Every document you need to sponsor your wife or husband, children, newborn or parents, and exactly how to prepare each one: attestation, certified Arabic translation, salary and housing proof, insurance and medical.
Trusted Credentials
Why SWLT
Family visa files are rarely refused for eligibility. They stall on paperwork: a missing attestation stamp, a translation that spells a name differently, or a salary certificate that does not show the housing allowance. We check every document against the current list before it is submitted.
Spouse, children, newborn, stepchildren or parents, Dubai or another emirate: each combination needs a slightly different set. We send you yours.
We tell you which stamps each certificate needs, in which order, and coordinate the chain from the issuing country to UAE MOFA.
Where an Arabic translation is required, our MOJ-certified translators render every name exactly as it appears on the passport and Emirates ID.
Document Checklist
Based on the ICP and GDRFA service pages. Your exact list depends on the relationship and your emirate.
Lists differ slightly between GDRFA (Dubai) and ICP (other emirates) and can change without notice. We confirm the current requirements on your file before submission. Last checked November 2026.
Free Eligibility Check
Answer 5 quick questions. You get a likely result and your document list in seconds — then send it to us on WhatsApp for a full review.
Documents you will typically need
Indicative only, based on ICP / GDRFA published rules checked November 2026. Final decisions are made by ICP or GDRFA. Nothing you enter here is stored.
Document Groups
Organise your file in these groups and you will see at once what is missing.
Passports valid at least 6 months, photos, the sponsor residence and Emirates ID copy. Nationals of Afghanistan, Iran or Iraq add a personal ID copy on the ICP list.
Attested marriage certificate for a spouse, attested birth certificates for children, with certified Arabic translation where required.
Salary or employment certificate showing income and housing, employment contract, or a partnership contract for business partners.
An attested tenancy contract suitable for the family size in Dubai; a water or electricity bill on the ICP list for the other emirates.
Valid health insurance for each family member, and a medical fitness result for everyone aged 18 and over.
No-objection letter from the father, custody or guardianship papers, stepchild documents, or bank statements for parents, depending on your case.
How It Works
Make sure every passport has at least 6 months validity and that names are spelled the same across passports and certificates. Mismatches cause most delays.
Marriage and birth certificates go to the foreign ministry of the issuing country, then the UAE embassy there, then UAE MOFA. The UAE does not accept an apostille in place of this chain.
For a baby born in the UAE, the birth certificate is attested by MOHAP and then MOFA before the residence application.
An Arabic translation may be required, for example the marriage certificate for birth registration. We provide the MOJ-certified translation and advise on the right order for your document.
Ask your employer for a salary or employment certificate showing total income and housing. Parent sponsorship in Dubai also needs 3 months of bank statements.
In Dubai, use an attested tenancy contract suitable for your family size. For ICP emirates, keep a recent water or electricity bill in your name.
ICP lists valid health insurance as a required document, and Dubai and Abu Dhabi require sponsors to insure dependants. Buy cover that meets your emirate requirements.
After entry or change of status, family members aged 18 and over take the medical fitness test, then biometrics are completed where required for the Emirates ID.
We Handle It With
Transparent Pricing
Government fees at actual cost + a small, transparent SWLT service fee. You see the full breakdown before you pay. Attestation and translation are quoted per document.
FAQ
Typically: passports valid at least 6 months, photos, an attested marriage certificate, attested birth certificates for children, a salary or employment certificate, a tenancy contract or utility bill, and health insurance. Family members aged 18 and over also need a medical fitness test. Your exact list depends on the relationship and your emirate.
ICP and GDRFA publish a minimum of AED 4,000 a month, or AED 3,000 a month with employer-provided housing, regardless of job title. The same test applies to male and female sponsors. Parent sponsorship in Dubai requires AED 10,000.
Yes. ICP lists an attested marriage contract as proof of kinship. If it was issued abroad, it must be attested by your home foreign ministry, the UAE embassy in that country and then UAE MOFA. See our marriage certificate attestation page for the full chain.
No. The UAE is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, so an apostille alone does not replace UAE attestation. Documents still need the UAE embassy and UAE MOFA stamps. We tell you exactly which stamps your document is missing.
Not always. An Arabic translation may be required for specific steps, for example the marriage certificate for a newborn birth registration, or documents on some Dubai routes. We can provide the certified Arabic translation where required, and we tell you when it is not needed.
In Dubai, GDRFA asks for an attested tenancy contract suitable for the number of family members. The ICP list for the other emirates asks for a water or electricity bill. Housing must be adequate for the family either way, so we check your proof before submission.
Yes. Valid health insurance is required by ICP for family members of foreign residents, and Dubai and Abu Dhabi require sponsors to insure their dependants. We tell you what your emirate expects before you buy a policy.
Family members aged 18 and over must pass a medical fitness test at an approved centre: DHA in Dubai, DoH-approved centres in Abu Dhabi and EHS in the Northern Emirates. No exemptions are listed on the official pages. We book the test once the entry permit or change of status is done.
In Dubai, when the wife is the sponsor and children are included, GDRFA requires a no-objection letter from the father. For children from a previous marriage, immigration typically asks for a court-notarised NOC from the father or a sole-custody document. We check your case and translate these papers if needed.
For a baby born in the UAE: the birth certificate attested by MOHAP and MOFA, the baby passport, and the general family documents such as kinship proof and health insurance. The parents marriage certificate must be attested and translated into Arabic for birth registration. Complete everything within 120 days of birth, as daily fines apply after that.
WhatsApp us photos of your documents and tell us who you want to sponsor. We send your personal checklist, flag missing stamps or translations, and show the full fee breakdown before you pay.