Spouse Visit Visa in the UAE: Requirements, Fees, Steps
If your husband or wife lives in the UAE and you want to join them for a few weeks, you can be sponsored on a visit visa for a relative. In Dubai, the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) issues it as a single-entry visa for 30, 60 or 90 days. You need proof of the marriage, usually an attested and Arabic-translated marriage certificate, plus the sponsor’s own documents. The usual outlay is a fee, insurance and a refundable deposit.
This guide covers who can sponsor, the document list, the Dubai fee breakdown, the application steps, extensions, and when a residence visa is the better route. Fees and rules below come from GDRFA Dubai’s published service pages. Other emirates can differ, so confirm the current figures on the official page before you pay.
TL;DR
A UAE resident or citizen can sponsor a spouse on a single-entry visit visa for 30, 60 or 90 days. GDRFA Dubai lists an expected completion time of 48 hours.
Proof of relationship is required. For a foreign marriage, that means a certificate attested by the country’s consulate or embassy and the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), then translated into Arabic.
GDRFA Dubai lists visa fees of AED 200, AED 300 or AED 400 (30, 60, 90 days) plus 5% VAT, insurance, and an AED 1,000 refundable deposit.
A visit visa can be extended, up to a total of 180 days for relative visits, but a spouse who plans to live here should look at a residence visa instead.
Table of Contents
What a spouse visit visa is, and what it is not
A spouse visit visa is a short-stay entry permit. It lets your husband or wife enter the UAE and stay for the period you choose when applying. It does not allow work, and it does not give residency, an Emirates ID or access to services that residents use.
GDRFA Dubai files this under the visit visa for a relative or friend. The visitor must be a relative or friend of a UAE citizen or a foreigner who resides in the UAE. For spouses, the relationship is proven with the marriage contract, which is why the paperwork around the certificate matters more than anything else in the file.
The visa is often confused with two other things:
A tourist visa, which anyone can apply for through an airline, hotel or travel agency without a sponsor.
A spouse residence visa, also called a family or dependent visa, which lets the spouse live in the UAE for the long term and requires the sponsor to meet salary and housing conditions.
If you only want a few weeks together, the visit visa is the sponsor-based option. If you want to settle, skip ahead to the comparison below.
Who can sponsor a spouse
The sponsor is the resident or citizen the visitor is coming to see. Per GDRFA Dubai, the visitor must be a relative or friend of a UAE citizen or of a foreigner residing in the UAE. In practice that means:
UAE residents holding a valid residence visa in the emirate where they apply.
UAE citizens, who can sponsor family members as well.
GCC citizens, with a specific rule: when a foreign wife visits her husband who is a GCC national, GDRFA Dubai’s terms say she must hold a valid residence permit in the country whose nationality the husband holds.
The Fujairah government portal confirms the same principle from another emirate: both UAE nationals and expatriates residing in the UAE may sponsor family members. It adds that when the wife is a non-Arab national, the marriage contract must be duly attested and legally translated.
The sponsor will also need to show a job or business: GDRFA Dubai lists a salary certificate, an employment contract or a partnership contract among the required documents. This is where couples with a new job or a free zone license should check their paperwork is current before applying.
Documents you need
GDRFA Dubai’s service page for a visit visa for a relative or friend lists these items:
Two personal photos of the visitor.
A passport copy of the visitor, valid for at least 6 months.
The marriage contract.
A birth certificate.
A salary certificate, employment contract or partnership contract of the sponsor.
An identity card, for nationals of Iraq, Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan.
In addition, applicants usually work with the sponsor’s passport and residence visa copy, Emirates ID and tenancy contract details. Different channels can ask for slightly different uploads, so follow the checklist shown inside the application you open.
The marriage certificate: attest, then translate
This is the step that causes the most rejected or returned files. A marriage certificate issued abroad is not accepted as it is. Media reporting on visit visa rules explains that a foreign document should be obtained from the relevant country’s consulate, attested by MOFA in the UAE, and translated into Arabic. If the certificate is not in Arabic or English, the translation is not optional.
The order matters. Attestation comes first, translation second, because the translator works from the attested document and the translation must match what the authority has stamped. We cover the sequence in detail in our guide on getting a spouse visa approved by attesting, then translating.
