# Family members Residence Visa on hold by paying a 5000 AED deposit



## alexmani

Hello Members,

I have query regarding the new residency rules for changing the jobs in Dubai. Before when an employee change the job he was allowed to put the family members visa on hold by paying a 5000 AED deposit per head (refundable) together with the charges there by it helps the employee to avoid extra financial burden of taking new visa for family, and children going to school / wife working under husband sponsorship can continue working. But checking the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs Jafiliya – Dubai and new toll free system AMER they say this family hold system is no more.

Before the employee cancel the visa he need to cancel the family members visa they have 30 days free time stay in the country. If the new company can arrange the visa in 30 days for the employee and he can arrange residence before the end of 30 days they don’t need to exit the country , they can change the visa inside dubai by paying change of status in dubai.

But one thing which confuse everyone is family members visa is cancelled before the employee visa is cancelled from the old company and the new company need a minimum of 3-4 weeks to get the new visa including labour approval, status change inside dubai, labour contract, visa approval, medical, emirates id and residence on passport, that means the employee is left with no choice but to exit the family to apply for new visa and again go through all the procedure.

I really don’t know why we have such a complicated procedure, children will lose school days and apart from everything it a big stress on the family.

Please advice if there is better solution while changing the jobs in Dubai.


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## rsinner

alexmani said:


> Hello Members,
> 
> I have query regarding the new residency rules for changing the jobs in Dubai. Before when an employee change the job he was allowed to put the family members visa on hold by paying a 5000 AED deposit per head (refundable) together with the charges there by it helps the employee to avoid extra financial burden of taking new visa for family, and children going to school / wife working under husband sponsorship can continue working. But checking the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs Jafiliya – Dubai and new toll free system AMER they say this family hold system is no more.
> 
> Before the employee cancel the visa he need to cancel the family members visa they have 30 days free time stay in the country. If the new company can arrange the visa in 30 days for the employee and he can arrange residence before the end of 30 days they don’t need to exit the country , they can change the visa inside dubai by paying change of status in dubai.
> 
> But one thing which confuse everyone is family members visa is cancelled before the employee visa is cancelled from the old company and the new company need a minimum of 3-4 weeks to get the new visa including labour approval, status change inside dubai, labour contract, visa approval, medical, emirates id and residence on passport, that means the employee is left with no choice but to exit the family to apply for new visa and again go through all the procedure.
> 
> I really don’t know why we have such a complicated procedure, children will lose school days and apart from everything it a big stress on the family.
> 
> Please advice if there is better solution while changing the jobs in Dubai.


Depends on the company. I just went through his process, and my new company took about 3 weeks from cancelling my family's visa to getting my family's new visa. Everything was "urgent" and "vip" though wherever possible. 

The fine is nominal on a daily basis if you cross the 30 day mark.


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## alexmani

but once the 30 day mark is cross can we still apply for visa for the family ? do they need to exit the country to change the status.


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## smartyshabs

So let me start. There is not much information available on internet regarding UAE FAMILY HOLD VISA PROCESS….

First of all let us be very clear …family visa can be hold only when the person is shifting job in the same land (Mainland to Mainland). If you were having a mainland visa and your new company is free zone…then you cannot hold your family visa… YOU WILL HAVE TO CANCEL and then reapply once your new visa is stamped.

When you call on 8005111 and inquire about hold visa process, they will just transfer your line to IVR which you might not get all the information required.

So let’s start. For holding FAMILY visa, first you should have a JOB OFFER LETTER from the mainland (PLEASE UNDERSTAND THE JOB LETTER SHOULD BE FROM LABOUR DEPARTMENT). A normal company offer letter is not enough to hold the family visa.

Once you have a labour approved offer letter, ask your old company to cancel only your LABOUR CARD first. PLEASE NOTE… DO NOT CANCELL YOUR OLD VISA till your hold visa process is done.

Take the old labour card cancellation paper with new labour approved offer letter your original passport and your dependents original passport to Al Manara immigration center. (My experience at this immigration center was very good). Polite and well behaved officers are available to serve you. You can also visit Al jafliya immigration center (but I am not sure whether they are taking HOLD visa applications).

Typing center there will charge you 50 AED for typing hold visa document in arabic. Take the complete set and take token number.

Inform officer that you want to hold your family visa and submit the full set of documents prepared by the typing guy.

Once approved by the immigration officer you will have to pay a deposit of 5000 AED (refundable).

As per my conversation with one of the officer the validity for holding family visa is maximum 60 days. If your new visa is not stamped within 60 days then the deposit amount is forfeited (this I got to know at the cash counter).

My company took around 58 days to get my new visa stamped (due to some internal issues). So every day was like a sword on my head and fear of losing 5000 AED).

But I also met 1 gentleman at the immigration center whose new visa process was all done within 15 days (from labor approval, change status, medical, emirates ID & stamping).

So it depends on company to company.

My advice is please check with your new company as how much time is they going to take for new visa before keeping your family visa on hold.

Best of Luck..


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## azeem.nawaz

smartyshabs said:


> So let me start. There is not much information available on internet regarding UAE FAMILY HOLD VISA PROCESS….
> 
> First of all let us be very clear …family visa can be hold only when the person is shifting job in the same land (Mainland to Mainland). If you were having a mainland visa and your new company is free zone…then you cannot hold your family visa… YOU WILL HAVE TO CANCEL and then reapply once your new visa is stamped.
> 
> When you call on 8005111 and inquire about hold visa process, they will just transfer your line to IVR which you might not get all the information required.
> 
> So let’s start. For holding FAMILY visa, first you should have a JOB OFFER LETTER from the mainland (PLEASE UNDERSTAND THE JOB LETTER SHOULD BE FROM LABOUR DEPARTMENT). A normal company offer letter is not enough to hold the family visa.
> 
> Once you have a labour approved offer letter, ask your old company to cancel only your LABOUR CARD first. PLEASE NOTE… DO NOT CANCELL YOUR OLD VISA till your hold visa process is done.
> 
> Take the old labour card cancellation paper with new labour approved offer letter your original passport and your dependents original passport to Al Manara immigration center. (My experience at this immigration center was very good). Polite and well behaved officers are available to serve you. You can also visit Al jafliya immigration center (but I am not sure whether they are taking HOLD visa applications).
> 
> Typing center there will charge you 50 AED for typing hold visa document in arabic. Take the complete set and take token number.
> 
> Inform officer that you want to hold your family visa and submit the full set of documents prepared by the typing guy.
> 
> Once approved by the immigration officer you will have to pay a deposit of 5000 AED (refundable).
> 
> As per my conversation with one of the officer the validity for holding family visa is maximum 60 days. If your new visa is not stamped within 60 days then the deposit amount is forfeited (this I got to know at the cash counter).
> 
> My company took around 58 days to get my new visa stamped (due to some internal issues). So every day was like a sword on my head and fear of losing 5000 AED).
> 
> But I also met 1 gentleman at the immigration center whose new visa process was all done within 15 days (from labor approval, change status, medical, emirates ID & stamping).
> 
> So it depends on company to company.
> 
> My advice is please check with your new company as how much time is they going to take for new visa before keeping your family visa on hold.
> 
> Best of Luck..


Thank you so much. Your information was very useful. I completed the process at Jafilya immigration center and it was easy.


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