.
- Ejari expired, or renewed in a spouse's name rather than the sponsor's.
- Moved to a studio — generally not accepted for family sponsorship.
- Sponsor's own visa expires first, so there is nothing to sponsor from. Sequence the sponsor's renewal ahead of the dependants'.
- A son turned 18 between renewals — sponsorship is restricted and the route usually becomes a student visa.
- Dependant outside the UAE too long, voiding their visa independently of yours.
- Passport renewed and the new number not linked to the existing file.
Renew the sponsor first, then the dependants. Running them together works only when the sponsor's own file is clean; if it is not, you pay twice.
Family visa renewal questions
How much does family visa renewal cost in Dubai?
Roughly AED 2,000–3,000 per dependant, covering medical fitness for adults, Emirates ID, stamping, insurance and typing. It is cheaper than a first application because no entry permit or certificate attestation is required.
Do I need to re-attest my marriage certificate at renewal?
No. If the certificate was attested for the original application it does not need re-attesting, which is why renewals are materially faster than first-time family visas.
Is the salary requirement checked again at renewal?
Yes. Renewal is a fresh assessment against your current position — AED 4,000 basic salary, or AED 3,000 with employer accommodation, plus valid accommodation. A job change that lowered your basic salary is the most common cause of refusal at renewal.
What if my son turned 18?
Sponsorship of adult sons as dependants is restricted. The usual route is a student visa while he is in full-time education. Unmarried daughters can generally still be sponsored.
Should I renew my own visa or my family's first?
Yours first. Dependants are sponsored from your status, so if your own visa lapses or is close to expiry the dependant renewal cannot proceed cleanly.
What happens if a family visa expires before renewal?
A grace period of generally 30 days applies, after which overstay accrues at AED 50 per day for each dependant separately. A family of four therefore accrues AED 200 a day.
Hand it over
Send the document. We will tell you where you stand.
Government fees passed through at cost, our service fee fixed and agreed before we start, and updates on WhatsApp until the file closes.
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Main service page →Entry Permit
Permission to enter and start the residence chain. Two clocks, both matter.
View service →Residence Visa Renewal
Renew before the grace period bites — fees, timeline and what blocks it.
View service →Dependent Visa
Sponsor a spouse, child, parent or domestic worker onto your file.
View service →Visa Status Change
Switch visa type without leaving the country — and without a border run.
View service →Parents Visa Sponsorship
The harder route — higher income bar, refundable deposit, one-year visa.
View service →Newborn Baby Visa
120 days from birth to birth certificate, passport, Emirates ID and visa.
View service →Visa Medical Fitness Test
DHA screening for every residence visa — tiers, timing and what a referral means.
View service →Maid & Domestic Worker Visa
AED 25,000 income on your own file — or the Tadbeer route that waives it.
View service →Family & Residence Visa
Sponsor a spouse, children or parents — assessed before you apply.
Main service →