Can a Mother Sponsor Her Child’s Visa in Dubai or UAE?

Traditionally, the responsibility of sponsoring residency visas for spouse and children falls on the father. This has led many to assume that only fathers can sponsor visas for family members. However, in the UAE, a country that embraces a family-oriented lifestyle and promotes gender equality, both men and women are provided with fair opportunities. The UAE’s laws allow expatriate women to sponsor their children and obtain residency visas, under certain conditions. There are various situations where a mother may need to sponsor her child’s visa. For example, if the husband is not a UAE resident, ineligible to sponsor the children’s visas, or if the mother is a single or divorced parent. However, it is important to note that if the father is a UAE resident and meets the requirements for sponsoring a child in Dubai, the mother is not allowed to sponsor the child’s visa. If you are an expat mother in Dubai seeking to sponsor your child’s visa, you have come to the right place.

To begin with, for a mother to sponsor her children, it is imperative that she is a UAE resident. This can be in the capacity of an employee, company owner/shareholder, freelancer, green visa holder, or golden visa holder.

A mother has the ability to sponsor her unmarried daughters without any age restrictions, as well as sons under the age of 21. However, it is important to note that university or college students are not eligible, unless they can provide a document from their respective institution to support their claim.

To facilitate their children’s residency visas, a mother can serve as a sponsor by furnishing the required documents:

• An employment contract or salary certificate (for employment visa holders): For employment visa holders, a valid employment contract or salary certificate is required. The mother must have an official employment contract approved by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization (MOHRE) for onshore companies. Alternatively, a salary certificate from Government/Semi-government/Free Zone Authorities can be provided. The employment contract should confirm a minimum monthly salary of AED 3,000 with free accommodation provided by the employer, or a minimum monthly salary of AED 4,000 in total.
• Marriage certificate: To ensure the validity of a marriage certificate issued outside the UAE, it is necessary to have it attested by the UAE Embassy/Consulate in the country of origin. Additionally, the certificate must be officially translated into Arabic and authenticated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs within the UAE.
• Birth certificate of a child: For birth certificates issued outside the UAE, attestation from the UAE Embassy/Consulate in the country of origin and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs within the UAE is required. Additionally, an official translation into Arabic must be provided. This process ensures adherence to legal requirements and facilitates smooth documentation procedures.
• No Objection Certificate (NOC), alias No Objection Letter, from father: The No Objection Certificate (NOC) should clearly express the father’s consent for the mother to sponsor their children’s visas. The NOC must be written in Arabic and notarized by a UAE notary public. If the NOC is issued outside the UAE, it should be notarized in the home country and attested by the UAE Embassy/Consulate in the country of origin. Additionally, it should be attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the UAE and officially translated into Arabic. The NOC holds significant importance as a requirement for a wife sponsoring a child in Dubai.
• Official tenancy contract (EJARI Certificate)or title deed with an electricity bill for the residential accommodation in the UAE: If the mother sponsoring the flat is a tenant, she must provide an EJARI Certificate for the apartment. However, if she is the owner of an apartment or villa, she can provide a copy of the title deed in her name.
• Bank statement from mother’s personal account for last three months: To verify salary transfers for the past three months, it is necessary to provide bank statements duly stamped by the issuing bank. However, if the mother works in professions such as Nursing, Medicine, Engineering, or Teaching, a bank statement is not required.
• Health insurance certificate: Before affixing the residency visa to the passport, it is necessary to submit health insurance from a reputable insurance company in the UAE.
• Sponsor’s IBAN Number.
• In the case where the sponsoring mother possesses an investor or partner visa, the following supplementary documents are necessary:
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  • A refundable Dh3040 deposit for each child, which will be returned upon visa cancellation.
  • The trade license of the company.
  • A copy of the Certificate of Incumbency, Share Certificate, or Partners’ List.
  • A copy of the Memorandum of Association (MOA).

Apart from the general requirements mentioned above, additional requirements exist based on the personal status of the sponsoring mother.

• Single mother: If the sponsoring mother is divorced, widowed, or a single mother, she must provide a children’s custody verdict from a competent court, a certificate from a local authority, or an affidavit from the Consulate of her country. If the document was issued outside the UAE, it needs to be attested by the UAE Embassy/Consulate in the country of origin and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs within the UAE. Furthermore, the document should be officially translated into Arabic.

To sponsor a child in Dubai, a mother must meet the eligibility criteria. However, if the mother fails to meet the requirements for sponsoring a child in Dubai, she cannot sponsor her child’s visa. Under the family visa rules in the UAE, resident mothers who intend to sponsor children in Dubai must earn a minimum salary of AED 4,000 or AED 3,000 plus accommodation provided by the employer. Expatriate mothers who meet this minimum salary requirement will be eligible to sponsor their child in Dubai. It is important to note that married, divorced, and single mothers can sponsor their child’s residence visa if they can provide the necessary documents.

Please note!!! that the information provided on this page is intended for general purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal advice or as a basis for making any specific decisions. The content does not establish a lawyer-client relationship or offer legal advice or services for any particular matter. It is recommended that users of this website seek personalized legal advice from their own lawyer or legal counsel regarding any specific legal issues they may be facing.