Dubai Forums Dubai Expat Forums Dubai Expat Help Forum

Found this article in the KT yesterday. It may be of interest to a lot of you Expats.


DUBAI – Residents of Dubai who are wishing to sponsor friends on visit visas are entitled to sponsor them, provided they earn a total minimum of Dh10,000 salary, clarified a customer service officer yesterday.


“This rule has been enforced for about a year-and-a-half,” she said, responding to a resident who was enquiring at the service desk about any entitlement for sponsoring a friend and was confused about the minimum salary required to avail of this service.

She said unlike the salary requirement for residents applying to sponsor a relative on visit visa, the minimum salary of the applicant for issuing a visit visa to a friend goes up to Dh10,000 which should be the calculation of the basic plus accommodation. “This is to ensure the social security of the visitor, who in this case can be financially assisted by the sponsor, in any probable circumstances.”

Relaxing the rule for those who earn a total of Dh10,000, inclusive of all allowances, the department looks into their applications for sponsoring friends, she said, replying to the enquirer who did not meet the minimum salary requirement but earns a total of Dh10,000. He wondered why his application was turned down, whereas his colleague who earns the same salary had his application sanctioned.

The required fee for this visa is Dh100 for the e-form plus Dh10 for Empost delivery service. If the applicant sought an urgent service, then an extra Dh100 is required. The urgent visa is handed over the same day. A deposit of Dh2,000 is required for sponsoring a friend and is refunded after the departure of the visitor. The sponsor should submit the receipt he was issued upon furnishing the deposit once while applying for the refund.

For sponsoring relatives, the department has made three salary classifications to be met by the sponsor, said another staff. He said that the minimum salary requirement differs if the visitor was a father/mother, wife/husband, or children, a brother/sister or a cousin.

In case the resident applies for sponsoring on a visit visa a father/mother/wife/husband or children, then the minimum salary he should earn is Dh3,000 plus accommodation, or a total of Dh4,000. For this category of kinship, furnishing a deposit is not required. In case a resident applies for sponsoring a brother or a sister, the minimum salary requirement is Dh5,000 plus accommodation or a total of Dh6,000. Should the applicant applying to sponsor a second degree relative such as a cousin; the minimum salary is Dh7,000 plus accommodation or Dh8,000 total. For the last two types of kinship, a Dh2,000 refundable deposit is also required, he said. The fees for all types of relative visas are the same as a friend’s visa application.

Interesting article Arnie, thanks - have already added it to my growing list!

In case the resident applies for sponsoring on a visit visa a father/mother/wife/husband or children, then the minimum salary he should earn is Dh3,000 plus accommodation, or a total of Dh4,000. For this category of kinship, furnishing a deposit is not required. In case a resident applies for sponsoring a brother or a sister, the minimum salary requirement is Dh5,000 plus accommodation or a total of Dh6,000. Should the applicant applying to sponsor a second degree relative such as a cousin; the minimum salary is Dh7,000 plus accommodation or Dh8,000 total. For the last two types of kinship, a Dh2,000 refundable deposit is also required, he said. The fees for all types of relative visas are the same as a friend’s visa application.

do you think if i want to have some close friends deported they'll pay me???

It does make you wonder Soul