Quick answer: Ang UAE ay
hindi Apostille country. Philippine documents follow three steps: a
DFA Certificate of Authentication, then
UAE Embassy attestation, then
UAE MOFA attestation in the UAE.
- Work visa: your employer applies for it. Since Aug 15, 2026, it also needs an attested NBI clearance.
- Family residence visa: salary of at least AED 4,000, or AED 3,000 plus accommodation.
- Family visit visa: AED 4,000 for parents, spouse or kids.
Before you process anything, check the DMW status below. As of Oct 25, 2026, DMW Advisory 10 still lists UAE deployments as suspended.
⚠️ DMW deployment status for the UAE (last checked Oct 25, 2026)Mar 6, 2026: DMW Advisory No. 10, s. 2026 says that “ongoing regional tensions and airspace restrictions currently suspend deployments” to Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE “until further notice”. It also tells recruitment agencies to temporarily refrain from processing workers for these countries.
Aug 13, 2026: DMW Advisory No. 52, s. 2026 adds an NBI clearance requirement for UAE employment visas from Aug 15, 2026. It does
not say that deployments have resumed.
When we checked the
DMW advisories list (newest advisory dated Oct 20, 2026), we found
no advisory lifting the suspension for the UAE. Before you resign, pay a fee or book a flight, confirm the current status with the DMW (hotline 1348) or your licensed agency. Returning workers (Balik-Manggagawa) should also confirm their case.
🆕 What changed recently- Aug 15, 2026: NBI clearance (police clearance) became required for UAE employment visas for Filipinos (DMW Advisory 52).
- Mar 6, 2026: DMW suspended deployments to the UAE and other Gulf countries until further notice (DMW Advisory 10).
- Recently: ICP updated the visit visa rules for relatives and friends with new salary minimums (ICP).
- UAE MOFA attestation now runs through its website and app, with UAE PASS sign-in (MOFA UAE).
Documents for the UAE: the 3-step legalisation chain
Applies to the PSA birth and marriage certificates, school records and NBI clearance you’ll use in the UAE. The UAE is not on the HCCH Apostille list, so an e-Apostille or apostille alone is not enough.
- Philippines: DFA Certificate of Authentication. For non-Apostille countries, the DFA issues a paper Certificate of Authentication. For PSA documents, order the paper copy (SECPA) through PSA Helpline apostille and choose the UAE as the destination. The DFA lists ₱200 for authentication plus ₱300 for the PSA SECPA (DFA FAQ). For other documents (school records, NBI), book at appointment.apostille.gov.ph. For non-Apostille countries, the NBI clearance must be the original paper copy with dry seal (DFA requirements). Read our Apostille guide for each document’s first step.
- Philippines: UAE Embassy in Manila attestation. UAE MOFA says documents issued outside the UAE are attested through “Attestation through UAE Missions Abroad” on its website or app. Some missions take applications online, and others in person (MOFA UAE attestation). Check the UAE Embassy Manila page for the current channel, courier and fee before you send anything.
- UAE: MOFA attestation. Once in the UAE, the document usually gets a final MOFA UAE attestation, through the MOFA website or the UAE MOFA app with UAE PASS. Courier-based applications take 1–3 business days in the UAE. Documents must be in Arabic or English, or come with a legal translation, and must not be laminated (MOFA UAE). The fee is shown before you pay. You can check a document at MOFA Verify.
🔎 What we could and couldn’t confirm
CONFIRMED FROM OFFICIAL PAGESThe UAE is not an Apostille party. The DFA issues a Certificate of Authentication for non-Apostille countries. UAE MOFA attests documents issued abroad through UAE missions, and attests them again inside the UAE (no lamination).
STILL CHECKINGHow exactly the UAE Embassy in Manila takes documents today (fully online, by courier or walk-in), its fee per document and its processing time. Older embassy pages mention a courier and a per-document fee. We couldn’t load the current page, so confirm with the embassy before you pay an agent.
We’ll update this box once we can read the embassy’s current instructions. Last checked Oct 25, 2026.
UAE work visa and Emirates ID: the basics
Per the UAE government portal, the employer applies for the standard work visa. It’s valid for two years and renewable.