A few practical points:
Check the names on the certificate against both passports. A spelling difference between the certificate and the passport is a common reason for a file to be sent back.
Use the original or a certified copy as the process requires. If your certificate comes from another country, read the route that matches it: for example, marriage certificate attestation for India or UK marriage certificate attestation in the UAE.
If you married inside the UAE, the court or Islamic marriage record has its own attestation path. Our marriage certificate attestation guide for Dubai walks through it.
If time is short, read how MOFA attestation can be done urgently in 1 to 3 days.
For spouses of different nationalities, a consulate may also issue an affidavit or no-objection letter relating to the marriage. The DMCC dependent visa guideline mentions this for residence visas when the husband and wife hold different nationalities, so it is worth asking your consulate whether it applies to your case.
Fees and deposit in Dubai
GDRFA Dubai publishes the fee structure for the relative visit visa. The figures below are as listed on its service page. VAT of 5% applies to the visa fee.
Item | 30 days | 60 days | 90 days |
Visa fee (plus 5% VAT) | AED 200 | AED 300 | AED 400 |
Insurance | AED 40 | AED 60 | AED 90 |
Charges that apply to every duration:
Item | Amount |
Financial security deposit | AED 1,000 |
Deposit service fee | AED 20 |
Collection and reimbursement fee | AED 40 |
If the person you are sponsoring is already inside the UAE, GDRFA Dubai lists extra charges: Knowledge Dirham AED 10, Innovation Dirham AED 10 and an inside-country fee of AED 500.
The deposit is not a cost of the visa in the same way as the issuance fee. It is a guarantee that has to be paid at the start and is returned after the visitor leaves the country, less the collection charge. Budget for it as cash flow, not as an expense. As a rough example, a 90-day application adds up to well over AED 1,000 on the day you apply, and most of that comes back.
Fees are reviewed from time to time, so open the GDRFA service page on the day you apply and use the figures shown there.
How to apply, step by step
GDRFA Dubai accepts applications through its website or smart application, through a Customer Happiness Center, or through an Amer Service Center. For sponsors in Dubai, the steps are straightforward:
Prepare the documents. Complete the marriage certificate attestation and Arabic translation first, and scan every page in colour.
Log in. Use the GDRFA website or app with your UAE Pass or the credentials the platform asks for.
Find the service. Search for the visit visa for a relative or friend.
Select the duration. Choose 30, 60 or 90 days. Pick the period that matches the real trip, because extensions cost extra.
Enter the visitor’s details and upload the files. Names must match the passport exactly.
Pay. The visa fee, VAT, insurance, deposit and service charges are shown before you confirm.
Receive the permit. GDRFA Dubai lists an expected completion time of 48 hours. Send the electronic permit to your spouse so they can travel.
If you live in another emirate, the same type of service exists through that emirate’s immigration authority. The Fujairah government portal, for instance, publishes its own visitors visa page with its requirements, so the checklist can differ slightly from Dubai.
How long your spouse can stay, and extensions
The visa allows the visitor to stay for 30, 60 or 90 days, according to the duration selected. It is a single-entry visa, so once your spouse leaves the UAE, it cannot be reused.
If you need more time, GDRFA Dubai’s extension service for a relative or friend’s visit visa lists a fee of AED 600 plus 5% VAT. An extension can be granted for the same period or for further periods, and a relevant authority’s decision may extend it one or more times for a total of no more than 180 days.
Plan the extension before the permit expires. Overstaying carries daily fines and can complicate later applications, so a few days of margin is worth more than saving a fee.
Two practical tips:
If you know the stay will be longer than 90 days, start comparing the cost of repeated extensions with the cost of a residence visa.
Keep the departure ticket or onward plan handy. The deposit is returned after your spouse departs, so the exit has to be recorded properly.
Visit visa or residence visa for your spouse
A visit visa is meant for a temporary stay. A residence visa is meant for living together here. The requirements are heavier for residence.
