A dependent fee is a government levy charged in some GCC countries on a resident for each sponsored family member, such as a spouse, child, or parent. It is separate from visa-issuance and renewal costs and is often billed monthly or annually, sometimes collected through the sponsor's payroll or at residency renewal.
The clearest example is Saudi Arabia, which introduced a per-dependent monthly levy that increased in steps over recent years. Other GCC states structure family-related costs differently, and amounts, exemptions, and whether such a fee applies at all vary by country and have been adjusted over time.
Because dependent-fee tiers and rules are relatively recent and frequently revised, confirm the current per-dependent amount, billing cycle, and any exemptions with the specific country's authorities before relying on a figure.