Practical guide

How to Bring Parents to Bahrain: Visa and Residence

By Gaurav Agarwal · Updated 12 October 2026

For a short stay, apply for NPRA's family-visit eVisa. For parents to live with an expatriate resident, use NPRA's first-degree-relative entry visa, then the parent residence route. LMRA does not process parents. The NPRA parent route publishes a BHD 1,000 monthly-income condition, certified birth certificate, health insurance, housing proof and separate entry and residence fees.

AuthorityNPRA

Parent income ruleBHD 1,000 monthly

Family visit eVisaBHD 39

NPRA help17077077

Open the official NPRA parent visa page

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FAQs
Official sources

01Which parent visa route fits your situation?

Choose first by length of stay and sponsor type. A family-visit eVisa is for a visit. The first-degree-relative visa and residence route is for a parent joining an expatriate resident. A Bahraini citizen and a Golden Residency holder have different official routes and conditions.

LMRA states that it processes permits for an expatriate employee's wife and children up to age 24. Applications for a mother, father, brother or sister go through the Nationality, Passports and Residence Affairs, known as NPRA.

Start with the correct official route
Situation	Route	Main published condition
Parents are visiting temporarily	Family-visit eVisa	One-month visa, renewable, subject to its document and funds checks
Parents will live with an expatriate resident	NPRA first-degree-relative entry visa, then residence	Sponsor income of at least BHD 1,000 per month
Sponsor is Bahraini	Visa and residence for relatives of Bahraini	Bahraini sponsor, insurance, income and suitable accommodation
Sponsor has Golden Residency	Golden Residency dependent sponsorship	Parents are allowed and the official FAQ states no age limit
Application is only for a child under 24	LMRA dependant permit	BHD 400 net income rule applies to that LMRA children route, not parents

02Bring parents for a short family visit

NPRA's family-visit eVisa is issued for one month and is renewable. The official service page lists a BHD 39 fee and three to five working days. This route is suitable when a parent will visit and leave rather than take residence as your dependant.

The service asks for a passport copy, hotel reservation, return ticket and official proof of the family relationship, such as a birth or marriage certificate. It also asks for a three-month bank statement in English meeting the published income or daily-funds test.

Open the official family-visit eVisa service.
Prepare the passport copy, hotel reservation, return ticket and relationship proof.
Prepare the required three-month bank statement in English.
Submit the application through the official visa service and pay the BHD 39 fee shown for this route.
Track the application and wait for the issued eVisa before travel.
Check the visa's expiry and permitted stay after arrival. If more time is needed, use the official extension service before overstay.

Family-visit eVisa quick facts
Item	Official detail
Stay	One month, subject to renewal
Fee	BHD 39
Process time	3 to 5 working days
Extension fee	BHD 30 for a family-visit eVisa extension
Core proof	Passport, hotel reservation, return ticket, relationship evidence and bank statement

03Apply for a parent's entry visa as an expatriate resident

Use NPRA's entry visa for first-degree relatives of a foreign resident. It covers a father, mother and children over age 24. The parent must be outside Bahrain when the application is submitted.

The official page requires monthly salary evidence of at least BHD 1,000. It also lists a passport valid for more than six months, certified birth certificate, health insurance, a sponsor letter explaining the relationship, an employer no-objection letter and proof of the sponsor's housing.

The published fee is BHD 5 for the application, BHD 5 for visa endorsement and BHD 30 for issuance. NPRA lists three working days. The issued visa remains valid for three months before entry, and payment must be completed within 30 days of approval to avoid automatic cancellation.

Confirm that the parent is outside Bahrain and that the sponsor's monthly income meets the BHD 1,000 rule.
Prepare a copy of the sponsor's passport and a copy of the parent's passport, which must be valid for more than six months.
Obtain the birth certificate proving the relationship and complete the required certification.
Prepare salary evidence, health insurance, sponsor relationship letter, employer no-objection letter and housing proof.
Submit one complete set of documents for each parent through the official channel.
Pay the BHD 5 application fee, BHD 5 endorsement fee and BHD 30 issuance fee when requested.
After approval, complete payment within 30 days and arrange entry within the visa's three-month validity.

04Complete the parent residence permit after entry

The residence route is separate from the entry visa. NPRA's service for first-degree relatives of a foreign resident covers a father, mother and children over 24. The applicant must be inside Bahrain when the residence application is submitted.

NPRA publishes BHD 5 as the application fee, BHD 50 for residence issuance and BHD 60 for renewal. The page lists a five-minute service time, but that does not mean every document or approval outside the service is completed in five minutes.

For renewal, the parent must have a passport valid for more than six months, sponsor income evidence of at least BHD 1,000 per month and health insurance. The official note says this residence does not permit paid or unpaid work unless the relevant authority issues a work permit.

Expatriate sponsor parent route
Stage	Published fees	Key condition
Entry visa	BHD 5 application + BHD 5 endorsement + BHD 30 issuance	Parent outside Bahrain when applying
Residence issuance	BHD 5 application + BHD 50 issuance	Parent inside Bahrain when applying
Residence renewal	BHD 5 application + BHD 60 renewal	Parent physically residing in Bahrain for renewal
Work	Separate permit required	Parent residence alone does not permit paid or unpaid work

05Parent visa and residence document checklist

Prepare a separate document set for each parent. Names, passport numbers and relationship details must match across the passport, birth certificate, insurance and sponsor records. If a certificate was issued outside Bahrain, follow the official certification requirements before uploading it.

