Your Mother's Name Doesn't Match Your Passport. GDRFA Won't Process the Dependent Visa Without Proof.

The sponsor’s passport says “Fatima Mohammed Al-Rashidi.” The child’s passport says “Fatema Mohamed Rashidi” as the mother’s name. GDRFA sees two different people. The dependent visa application stalls until you prove they are the same person.

Why name mismatches happen on family passports

Passport offices in different countries follow different transliteration rules. Arabic, Hindi, Urdu, and Tagalog names get converted to English using local standards. Two passport offices processing the same name can produce two different English spellings.

Common sources of mismatch:

• Transliteration variants. “Mohammed” versus “Mohamed” versus “Muhammad.” These are the same Arabic name rendered three ways.
• Maiden versus married names. The mother’s passport updated to her married surname. The child’s passport still lists her maiden name.
• Name order. One passport puts the family name first; the other puts it last.
• Missing middle names. One passport includes a father’s name as a middle name. The other omits it.

GDRFA does not interpret these variations. Their system compares strings. If the strings differ, the relationship is unverified.

What GDRFA requires to resolve it

GDRFA needs a sworn affidavit stating that both name versions refer to the same individual. This affidavit must be:

• Notarised or sworn in your home country
• Attested through the correct chain for your nationality
• Translated into Arabic by an MOJ-licensed translator
• Uploaded alongside both passports to the GDRFA portal

The affidavit should list both name spellings exactly as they appear on each passport. It should include both passport numbers and the family relationship.

The attestation chain for the affidavit

The affidavit is a foreign document entering UAE government processing. It must follow the same attestation path as any other foreign document.

Hague member countries (India, UK, USA, Canada, Philippines):

1. Notarise the affidavit in your home country
2. Obtain an apostille from the designated authority
3. Get MOFA attestation in the UAE
4. Get MOJ-certified Arabic translation

Non-Hague countries (Pakistan, Bangladesh):

1. Notarise the affidavit in your home country
2. Attest through the home ministry or foreign affairs
3. Attest at the UAE Embassy in your home country
4. Get MOFA attestation in the UAE
5. Get MOJ-certified Arabic translation

The translation must be done after attestation so it reflects all stamps and seals. Translating before attestation creates a mismatch between the original and the translation, which GDRFA may flag. See the attestation guide for country-specific steps.

Supporting documents that strengthen the case

The affidavit alone may suffice, but submitting additional documents reduces the chance of follow-up requests:

• Birth certificate showing the parent’s name and child’s name together. This directly links both name versions to the same family.
• Marriage certificate if the mismatch involves a maiden-to-married name change. The marriage certificate bridges the two names.
• Previous passport if the parent held an earlier passport with the name version shown on the child’s passport.

Each supporting document also needs attestation and Arabic translation if it was issued outside the UAE.

How the Arabic translation handles the mismatch

The translator does not “fix” the names. The Arabic translation preserves both English spellings exactly as written and provides the Arabic equivalent. The affidavit text in Arabic explicitly states that both spellings refer to one person.

This is different from a standard name transliteration on a birth certificate or degree. In those cases, the translator converts one name. Here, the translator must handle two versions of the same name and connect them clearly in the Arabic text.

Common mistakes that cause further delays

Submitting a letter instead of a sworn affidavit. GDRFA requires a notarised, sworn document — not a typed letter explaining the situation. A regular letter, even if translated, does not carry legal weight.

Attesting the translation but not the original. The attestation chain applies to the original affidavit. The Arabic translation carries the MOJ stamp separately. Both must be present in the upload.

Uploading only one passport page. GDRFA needs the bio-data page of both passports showing both name versions. Upload the sponsor’s passport page and the dependent’s passport page where the sponsor’s name appears.

Translating before completing attestation. If MOFA stamps appear on the original but not on the translation, GDRFA may request the document again. Always translate the fully attested affidavit.

Step-by-step resolution process

1. Identify both name versions from the two passports
2. Get a sworn affidavit notarised in your home country listing both names
3. Complete the attestation chain for your country
4. Send the attested affidavit for MOJ Arabic translation
5. Gather supporting documents (birth certificate, marriage certificate) if available
6. Have supporting documents attested and translated as well
7. Upload everything to the GDRFA dependent visa portal together
8. Include clear scans of both passport bio-data pages

How we handle name mismatch cases

Send both passport pages via WhatsApp — +971 50 862 0217. We review the name difference, confirm which documents GDRFA needs, and provide the MOJ-certified Arabic translation. If you need help drafting the affidavit text before notarisation, we can provide a template that covers what GDRFA expects to see.