Moving to the UAE in 2026: Visas, Family and Costs

By the SettleBuddy editorial teamUpdated 14 October 202610 min read

Moving to the UAE means getting a residence visa, and every residence visa has a basis: an employer, your own skills or investment, a family member who sponsors you, a place at a university, or retirement. Then come the practical steps: a medical test, an Emirates ID, health insurance, a registered lease and utilities. This guide covers the routes, the rules for bringing your family, and the costs that official sources publish, as read on the UAE Government portal, GDRFA Dubai, the Central Bank of the UAE and DEWA on 14 October 2026.

Quick answer

To live in the UAE you need a residence visa. A standard work visa is valid for two years and your employer must apply for it. To bring your family you need a minimum salary of AED 4,000, or AED 3,000 plus accommodation, and you can sponsor your spouse, unmarried daughters and sons under 25. Everyone aged 18 and above takes a medical fitness test and gets an Emirates ID. The UAE does not levy income tax on individuals, and a residence visa lapses if you live outside the UAE for more than 180 days continuously.

Fountains in the gardens of Qasr Al Watan with the towers of the Abu Dhabi skyline behind, under a blue sky — Abu Dhabi seen from Qasr Al Watan. Photo: EditQ / CC0 (Wikimedia Commons).

Choose your route

Route	Who it is for	Sponsor	Validity
Standard work visa	Employees of the government and private sectors	The employer, who must apply	Two years, renewable
Green residence	Skilled employees, freelancers and self-employed people, and investors	None needed	Five years, renewable
Golden visa	Investors, entrepreneurs, people with exceptional talent, outstanding students and others	None needed	5 or 10 years, renewable
Family residence visa	Spouse, unmarried daughters, sons under 25 and children with special needs of a resident	The resident family member	Not beyond the sponsor's own visa
Student visa	Students at accredited universities and colleges	A resident parent, or the institution	1, 2 or 3 years on a sponsored visa
Retirement visa	Retired foreigners aged at least 55 who worked for not less than 15 years	None listed	5 years

The thresholds behind the self-sponsored routes

Green residence, skilled employees: a qualification of no less than a bachelor's degree and a minimum monthly salary of AED 15,000.
Green residence, freelancers and self-employed: annual income from freelance work of not less than AED 360,000 during the previous two years.
Golden visa, investors: minimum capital of AED 2 million, with 10 years for public investments and 5 years for real estate investments.
Retirement visa: property of no less than AED 1 million and savings of no less than AED 1 million, or an annual income of at least AED 180,000. To apply from Dubai, the annual fixed income must not be less than AED 240,000.

Work routes are covered in detail in our UAE work visa guide.

Moving to the UAE with family

Both employers and employees with valid UAE residence visas can sponsor residence visas for their families. The UAE Government portal says employees can do so regardless of their job titles if they meet the salary rule.

Rule	What the official sources say
Minimum salary	AED 4,000, or AED 3,000 plus accommodation
Who you can sponsor	Your spouse, unmarried daughters, sons under 25 years old, and children with special needs
Medical fitness	Family members who have completed the age of 18 must pass medical fitness tests at approved health centres in the UAE
Length of the visa	The expiry date of a dependent's residence visa will not exceed that of the sponsor
If the sponsor's visa is cancelled	The dependents' visas must be cancelled too. Dependents are granted a 6-month grace period to obtain a new residence permit

Documents for a dependent's residence visa

A recent coloured personal photo with a white background, and a copy of the dependent's passport.
The Emirates ID application receipt and the entry permit.
A certified housing lease contract or proof of owning a residence.
A copy of the sponsor's passport with a valid residence permit, and the sponsor's job contract.
A medical fitness certificate for dependents above 18 years.
An attested birth certificate for children.
Medical insurance or a health card.

What it costs in Dubai

GDRFA Dubai's service cards list AED 200 plus 5% VAT for the family sponsorship entry visa, which lets the family member remain for 60 days from entry while the residency requirements are completed. The residence permit for family members is then AED 200, with a Knowledge Dirham of AED 10, an Innovation Dirham of AED 10 and delivery of AED 20. The full breakdown is in our UAE visa fees guide.

Older sons and daughters

Sons over 25 can stay on their parents' sponsorship if they provide evidence of attending a higher educational institute. Daughters can be sponsored for study regardless of age until they are married.