The NPRA page reserves the right to request other documents or information. Do not assume that the checklist below prevents NPRA from asking for a clearer copy, updated evidence or another record relevant to the case.

Pre-filing checklist for an expatriate sponsor
Document or condition	What to check
Parent passport	Valid for more than six months, including family-information pages
Sponsor passport	Copy of the sponsor's passport; an ID copy is listed only when applying at a service centre
Birth certificate	Clearly proves father or mother relationship and is properly certified
Income evidence	Monthly salary of not less than BHD 1,000: a salary record from the social insurance body for the visa; for renewal, that record or, for an investor, a bank statement
Health insurance	Valid cover for the parent
Employer no-objection letter	Letter from the employer stating no objection
Relationship letter	Sponsor explains the parent relationship
Housing proof	Copy of proof of housing for the sponsor
Location at filing	Parent outside Bahrain for entry visa, inside Bahrain for residence

06Bahraini and Golden Residency sponsor routes

A Bahraini citizen uses the separate visa and residence services for first-degree relatives. The visa service lists good conduct, valid health insurance throughout the stay, sufficient income and suitable accommodation. Its published charges are BHD 5 endorsement, BHD 30 issuance and BHD 4 application, with five working days.

The Bahraini-relative residence service lists BHD 59 for issuance, BHD 64 for renewal and one working day. Those figures belong to the Bahraini sponsor route. Do not use them as the fees for an expatriate worker sponsoring a parent.

Bahrain's official Golden Residency FAQ says holders can sponsor their spouse, parents and children, with no age limit for family or parents. It also says dependants are subject to the Golden Residency fee structure. Use the Golden Residency portal for the current application path rather than the ordinary expatriate-worker parent route.

Do not mix sponsor-specific fees
Sponsor	Official route	Published example
Expatriate resident	NPRA first-degree-relative entry and residence	BHD 1,000 income rule and expat-parent fees
Bahraini citizen	Visa and residence for relatives of Bahraini	BHD 39 total visa components, then BHD 59 residence issuance or BHD 64 renewal
Golden Residency holder	Golden Residency dependent sponsorship	Parents allowed with no age limit; use the Golden portal's current dependent fee
LMRA employee dependant	Children up to age 24	BHD 400 net-income rule applies to the children service, not to parents

07Check these before you apply

Check the route before filing. A visit visa, parent entry visa and parent residence permit are separate services. The official pages do not say that a visit visa automatically converts into residence, so do not plan around an assumed conversion.

The NPRA pages require a passport valid for more than six months, an attested birth certificate, a monthly salary of not less than BHD 1,000, health insurance, a letter from the employer of no objection, proof of the sponsor's housing, and the applicant outside Bahrain for the entry visa or inside Bahrain for residence.

The official parent pages do not publish a universal police-clearance or medical-examination rule for every case. Do not buy or submit extra documents merely because a private guide lists them. Provide what the official application asks and respond if NPRA requests more.

For NPRA help, call 17077077, Sunday to Thursday from 7:30 AM to 7:00 PM, or email [email protected]. This independent guide is not affiliated with NPRA.

Three quick examples

Parents visiting for a month: use the BHD 39 family-visit eVisa, provide the family relationship and travel documents, and extend through the official service if eligible before overstay.

Expat employee wants parents to live in Bahrain: use the NPRA first-degree-relative entry visa while each parent is outside Bahrain. After entry, use the separate parent residence route while the parent is inside Bahrain.

Golden Residency holder: use the Golden Residency dependent route. The official FAQ permits parents and states that there is no age limit.

What the official pages do not say

They do not promise approval merely because the checklist is complete, do not describe an automatic visit-to-residence conversion and do not publish one universal medical or police-clearance requirement for all parent cases. NPRA may request additional documents.

08FAQs

Can an expat sponsor parents in Bahrain?

Yes. LMRA says parents are handled through NPRA. The current NPRA first-degree-relative route publishes a BHD 1,000 monthly-income condition and separate entry-visa and residence stages.

How do I get a Bahrain visit visa for my parents?

Use the official family-visit eVisa if the parents are visiting temporarily. It is issued for one month, is renewable, costs BHD 39 and lists three to five working days.

What documents are required for a parent visa in Bahrain?

For the expatriate-resident parent route, NPRA lists a passport valid over six months, certified birth certificate, BHD 1,000 salary evidence, health insurance, relationship letter, employer no-objection letter and housing proof.

How much does a parent visa cost in Bahrain?

For an expatriate sponsor, the parent entry visa lists BHD 5 application, BHD 5 endorsement and BHD 30 issuance. Parent residence lists BHD 5 application plus BHD 50 issuance, or BHD 60 renewal.

Does the BHD 400 LMRA family threshold apply to parents?

No. The BHD 400 net-income rule on LMRA's published dependant service is for children up to age 24. NPRA's current parent route publishes a BHD 1,000 monthly-income condition.

Can parents work in Bahrain on dependent residence?

The NPRA parent residence page says the holder cannot perform paid or unpaid work unless a permit is issued by the relevant authority.

Can Golden Residency holders sponsor parents?

Yes. Bahrain's official Golden Residency FAQ says holders can sponsor parents, spouse and children, and states that there is no age limit for family or parents.

Can a visit visa be converted to parent residence?

The official pages reviewed do not state that conversion is automatic. Treat the family visit, parent entry visa and parent residence as separate routes and confirm the correct stage with NPRA.

09Official sources

Official details checked 12 October 2026.