Visit visa | Residence visa | |
Purpose | Short stay with the sponsor | Living in the UAE long term |
Duration | 30, 60 or 90 days, extendable up to 180 days in total | Residency period linked to the sponsor’s visa |
Marriage proof | Marriage contract, attested and translated where foreign | Attested marriage certificate, with embassy and MOFA attestation |
Sponsor income | Salary certificate or employment contract | Minimum salary and accommodation conditions |
Deposit | AED 1,000 refundable deposit | Different financial requirements apply |
On the residence side, the DMCC dependent visa guideline sets a minimum salary of AED 4,000 with accommodation for sponsoring a wife, and asks for a coloured copy of the marriage certificate attested by the UAE Embassy in the home country and by MOFA in the UAE. The Fujairah portal adds that for a second wife a financial guarantee of AED 5,000 applies. Employers and free zones set their own procedures, so confirm yours.
A simple rule of thumb: if your spouse will be here for three months or less, a visit visa is usually the faster route. If you are moving to the UAE together or plan a long stay, apply for the residence visa and avoid paying for repeated extensions. Our guide on marriage certificate immigration for expat spouses in the UAE explains how the same certificate feeds into the residence process.
Why spouse visit applications get delayed
Most delays come from paperwork, not from the visa system:
Certificate not attested in the right order. A document stamped by MOFA before the home-country step, or translated before attestation, may need to be redone. See our note on correct MOFA attestation procedures.
Translation mismatch. The Arabic text must reflect the attested document. A translated marriage certificate prepared for UAE visa use avoids queries on names and dates.
Passport validity. GDRFA Dubai asks for a passport valid for at least 6 months. A passport that expires soon is rejected.
Sponsor documents out of date. An expired employment contract, a missing salary certificate or a visa that is about to lapse can stall the application.
Wrong duration. Choosing 30 days and then needing 60 means a paid extension.
Before you submit, put both passports, the certificate, the translation and the sponsor documents side by side and check every name, date and passport number once more.
Perspective: why we prepare the marriage file first
In our work with couples, the visa itself is rarely the hard part. The hard part is the marriage certificate. We have seen how a file that looks complete can stall because one stamp came before another, or because a translation was made from the wrong version of the document. We started Harris & Charms after going through UAE marriage bureaucracy ourselves, so we know how stressful it is when a spouse is waiting abroad and the paperwork loops back. Our approach is to fix the certificate first: attestation in the right sequence, a clean Arabic translation, and names that match the passports. Once that is done, the visit visa application is a short online task. We also like to ask one question early: is this a visit, or the first step toward living here? If it is the second, we plan the certificate so that it serves both the visit visa and the later residence application. Couples who think about this on day one avoid doing the same work twice. Harris
Get the certificate ready with Harris & Charms
If your marriage certificate is the missing piece, we can take over the attestation and legal translation so you can focus on the application and your spouse’s trip. We handle marriage certificate attestation and legal translation, and we also support UAE family visa paperwork for couples and foreign nationals. Prices for these services are not published, so contact us with your certificate’s country of issue and your timeline.
See our marriage certificate attestation service, or start from our main page to send an inquiry. If you have not married yet and want the legal side done in the UAE, our civil wedding packages include the documentation process.
FAQ
Can I sponsor my wife or husband on a visit visa without a marriage certificate?
No. GDRFA Dubai requires proof of the relationship, and it lists the marriage contract among the required documents. If the certificate was issued abroad, it should be attested and translated into Arabic before you apply.
How much does a spouse visit visa cost in Dubai?
GDRFA Dubai lists visa fees of AED 200 for 30 days, AED 300 for 60 days and AED 400 for 90 days, plus 5% VAT, insurance and service charges. A refundable AED 1,000 deposit is also taken at the start. Check the official page for the current amounts on the day you apply.
How long does approval take?
GDRFA Dubai lists an expected completion time of 48 hours for the visit visa for a relative or friend. The attestation and translation of the marriage certificate, if still pending, will take longer than the visa itself, so start those first.
Can the visit visa be extended?
Yes. GDRFA Dubai lists an extension fee of AED 600 plus 5% VAT, and a relevant authority’s decision may extend the visa one or more times, for no more than 180 days in total. Apply before the current permit ends.
Should I apply for a visit visa or a residence visa for my spouse?
Choose a visit visa for a stay of up to a few months. Choose a residence visa if your spouse is moving to the UAE, since it requires the sponsor to meet salary and housing conditions and an attested marriage certificate, but it avoids repeated extensions.
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