For many Filipinos working in the UAE, the hardest part of life abroad is the distance from family. Dubai has made that reunion a little more rewarding this year: residents who invite relatives from overseas can now earn a benefits package worth more than AED 3,000 through a new tourism campaign—on top of the standard visit visa their family would need anyway.
Here is how the two pieces fit together, and how to claim the rewards correctly.
Step 1: Sponsor the visit visa
Bringing a relative to Dubai starts with a visit visa. Dubai residents holding a valid residence visa can sponsor family members and friends through the General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA Dubai). The scheme offers both single-entry and multiple-entry visas, and eligible visitors can stay up to 120 days a year through approved extensions.
Sponsorship eligibility is tied to the relationship between the sponsor and the visitor, with income thresholds that differ for immediate family, extended relatives, and friends. Before applying, prepare these documents:
- Copies of the sponsor’s Emirates ID and passport
- The visitor’s passport copy and a recent photograph
- Proof of income and proof of accommodation
- Attested marriage or birth certificates, where a family relationship must be established
One requirement that trips up applicants: the visitor’s passport must be valid for at least six months from the date the application is submitted. Applications can be filed in person at Amer or typing centers, or online through GDRFA Dubai and ICP channels.
A quick clarification, because the terms get confused. This visit visa is temporary. It is different from a family residence visa, which gives dependents legal residency and requires a minimum sponsor salary of AED 4,000 per month—or AED 3,000 with employer-provided accommodation. For a holiday or a trial visit, the visit visa is what you want.
Step 2: Nominate your guest for A Dubai Invite
Once your family’s trip is in motion, register them for the rewards. A Dubai Invite is a city ambassador program from the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) that gives residents a benefits package—hotel stays, dining offers, attraction tickets, and lifestyle services—valued at more than AED 3,000 when a nominated guest visits.
To qualify, you must be a UAE resident or citizen aged 18 or above with a valid Emirates ID. Your guest must live outside the UAE and travel on a valid tourist or visit visa, or be eligible for visa on arrival.
Complete the nomination form at visitdubai.com/en/invite/nomination before your guest arrives. You will need your own Emirates ID, date of birth, and email, plus your guest’s passport number, date of birth, nationality, and expected arrival month. You can nominate up to five visitors at a time, and submit additional nominations afterward.
Step 3: Mind the dates
Timing is everything with this campaign, and the two key dates are not the same:
- Your guest must arrive in Dubai between July 20 and October 31, 2026.
- Registration closes on September 30, 2026.
Because nominations close a full month before the final arrival date, register early rather than waiting until your family books their flights.
Step 4: Let the verification happen automatically
Here is the part most residents get wrong: there is no separate claim to file. After your guest arrives, DET verifies the visit automatically through Dubai’s border systems—authorities are notified when the visitor enters, so you do not need to do anything.
Once the entry is confirmed, you receive an email within 72 hours containing your package of offers, with redemption instructions attached. The rewards can be used until December 31, 2026, unless an individual offer carries an earlier expiry date.
What to keep in mind
A few limits and cautions worth understanding before you plan around this:
- The AED 3,000 figure is the stated value of the benefits package—discounts and vouchers—not a cash payout.
- Each resident can receive a maximum of three reward packages during the campaign. You may nominate more guests after that, but no further packages will be issued.
- Each visitor can only be nominated once. If another resident has already registered the same person, your nomination will not qualify.
- The campaign does not provide visa assistance. Your family must arrange their own flights, accommodation, visas, and travel expenses separately.
For an OFW planning to fly a parent or sibling over during the coming months, the sequence is simple: sponsor the visit visa, nominate the guest before they arrive, and let border verification do the rest. The reward will not cover the whole trip, but it takes a meaningful bite out of the hotel and dining bill—and for a family finally reunited in Dubai, that is a welcome bonus.
