UAE Golden Visa Cost for Dependents: 2026 Government Fees and Rules

The official uae golden visa cost for dependents as of October 2026 is 4,215 for each adult dependent and 3,895 for a child under 18. If your baby was born in the UAE under your sponsorship, the government fee drops to 2,989. You pay these fees straight to the immigration authorities (GDRFA in Dubai or ICP in other emirates), and they cover the full 10-year residency term.

We handle family files every week from our desk in Business Bay. Most delays happen for three reasons: foreign certificates lack the right embassy stamps, in-country status transfers get timed poorly, or someone books an Emirates ID biometrics slot before the medical fitness result reaches the immigration system.

Exact golden visa fees for dependents in 2026

Dependents get residence permits that match your own visa validity. Regular two-year family visas force you through renewals every 24 months. With this visa, you clear the multi-year government package in one go during initial processing.

Dependent category	Medical screening included	10-year Emirates ID included	Official government fee (AED)
Spouse or adult child (18+)	Yes	Yes	4,215
Child under 18	No	Yes	3,895
Parent (father or mother)	Yes	Yes	4,215
Newborn child	No	Yes	2,989

To give you context, the primary applicant pays an official government fee of 9,978 for a new 10-year Golden Visa file. That figure includes DLD and administrative costs, visa issuance, Emirates ID, and the medical check. If you cancel a Golden Visa file down the line, the government cancellation fee is 590. You can check our official Golden Visa fee breakdown to plan your full family budget.

Spouse and adult children fee breakdown

An adult dependent aged 18 or older costs 4,215 in government fees. That total covers three mandatory steps:

• Residence permit entry approval and final electronic issuance
• Dubai Health Authority (DHA) medical fitness screening
• 10-year Emirates ID application and card printing

If your spouse or adult child is already in the UAE on a visit visa or a cancelled employment visa, don't send them home. We run an in-country status change inside the immigration portal so their file flips over without an airport run.

Minor children costs and fee exemptions

Sponsoring any child under 18 costs 3,895 in government fees. The difference between the adult fee and the minor fee comes down to the medical screening cost. Minors skip blood tests and chest X-rays. Their fee covers just the 10-year residence permit and physical Emirates ID card.

For babies born inside the UAE to a Golden Visa holder, the fee is 2,989. You have a set grace period from birth to register the birth, collect an attested birth certificate, get a passport from your consulate, and complete the visa file. Miss that official window and immigration applies daily overstay fines.

Cost to sponsor parents under a golden visa

Standard employment visas make sponsoring parents hard. You face strict salary thresholds, cash deposits with immigration, and special approvals for permits that last only one year. The Golden Visa removes those hurdles.

You can sponsor both parents for a full 10 years. The government fee is 4,215 per parent if you bring both your mother and father. Each parent takes the adult medical fitness check and receives their own 10-year Emirates ID. For complete handling from start to finish, review our family and dependant visa services.

Who qualifies as a dependent under a 10-year residency file

Golden Visa dependent rules give you far more flexibility than standard UAE employment sponsorships.

Spouse requirements

You can sponsor your husband or wife by submitting an attested marriage certificate. Immigration rules permit one sponsored spouse per file under executive regulations.

Age rules for sons and daughters

On a regular work visa, you can only sponsor sons up to age 25 unless they study at a registered UAE university. That restriction does not apply here. Under Golden Visa rules, there is no age limit for unmarried sons. Your son can be 20, 26, or 34, and you can sponsor him as long as he remains unmarried. Unmarried daughters qualify at any age too. If a son or daughter marries, their sponsorship under your file ends, meaning they must transfer to an employment, company, or spousal visa.

Sponsoring parents on 10-year residency

Both your father and mother qualify for 10-year residency under your sponsorship. If one parent has passed away or your parents are divorced, you must provide official death certificates or divorce decrees, attested and legally translated into Arabic, before filing.

Medical test rules for dependents

Every dependent aged 18 and older must pass health screening. The immigration system locks down visa issuance until the digital medical fitness certificate uploads directly from the health authority portal.

Required screenings for adult applicants

Adult dependents complete two checks at an approved health centre:

• A blood test for communicable conditions including HIV
• A chest X-ray for active pulmonary tuberculosis

When an X-ray shows old pulmonary scars, the DHA refers the person for follow-up sputum tests. Pregnant dependents can present an official pregnancy certificate to skip the X-ray, completing an approved sputum protocol instead.

DHA medical centres and processing times

Dubai dependents take their tests at DHA medical fitness centres. Standard community centres return digital results within one to two days. Smart Salem centres use automated testing equipment and deliver results in 30 minutes to two hours.