Steps after you arrive

Take the medical test. A residence visa requires applicants who are 18 and above to undergo a medical test to prove that they are medically fit.
Apply for your Emirates ID. It is a legal requirement for all UAE citizens and residents to apply for one and carry it at all times.
Sort out health insurance. Employers are required to provide cover for employees in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. In Dubai, sponsors must get cover for their resident dependents.
Sign and register a lease. You need a copy of your passport, a valid residence visa and your Emirates ID, plus post-dated cheques covering the lease period. Registration is compulsory to connect utilities.
Connect electricity and water. In Dubai the connection is digitally integrated with the Dubai Land Department: after Ejari, the lease registration, is issued, DEWA sends a welcome email with the account number, security deposit details and payment link.
Enrol your children in school. Private school fees are regulated by the educational councils and zones in each emirate.
Get a driving licence. Residents obtain one after taking classes and passing tests, and some expatriate residents can exchange a valid licence issued by their home country.

Rules to know before you go

The 180-day rule: if an expatriate resident lives outside the UAE for more than 180 days continuously, the residence visa is nullified automatically. The portal lists exceptions, and holders of the Golden visa and Green residency can enter at any time while their residency is valid.
Overstaying: visit, tourist and residence visa overstay fines are AED 50 per day.
Your Emirates ID expires with your visa. When the visa expires, the Emirates ID card also expires.
Only the sponsor can cancel: a residence visa sponsored by a family member or employer is normally cancelled by the sponsor.
Working needs a permit: it is illegal to work in the UAE without a valid work permit issued by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation.

What it costs to live there

Tax: the UAE does not levy income tax on individuals, and charges 5 per cent VAT on goods and services.
Prices: Dubai's consumer prices were 5.3% higher in the second quarter of 2026 than a year earlier, and the Central Bank forecasts UAE inflation at 2.4% for 2026.
Housing extras: tenants in Dubai pay a housing fee of 5 per cent of yearly rent through their utility bills, and brokers may charge a commission of up to 5 per cent.
Utilities in Dubai: residential electricity starts at AED 0.230 per kWh and water at AED 7.700 per cubic metre, before the fuel surcharge and 5% VAT.
Schools: expatriate students may attend government schools on payment of 6,000 AED as tuition fees, subject to conditions.

The detail is in our cost of living in the UAE guide.

Visiting first

GCC citizens do not need a visa to enter the UAE, and citizens of several countries can get a visa on arrival. Others apply in advance. The UAE's embassies do not issue tourist visas: you apply online through ICP or GDRFA Dubai, or through UAE-based airlines, licensed travel agents or hotels. A 30-day single-entry tourist visa is AED 200 plus 5% VAT on GDRFA Dubai's service card. Passports must be valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry.

Frequently asked questions

Can I move to the UAE with my family?

Yes. Residents can sponsor a spouse, unmarried daughters, sons under 25 and children with special needs if they earn a minimum salary of AED 4,000, or AED 3,000 plus accommodation.

What salary do I need to sponsor my family in the UAE?

A minimum salary of AED 4,000, or AED 3,000 plus accommodation, regardless of job title, according to the UAE Government portal.

Do I need a job to move to the UAE?

Not for every route. The Green residence and Golden visa do not need a sponsor, a family member can sponsor you, and retired foreigners aged at least 55 can apply for a 5-year retirement visa if they meet the financial conditions.

How long is a UAE work visa valid?

A standard work visa is valid for two years and renewable, and the employer must apply for it.

Do I pay income tax in the UAE?

No. The UAE does not levy income tax on individuals. It levies 5 per cent value added tax on the purchase of goods and services.

How long can I stay outside the UAE with a residence visa?

As a general rule, a residence visa is nullified automatically if you live outside the UAE for more than 180 days continuously. There are listed exceptions, and Golden visa and Green residency holders can enter at any time while their residency is valid.

Is health insurance mandatory in the UAE?

Employers are required to provide health insurance for employees in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, and from 1 January 2025 employers must buy a policy before a private sector employee's residency permit is issued or renewed.

Official sources

All rules and figures verified against the official sources above on 14 October 2026. Visa fees are those on GDRFA Dubai's service cards, which note that totals may vary. Conditions can change, so check with ICP or GDRFA before you apply. Information, not legal or financial advice.