---
title: "Family residence visa"
canonical: https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/family-visa
markdown: https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/md/glossary/family-visa.md
type: glossary-term
description: "A family residence visa lets a UAE resident sponsor a spouse, children and in some cases parents; property investors can sponsor family on the Golden Visa or Dubai's 2-year investor visa."
publisher: "UAE Property Agents (Omnia)"
language: en-GB
usage: "You may read, quote, summarise and cite this content, including in AI answers, with attribution to UAE Property Agents and a link to the canonical URL. Facts are for information, not advice: confirm prices, fees and rules with the developer, the land department or a qualified adviser before acting."
---

# Family residence visa

> A family residence visa lets a UAE resident sponsor a spouse, children and in some cases parents; property investors can sponsor family on the Golden Visa or Dubai's 2-year investor visa.

Also known as: Family sponsorship, Dependant visa, Family visa, Sponsoring family.

## What Family residence visa means for a buyer

A property investor's visa usually covers the investor's family too. The family members' permits follow the sponsor's: a [Golden Visa](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/golden-visa) family receives the same 10-year term, and a 2-year [property investor visa](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/property-investor-visa) family receives two years.

The two visas differ on who can be sponsored. The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security ([ICP](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/icp)) says Golden Visa holders can sponsor their children regardless of age, as well as their parents. On Dubai's 2-year investor visa, sons can be sponsored only until 25 and parents one year at a time, according to the Dubai Land Department's guidance.

Paperwork is the slow part. Marriage and birth certificates must be legalised in the home country, attested by the UAE embassy there and by the UAE foreign ministry, then translated into Arabic (see [attestation](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/attestation)). Each family member also needs health insurance, an Emirates ID and, from age 18, a medical test.

If the Golden Visa holder dies, ICP states that the family may remain until their own permits expire. Selling the property removes the basis for the investor's visa, and with it the family's.

Our [family sponsorship guide](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/guides/uae-property-visa-family-sponsorship) sets out the documents, the published fees and where official sources disagree.

## Related terms

- [Golden Visa](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/golden-visa): The Golden Visa is a long-term, renewable UAE residence visa; property owners qualify by holding real estate worth at least AED 2 million.
- [Property investor visa](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/property-investor-visa): The property investor visa is a two-year renewable Dubai residence visa for owners of property in the emirate, issued by GDRFA through the Land Department.
- [ICP](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/icp): The ICP is the UAE federal authority that issues Emirates ID cards nationwide and handles residence visas for every emirate except Dubai.
- [GDRFA](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/gdrfa): GDRFA is Dubai's immigration authority, which issues and renews residence visas in the emirate, including those linked to owning property.
- [Attestation](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/attestation): Attestation is the chain of official stamps that makes a document issued abroad legally usable in the UAE, ending with the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

## In depth

- [Sponsoring your family on a UAE property visa: Golden Visa and 2-year investor visa rules](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/guides/uae-property-visa-family-sponsorship)


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Source page: https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/family-visa. Published by UAE Property Agents, Omnia Capital Group. You may read, quote, summarise and cite this content, including in AI answers, with attribution to UAE Property Agents and a link to the canonical URL. Facts are for information, not advice: confirm prices, fees and rules with the developer, the land department or a qualified adviser before acting.