DUBAI, Dec 11: To sponsor family members in the UAE, individuals must first ensure they hold a residence visa within the country. This may be in the form of a work visa sponsored by an employer or a self-sponsored visa such as a Green Visa, Investor Visa, or Golden Visa.

Once the visa is secured, individuals can proceed to sponsor their family members, but certain requirements must be met for eligibility. Here are nine key considerations:

1. Expatriate residents must possess a valid residence permit/visa to sponsor their families in the UAE.
2. Sponsors must have a minimum salary of Dh4,000 or Dh3,000 plus accommodation, with no specific professional requirement for expatriate workers to sponsor family visas.
3. Family members above 18 must undergo and pass medical fitness tests at approved health centers in the UAE. Medically unfit individuals will not be granted a residence visa, and those with dormant or inactive pulmonary tuberculosis are considered fit, with a one-year 'Health Fitness Certificate for Residence' subject to treatment and follow-up.
4. Resident sponsors have 60 days to apply for dependents' residence visas after their entry under an entry permit, while visas for babies born in the UAE must be applied for within 120 days of birth.
5. To sponsor parents, both must be sponsored together, and official documents are required in cases of divorce or the death of a parent.
6. When sponsoring parents, the residence visa is granted annually, regardless of the sponsor's visa duration, with adherence to the salary requirement.
7. Unmarried daughters can be sponsored by an expatriate resident with no age restrictions.
8. Sons can be sponsored until the age of 25, or with no age restrictions if they are Persons of Determination.
9. Stepchildren can be sponsored with conditions set by the emirate's immigration department, including a deposit for each child and a no-objection certificate from the biological parent.

Required documents for sponsoring wife and children include an application form, passport copies, photos, medical clearance certificates for those above 18, the sponsor's employment contract, salary certificate, attested marriage certificate, and a registered tenancy contract.

Cancellation of the family's residence permits is linked to the sponsoring family member's visa. Dependents have a six-month grace period to obtain a new residence permit if the sponsor's visa is canceled or expires, and failure to renew or cancel dependents' visas may result in fines for the sponsor.