How Green Visa Holders Can Sponsor Their Family in UAE

Dubai: If you are a green visa holder, you can also sponsor your first-degree relatives in the UAE. The Green Visa or Green Residency is a self-sponsored five-year residence permit for freelancers, skilled employees as well as investors and corporate partners in the UAE.

If you are a skilled worker holding a green visa issued by the emirates of Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah or Umm Al Quwain, you can apply for your family’s UAE Residence Visa, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP).

Visa applications can be made through three channels:

1. ICP smart service website: smartservices.icp.gov.ae
2. ICP Mobile App – “UAEICP” for Apple and Android devices.
3. ICP Authorized Typing Centers – You can find a list of approved typing centers in each emirate by visiting the following link: https://icp.gov.ae/en/typing-offices/

Below are the documents that Green Visa holders need to submit to sponsor their family members:

• Original entry permits for each family member.
• Copy of valid passport.
• photocopies Physical examination results family members.
• Color passport size photo
• Copy of sponsor’s health insurance card
• A copy of the front and back of the sponsor’s Emirates ID.
• A copy of the guarantor’s valid passport.
• Documentation of relationship – eg birth or marriage certificate. According to the ICP, if the document is issued by a foreign government, it must be legally translated into Arabic and attested by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MOFAIC).

To learn how to translate official and legal documents into Arabic click here And pass the MOFAIC certification document, click here.

• Sponsor’s rental contract.
• Proof of sponsor’s monthly income.

Depending on the information entered on the application, you may be asked to provide additional documentation under the ICP.

To sponsor your family’s UAE residency visa through the ICP Smart Services platform, you must first visit this link: https://smartservices.icp.gov.ae/echannels/web/client/default.html#/login and follow the steps below the following:

1. Login with your Emirates Passor through an ICP online account if you already have one.
2. Once logged in, you will be taken to your personal dashboard on the app.
3. Next, click on the ICP department for your emirate, eg – Federal Authority For Identity and Citizenship\Abu Dhabi or Sharjah.
4. Then, search for “Green Residency Visa For Skilled Person Family Members – Issue” in the search bar. The visa application will appear below.
5. Click “Start Service”
6. Complete the application form and upload the required documents.
7. Next, pay for the service with a credit or debit card.

After payment, you will receive confirmation from ICP that your application has been submitted.

Once approved, it takes approximately two to five working days for the residence visa to be issued. You will receive a digital copy of your residence permit to the email address you provided in the application form.

According to the ICP, the final cost of the visa will depend on the details of the application and the sponsor must pay a security deposit. Here’s the estimated cost breakdown, according to the authority:

• Request Fee: 100 dirhams
• Distribution fee: 100 dirhams
• Electronic service fee: 28 dirhams
• ICP fees: 22 dirhams
• Smart Service Fee: 100 dirhams
total cost – 350 dirhams

This is only the fee for the issuance of the residence permit. Along the way, you’ll also need to apply for an Emirates ID (which you’ll have to pay separately), and a medical check for members over 18.

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