Invite Your Family to Dubai & Get AED 3,000+ in Rewards (2026 Guide)

Step 1: Invite family to Dubai and claim AED 3,000+ rewards

Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism launched A Dubai Invite to encourage residents to bring overseas family and friends into the city. Eligible UAE residents nominate up to five guests, and once those guests arrive on a valid tourist or visit visa, the host unlocks a package of hotel stays, dining offers, attraction tickets and travel perks worth more than AED 3,000.

Key dates and rules

Why this matters if you are thinking of moving them here permanently

When you invite family to Dubai through the campaign, a nominated visit is the cheapest way to give them a real trial run. The reward package covers a chunk of the hotel bill, which frees up three to five days to tour communities, sit down with school administrators, and get an honest feel for daily life before anyone commits to a lease or a purchase.

Step 2: What it actually costs to stay

Once the visit convinces a family to make the move permanent, the real planning starts. Here is a grounded budget, not a marketing number.

First three months (setup costs)

Indicative ranges for a family of four moving mid-2026; actual costs vary by nationality, school and community.

Monthly living costs (family of four)

Sourced from DMCC Cost of Living 2026 and Property Finder’s 2026 cost-of-living report. Housing typically absorbs 40 to 50% of a relocating family’s budget.

For context: Mercer ranks Dubai 15th globally on its 2025 Cost of Living index, the most expensive city in the Middle East, but still well below Hong Kong, Singapore or New York for a comparable lifestyle.

Step 3: Choose the right community

Once you invite family to Dubai and they decide to stay, where they land matters more than the headline budget. These five communities consistently work for relocating families, compared on the things that actually decide the outcome.

Step 4: Rent first, or buy and get the Golden Visa?

Renting buys time. Buying above AED 2,000,000 buys a decade of certainty. A loan from an approved UAE bank is allowed under Cabinet Resolution 65 of 2022, but official sources describe the paid-amount and mortgage requirements differently, so confirm the current requirement with the Dubai Land Department before relying on a mortgaged purchase.

Full detail on eligibility, the AED 2M threshold and what mortgaged buyers should check lives on our Golden Visa guide.

Step 5: Timeline, from the visit to moving in

1. Nominate your family — submit their details through the Invite campaign before the 30 September deadline.
2. They visit — guests arrive any time before 31 October 2026 to trigger the reward package.
3. Tour communities and schools — use 3 to 5 days to walk the shortlist in person, not just online.
4. Decide, then start paperwork — property search or rental application, plus visa sponsorship documents.
5. Arrange the move — book movers and shipping 6 to 8 weeks ahead of the target date.
6. Arrive and enrol — finalise school enrolment and utility connections in the first two weeks.

Most families complete the full move in four to six months from decision to arrival. Start paperwork about two months before the target date.