We schedule these appointments around your calendar. If you need this done fast, our 24-hour VIP fast track service costs 5,000, while our urgent 2 to 3-day package costs 3,000. Both options come with dedicated car pick-up and drop-off. Our standard 3 to 7-day service package costs 1,500.

Document checklist and attestation rules

Immigration will reject relationship documents that lack required government stamps. Get your paperwork stamped first so you don't lose filing fees.

• Original passports for all family members, valid for at least six months
• Digital passport photos against a plain white background
• Valid UAE health insurance policy for each dependent
• Tenancy contract registered on Ejari under the sponsor's name
• Attested marriage certificate for your spouse
• Attested birth certificates for your children
• Copy of the sponsor's Golden Visa and Emirates ID

Attestation chain for foreign documents

Every civil certificate issued outside the UAE must pass through four verification stages before immigration accepts it:

1. Authentication by the issuing government department or notary in your home country
2. Attestation by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in your home country
3. Attestation by the UAE Embassy in that country
4. Electronic attestation by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs inside the UAE

Certified Arabic legal translation

Any certificate in English or another foreign language requires translation by a translator licensed by the UAE Ministry of Justice. Check the spelling. If the Arabic transliteration of a family member's name differs from their passport, immigration officers reject the entry permit.

Step-by-step application order for family members

Sequence matters. Doing steps out of order causes system errors and locks files.

Open the sponsor file after your own visa is active

You cannot sponsor anyone while your own visa is still pending. Your 10-year visa must be issued, and your Emirates ID must show as active on ICP records. Once your file is active, we open your sponsorship file on the GDRFA portal for Dubai or ICP for other emirates. Check where you stand using our online visa eligibility review before purchasing application forms.

Entry permit, status change, and medical screening

The family application moves through three straightforward phases:

1. Entry permit issuance: we upload your attested certificates to generate entry permits. Dependents abroad use this document to enter the country.
2. Status change: for family members already in the UAE, we submit an internal change of status to transfer them onto the new permit.
3. Medical screening: adult dependents visit the DHA clinic with their passport and entry permit. Results post automatically to immigration.

Emirates ID biometrics and visa stamping

Once the medical clearance uploads, we submit the 10-year residence permit and Emirates ID applications together. Family members who previously held an Emirates ID skip biometrics because ICP reuses their stored fingerprints. Dependents aged 15 and older who have never held a card must visit an ICP centre for fingerprinting and a digital photograph. Once biometrics clear, immigration approves the residence permit and couriers the physical card.

Key residency rules for golden visa dependents

Sponsoring your family on a Golden Visa brings two major legal protections standard visas lack.

First, normal residence visas expire if the holder stays outside the UAE for more than six consecutive months. Golden Visa holders and their dependents do not have this six-month rule. Your spouse, children, and parents can remain abroad as long as their visas and passports stay valid.

Second, if the primary Golden Visa holder passes away, sponsored family members keep their Golden Visa residency until the 10-year term ends. They do not face the standard 30-day cancellation rule tied to regular employment files. To compare all options, read our Golden Visa cost breakdown by category and our guide to UAE Golden Visa government fees.

Review your documents before paying any non-refundable fees. Bring your certificates to our office in Business Bay, or send them over online so we can verify the attestation stamps before submission.

Frequently asked questions

What is the official UAE Golden Visa cost for an adult dependent in 2026?

As of October 2026, the official government fee is 4,215 for an adult dependent (spouse, child aged 18 or older, or parent). This fee covers the entry permit, visa issuance, 10-year Emirates ID, and DHA medical fitness screening.

How much does it cost to sponsor a child under 18 on a Golden Visa?

Sponsoring a child under 18 costs 3,895 in official government fees. Minors do not require blood tests or chest X-rays, which reduces the cost compared to the adult fee.

Can I sponsor both my mother and father on a 10-year Golden Visa?

Yes. Golden Visa holders can sponsor both parents for a 10-year term without the salary and deposit restrictions of regular employment visas. The government fee is 4,215 per parent.

Is there an age limit for sponsoring unmarried sons under a Golden Visa?

No. Unlike standard two-year employment visas that cap son sponsorship at age 25, the Golden Visa allows you to sponsor unmarried sons of any age.

Do dependents lose their Golden Visa if they stay outside the UAE for over six months?

No. Golden Visa holders and their sponsored dependents are exempt from the standard six-month travel rule, meaning they can stay abroad for extended periods without visa cancellation.