- Job offer and work permit. On the mainland, the employer gets the work permit from MOHRE (u.ae work permits). Free zone companies use their free zone authority.
- Philippine side (DMW). Process through a DMW-licensed agency, or as a DMW-approved direct hire, with a verified contract and the usual pre-departure steps. Since Aug 15, 2026, you also need the NBI clearance, authenticated and attested for the UAE (DMW Advisory 52).
- Entry permit. The employer applies for the entry permit with ICP, or with GDRFA for Dubai. If you’re already in the UAE, the employer applies for a status change instead.
- Medical test and Emirates ID biometrics. After you arrive, you take the medical fitness test at an approved centre and give fingerprints for the Emirates ID (ICP).
- Residence visa and Emirates ID. Once you’re medically fit, the residence visa is issued, followed by your Emirates ID. Keep copies, because you’ll need the Emirates ID for bank accounts, SIM cards, rent and family sponsorship.
Tip: Your passport stays with you. Ask your employer for written proof of each step, such as the entry permit or application number, and track it on the ICP or GDRFA site or app.
Family residence visa (spouse and kids)
👤 Who can sponsor
A UAE resident with a minimum salary of AED 4,000, or AED 3,000 plus accommodation (u.ae, GDRFA Dubai).
👨👩👧 Who can be sponsored
Your spouse, unmarried daughters, sons under 25 and children with special needs. Family members 18 and older must pass a medical fitness test in the UAE (u.ae).
📄 Documents (GDRFA Dubai list)
- Photo, plus a passport copy valid for at least 6 months
- Employment contract or salary certificate
- Attested marriage certificate and attested birth certificates (see the 3 steps above)
- No-objection from the father if the mother is the sponsor
- Tenancy contract and health insurance are usually asked for too
🏛️ Where to apply
Dubai visas go through GDRFA Dubai (website, app, Amer centres). Other emirates go through ICP (website, app, typing centres). GDRFA lists an entry permit fee of AED 200 plus 5% VAT, with extra fees if the family is already inside the UAE (including AED 500), and a 48-hour target (GDRFA). Medical, Emirates ID and insurance cost extra.
- Attest the documents first (Certificate of Authentication, then embassy, then MOFA UAE). This is the step that takes longest.
- Apply for the entry permit with GDRFA or ICP. Your family enters within its validity and has 60 days after entry to finish the residence steps.
- Medical and Emirates ID biometrics for family members 18 and older (medical) and for each family member (biometrics).
- Residence visa and Emirates ID issued. The family’s visas are linked to yours. If your visa is cancelled, theirs must be cancelled or moved too (u.ae).
Family visit visa (parents, spouse, kids, siblings)
| Visitor | Sponsor’s minimum monthly income | Stay | Notes |
|---|
| 1st degree: parents, spouse, children | AED 4,000 | 30, 60 or 90 days | Proof of relationship, e.g. birth or marriage certificate |
| 2nd and 3rd degree: siblings, grandparents, grandchildren, uncles, aunts, nephews and nieces | AED 8,000 | 30, 60 or 90 days | Proof of relationship |
| Friend | AED 15,000 | 30, 60 or 90 days | |
Salary minimums from ICP and the ICP service page. Swipe the table sideways on your phone.
- Visitor needs: a passport valid for at least 6 months, valid health insurance and a return ticket. The visitor must enter within 60 days of the visa being issued. It can be extended, up to a total stay of 120 days (ICP).
- Fees (ICP): AED 100 application fee, AED 100 per month for a single-entry visa (AED 200 for multiple entries), AED 100 smart services fee, plus a refundable deposit of AED 1,000 (single entry) or AED 2,000 (multiple entries). Dubai (GDRFA): AED 200, 300 or 400 for 30, 60 or 90 days, plus VAT, insurance and the deposit (GDRFA).
- Get the deposit back after the visitor leaves or the visa is cancelled, by applying for a refund, as long as there are no overstay violations.
