UAE residence visa: Can a Muslim expat sponsor two wives at the same time?

Whether they are building a family or flying their loved ones in from their home countries, expats in the UAE are welcome to enjoy the incredible opportunities here with their spouses and children, even their extended families.

Rules have been laid out allowing expats to sponsor their family's residence visas. In fact, as the country works on attracting more talent from around the world, some visa regulations have been made flexible in recent years.

Both employers and employees with valid residence visas can sponsor families, according to the UAE Government.

"Unlike before, employees can sponsor their families regardless of their job titles — if they earn a minimum salary of Dh4,000 or Dh3,000 plus accommodation," it said on its official website.

An expat is given 60 days to apply for his dependents' residence visas after entering the country under an entry permit. However, certain conditions will have to be met before these are granted. For example, those who are "medically unfit" will not be allowed to obtain a visa. Dependents above the age of 18 will have to pass a medical fitness test as part of the process.

According to information on the UAE Government's website, Muslim expats may be allowed to sponsor two wives at the same time — in strict cases.

The authorities stressed that the sponsor will have to meet certain terms and conditions set by the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security.

"To sponsor the wife, the expatriate resident must prove an existing marital relationship by submitting an attested marriage certificate in Arabic or duly translated into Arabic by a certified translator," according to the guidelines.

The rule on getting visas for daughters is different from the process for sponsoring sons.

A daughter can be sponsored only if she is unmarried and no age limit has been set. Sons, however, can fall under the sponsorship of their parents only until he is 25. Those with special needs can be sponsored with no age restrictions.

Expats may also provide residence visas for stepchildren, subject to GDRFA conditions which include a deposit for each child and a written no-objection certificate from the biological parent, according to the government's website.

For babies who are born in the UAE, parents should apply for the visa within 120 of their birth. Otherwise, fines shall be imposed.

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