Last updated: 15 October 2026
Wanting to sponsor your parents in the UAE is one of the most common goals among Pakistani expats here, and also one of the most misunderstood. It is possible, but it is deliberately harder than sponsoring a spouse or child: higher income expectations, mandatory insurance priced for older applicants, and in most cases a refundable deposit per parent. This guide sets out what is actually involved so you can plan rather than hope.
Why sponsoring parents is treated differently
Spouse and children sponsorship is the standard residency path. Parents are handled as a special category, and the reasoning is financial: older dependants are more likely to need healthcare, so the authorities want evidence you can carry that cost without it falling on the state or on an employer.
That shows up in three ways — a noticeably higher salary expectation than for a spouse, a security deposit held per parent, and health insurance that is genuinely expensive because premiums rise steeply with age. Requirements are set by the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (ICP), with general guidance on the UAE government portal.
Both parents, or neither
This is the rule that surprises people most: parents are normally sponsored as a couple. You generally cannot bring only your mother and leave your father in Pakistan simply because it is cheaper. Exceptions exist — widowhood or divorce being the clear ones — and they require documentary proof.
Budget accordingly. The realistic planning figure is two of everything: two medicals, two Emirates IDs, two insurance policies, two deposits.
What it costs to sponsor your parents in the UAE
The figures below use the same numbers as our UAE family visa cost breakdown and sponsorship guide, applied to a couple. They are indicative planning figures, not a quote — confirm current amounts with ICP before you pay anything.
| Item | Per parent | For both parents |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum monthly salary (Dubai) | AED 20,000, or AED 19,000 with accommodation provided | |
| Government fees (entry permit, medical, Emirates ID, stamping) | AED 1,100–1,500 | AED 2,200–3,000 |
| Typing centre or PRO service charge | AED 200–400 | AED 400–800 |
| Health insurance | Priced on age and cover — get a real quote | The largest recurring cost |
| Refundable security deposit | Varies by emirate | Cash you cannot touch |
Two things stand out. First, the salary threshold is five times the figure for sponsoring a spouse and children (AED 4,000), and it is assessed on your documented basic salary rather than your total package. Second, the government fees are the small part. Insurance is left as “get a real quote” deliberately: premiums for older applicants vary so widely with age and medical history that any single figure here would mislead more than it helped.
What you will need
- Proof of relationship — your birth certificate naming both parents, attested.
- Your residency and Emirates ID, valid with reasonable time remaining.
- Salary certificate stating basic salary, recent, stamped and signed by your employer.
- Tenancy contract in your name with accommodation suited to the household size.
- Health insurance for each parent, active before the visa completes.
- Passports with at least six months validity.
- Medical fitness tests in the UAE for both parents.
Get the attestation done in Pakistan before anyone travels. Arranging it afterwards means couriering documents both ways while an application sits open — our Pakistani embassy in UAE guide covers the process.
The insurance question, honestly
Do not treat insurance as a formality to clear at the typing centre. For parents it is frequently the largest recurring cost of the whole arrangement, and it renews every year for as long as they stay. Quote it properly before you commit to anything else, and read what it actually covers — the cheapest compliant plan may exclude precisely the chronic conditions an older parent is most likely to need treated.
Our UAE health insurance guide explains how the tiers differ and what the exclusions usually are.
How long it takes, realistically
Plan on a two-stage timeline. Attestation in Pakistan is the slow part and should be finished before anyone books a flight. Once your parents are in the UAE, the in-country steps — medical fitness test, Emirates ID biometrics, insurance activation and stamping — move quickly if the file is complete, but each is an in-person appointment, so allow for working-hours availability rather than assuming it happens in a single day.
The delays that actually bite are almost never the government steps. They are a certificate that was not attested, a passport with under six months validity, or an insurance policy bought late. Every one of those is avoidable with a checklist before departure.
A realistic alternative if you cannot sponsor your parents in the UAE yet
If the numbers do not work yet, the honest answer is that many families use long visit visas instead. Parents come for an extended stay, return home, and come again — no deposit, no residency-grade insurance, far less paperwork. It is not the same as having them here permanently, but it is achievable on a salary that will not clear the sponsorship bar, and it avoids committing to an annual insurance premium you may struggle to renew.
See our guide to the UAE visit visa for family for that route, the common reasons a family visa gets rejected if an application stalls, and the family visa in UAE sponsorship guide for the residency path in full.
Frequently asked questions
Can I sponsor only my mother? Usually not — parents are sponsored as a couple. Widowhood or divorce is the normal exception and must be evidenced with attested documents.
Can I sponsor my parents in the UAE on a standard package? Only if your documented basic salary clears the parent threshold, which sits well above the spouse one. Check the current figure with ICP rather than relying on a number you were quoted last year.
How much salary do I need? In Dubai the commonly applied threshold is AED 20,000 a month, or AED 19,000 where accommodation is provided — five times the spouse figure. It is assessed on documented basic salary, and it varies by emirate and is revised periodically, so confirm the current number with ICP before budgeting.
Is the deposit refundable? Yes, where one is taken it is returned when the parent exits or changes status correctly. Treat it as cash you cannot access, not as money spent.
Can my parents work on this visa? No. A dependant visa is not a work permit. Working on it puts both their status and your sponsorship at risk.
What happens if I lose my job? Your dependants’ residency is tied to yours. If your visa is cancelled, theirs follows, so factor that risk in before moving parents permanently.