Common problems (and how to avoid them)
📄 You got an e-Apostille instead
An e-Apostille is for Apostille countries. For the UAE you need the paper Certificate of Authentication. Choose the UAE as your destination when you order from PSA or book at the DFA.
🧾 Laminated document
MOFA UAE won’t attest laminated documents. Never laminate PSA copies, diplomas or your NBI clearance.
🔤 Name mismatch
If the name on your PSA certificate is spelled differently from your passport, for example the middle name or a maiden or married name, fix it first. Attestation doesn’t fix a wrong record.
⏳ NBI clearance timing
The NBI clearance now has to be attested for the work visa (DMW Advisory 52). Get it early so it’s still valid when your visa is filed.
🚩 “Visit visa muna” offers
The DMW warns about illegal recruiters taking advantage of the Middle East situation (DMW Advisory 22). Only deal with DMW-licensed agencies, and never pay without an official receipt.
💸 Overstay
Overstaying a visit or residence visa leads to fines and can block future visas. Extend or cancel on time through ICP or GDRFA.
UAE guide: FAQ
Apostille ba o Certificate of Authentication ang kailangan para sa UAE?
Certificate of Authentication. The UAE is not a party to the Apostille Convention, so a DFA apostille alone is not enough. The DFA issues a paper Certificate of Authentication for non-Apostille countries, and the UAE Embassy in Manila then attests it. For use inside the UAE, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) usually attests it once more. When you order from PSA or book at the DFA, choose the UAE as your destination country.
May deployment ban ba sa UAE ngayon?
DMW Advisory No. 10, Series of 2026 (Mar 6, 2026) says that regional tensions and airspace restrictions currently suspend deployments to Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE until further notice, and asks recruitment agencies to temporarily refrain from processing workers for these countries. When we checked the DMW advisories list on Oct 25, 2026, we did not find a later advisory lifting it for the UAE. Ask the DMW or your licensed agency for the current status before you resign, pay or book a flight.
Ano ang bagong NBI clearance requirement para sa UAE work visa?
Per DMW Advisory No. 52, Series of 2026 (Aug 13, 2026), the UAE’s ICP now requires a Police Clearance Certificate for employment visas. For Filipinos, that means an NBI clearance, effective Aug 15, 2026. The DMW says the NBI clearance must be authenticated and attested for the UAE, so plan time for the DFA Certificate of Authentication and the UAE attestation steps.
Magkano ang sweldo para makapag-sponsor ng pamilya sa UAE?
For a residence visa for your spouse and children, the UAE government portal says the sponsor needs a minimum salary of AED 4,000, or AED 3,000 plus accommodation. For a visit visa for a first-degree relative, ICP sets a minimum monthly income of AED 4,000. It’s AED 8,000 for second- and third-degree relatives and AED 15,000 for a friend.
Sino ang pwede kong i-sponsor sa UAE residence visa?
Per the UAE government portal: your spouse, unmarried daughters, sons under 25 and children with special needs. Sponsored family members aged 18 and above must pass a medical fitness test in the UAE. Parents usually come on a visit visa, or on a residence visa only under separate rules, so check with ICP or GDRFA.
Pwede bang mag-tourist o visit visa muna tapos maghanap ng trabaho sa UAE?
This is risky. Under DMW rules, an OFW going abroad for work should leave with proper documents, and illegal recruiters often sell the ‘visit visa muna’ route. If you’re already in the UAE and an employer hires you, the employer handles the status change and work permit. Before you leave the Philippines, always confirm that your agency is licensed with the DMW.
Ilang araw ang pwede sa UAE visit visa ng kamag-anak?
ICP lists 30, 60 or 90 days. It can be extended, but the total stay must not go over 120 days. The visitor must enter within 60 days of the visa being issued, and needs a passport valid for at least 6 months, health insurance and a return ticket.
More for OFWs
Official sources (checked Oct 25, 2026)
Flypinas is an independent travel information website. We’re not the DMW, DFA, PSA, NBI, ICP, GDRFA, MOHRE, UAE MOFA or any embassy or agency, and we can’t process documents or visas for you. This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules, fees and processing times change often, so always confirm with the official office before you apply or pay. Salamat at ingat, kabayan!
