Salary and not job title is now the basis for residence visa applications for both male and female expats wanting to sponsor their family members, the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (FAIC) has clarified. How some women were told by authorities in Dubai that only certain professionals were eligible to sponsor their families if they earned Dh4,000 or above.

An FAIC spokesperson categorically said that all expats – male and female – can now sponsor their spouse or children, provided they earn a monthly salary of Dh4,000 or at least Dh3,000 plus accommodation from the company.

He explained that a government website is still stating the previous requirements because it “has not been updated yet”.

Amer centre –  a one-stop facility for visa and immigration-related services in Dubai – a call centre agent confirmed that the employment category for female sponsors has been removed. However, the salary requirement remains Dh10,000 if a woman wants to sponsor her husband, the agent said. “A mother who is earning a basic monthly salary of Dh4,000 or Dh3,000 plus free housing can sponsor her children.”

The FAIC had announced on July 14 that it was adopting a Cabinet resolution changing the main condition of acquiring residency from employment to income.

Major-General Saeed Al Rashidi, director-general of Foreigners Affairs and Ports at the FAIC, said: “The sponsor, whether male or female, must present a certified marriage certificate and their children’s birth certificates translated into Arabic, as well as proof of their monthly income. A wife wishing to sponsor their children must attach a certified written agreement from her husband.”