Before you start

An employment offer or active residence-visa process (insurance is a visa condition)
Emirates ID / visa details to register the policy against your record
For dependants: the sponsor must arrange their cover separately

Step-by-step

1
Confirm your employer is providing DHA-compliant cover
Under Dubai Law No. 11 of 2013, your employer must buy a health policy meeting the DHA's minimum standards, and the cost must be borne by the employer — they cannot deduct it from your salary. Ask HR which insurer and plan you are on before you start work.
Via employerWho: Your employerBefore/at visa processingEmployer-paid (cannot be charged to you)
2
Insurance is checked as a residence-visa condition
In Dubai a valid DHA-compliant policy has been a prerequisite for issuing or renewing a residence permit since the Law No. 11 of 2013 rollout completed in 2016; GDRFA verifies insurance status at issuance and renewal. (The separate federal MoHRE basic scheme that began on 1 January 2025 covers the emirates without their own mandate — Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah — not Dubai.) No compliant policy means the visa does not complete.
In personWho: Employer PRO / GDRFATied to visa timelineIncluded in visa/insurance bundle
3
Get your insurance card and know your network
Once enrolled you receive an insurance card (often digital) tied to your Emirates ID. Check whether your plan is a basic or enhanced tier, which hospitals/clinics are in-network, and your co-payment — using out-of-network providers can mean paying upfront and partial or no reimbursement.
Mobile appWho: YouAround visa issuanceCo-pays apply at point of care
4
Arrange cover for any dependants you sponsor
If you sponsor a spouse, children, or domestic worker, the obligation to insure them sits with you as sponsor, and their residence visas also require valid cover. Budget for this separately — it is a common surprise for newcomers bringing family.
OnlineWho: You (as sponsor)Before dependants' visa issuanceEBP-level cover from ~AED 600+/yr per person (varies)

Documents you’ll need

Emirates ID / residence-visa details
Passport copy
Employer-provided insurance policy or card
For dependants: proof of relationship (marriage/birth certificate) when the sponsor insures them

Things most newcomers don’t know

Your employer must pay for your cover — it cannot be deducted from your salary.

Dubai's health-insurance law puts the cost of the employee's basic policy squarely on the employer. If HR tries to charge you for your own mandatory cover, that is not compliant — know this before you sign.

Source: Dubai Law No. 11 of 2013 / DHA

No valid insurance, no residence visa.

In Dubai a DHA-compliant policy has gated residence-permit issuance and renewal since 2016, and GDRFA checks it. A lapse at renewal time can stall your visa — not just your healthcare. Don't confuse this with the federal scheme launched on 1 January 2025, which covers the five emirates that had no mandate of their own.

Source: DHA / Dubai Law No. 11 of 2013; MoHRE (federal scheme, Jan 2025)

The basic Essential Benefits Plan caps out at AED 150,000 a year — and excludes pre-existing conditions for 6 months.

The DHA's minimum plan has an annual claims limit of AED 150,000 and a six-month waiting period on chronic/pre-existing conditions, with maternity sub-limits (e.g. up to ~AED 7,000 for a normal delivery). If you have ongoing care needs, the basic plan may not be enough — ask about an upgrade.

Source: DHA Essential Benefits Plan rules

Insuring dependants is your job, not your employer's.

Employers must cover the employee; the obligation to insure a spouse, children, or domestic worker falls on you as their sponsor, and their visas require it too. Many newcomers budget only for themselves and get caught out.

Source: DHA / sponsor obligations

Common mistakes to avoid

Letting HR deduct the cost of your mandatory cover from your salary
Assuming the basic Essential Benefits Plan covers pre-existing conditions immediately (6-month wait)
Forgetting that dependants and domestic workers you sponsor need their own valid cover for their visas

Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.