Dubai Forums Dubai Expat Forums Dubai Expat Help Forum

Hi ,
I am new to Dubai and just got my Resident visa. Now i want to sponser my family. I am getting mixed information on the process of getting a family visa. Some say i need to get a E-gate card for myself and then only i can apply for a family visa. BTW, i work in Dubai Internat City, which is a freezone. An agent i contacted says that i need to have labour contract as well, which people working in DIC are not issued....!

Is the E-gate card compulsory? and wht abt labour contract?

Lots of confusion and misguidance. Can U give me the correct informations?

Thanx & Regards,

E-gate is unrelated to getting your visa and not compulsory. Just makes traveling easier... If you travel alot, get it after getting your residence visa.

You need a labor card to work.

Oh..... Liban, i am much releived ........ Thanx sooo much for the information.

they were playing around with the idea of compulsry e-cards for everyone, although at this point its still voluntary.

the system, when the system works it's brilliant. i'd advise anyone who travels frequently to get one (if they haven't already). instead of the normal 45 min wait at immigration when you return to dubai, it takes you litrally 10 seconds! the longest wait is waiting for your luggage to arrive!

I have a residency visa and no labour card. You can apply for your family to have residency without a labour card definately. Although it isn't cheap. The deposit is 10000 Dhs for the family and 5000Dhs application for each family member. So for a wife and one child it would be 20000 Dhs

Liban and DXBsoul are correct, there is no connection between residency and E-Gate card.

I was under the impression that once you had your residency visa, it was compulsory to get an e-card? Anyway, not sure if it has been enforced or not.

having said that, the e-card is fantastic, really do get through all the cr@ap quickly, however, once through immigration, you still ahve to wait 30 mins for ya luggage!

Information I received stated it will soon be compulsory that the main member of the family obtain an e-gate card upon renewal of residency visas and for this reason our company will start reimbursing all employees for the cost of an e-gate card.