Author: Ayushi Doegar | Published: February 9, 2024 | Updated on: Nov 27, 2025
Around 5% of the population of the UAE are domestic workers – and demand is rising. With an easy process and with the maid visa cost Dubai being affordable, this demand will continue to rise. According to recent research, the UAE spends around three billion dollars annually on domestic help.
If you're interested in hiring domestic help and obtaining a maid visa in the UAE, this comprehensive guide explores up-to-date costs and requirements for 2025.
The maid visa UAE cost comprises several components. It's important to understand each part to budget accurately.
| Fee Component | Cost Range (AED) | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Visa Application Fees | 300-500 | Paid to GDRFA for processing the visa application |
| Medical Examination | 300-350 | Medical fitness test at government-approved medical center |
| Emirates ID | 370 | Mandatory for all residents |
| Typing Center Fees | 200-300 | Handle the application process |
| Visa Stamping | 100-150 | Stamping inside the passport of the domestic worker |
| Security Deposit | Varies | Required in some cases, usually refundable |
| Flight Ticket | Varies | Employer is responsible for domestic worker's flight ticket to UAE |
| Estimated Total Cost | 1,300-1,670 | Excluding agency fees and flight tickets |
Note: If you are going through a domestic worker agency, you will need to account for this cost as well, adding it to the total maid visa cost Dubai.
For busy business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs, time is everything. Many choose to hire help, often in the form of a nanny or maid. Understanding the maid visa cost Dubai is an important first step.
Affordability of Maid Visa While employers are required to pay domestic workers a minimum wage and most choose to pay more, the maid visa Dubai price is more affordable than most people assume.
More Time to Focus on Business By delegating chores and cleaning to a domestic worker, you can reserve your time and energy for building a business that thrives and spending time with family and friends.
Help Create Jobs with Maid Visa Many individuals seeking employment as domestic help have families of their own to provide for. The demand for work is rising alongside the demand for help.
Safe, Lawful Employment Many expats fail to realize that hiring a maid on a casual basis can land them in hot water. The Ministry of Labour fines individuals for employing workers that are not sponsored by you or workers paid on a cash-in-hand basis. By obtaining the maid visa yourself, you can be secure in the knowledge that you are employing help lawfully.
Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022 came into force on December 15, 2022, and provides rules for housemaid visa in UAE. Under the new maid visa Dubai requirements, a domestic worker in the UAE can only be hired if a license is first secured from the MoHRE.
According to UAE's new domestic worker's law, recruitment of maids and nannies is limited to licensed agencies. However, some residents are allowed to hire domestic help under their sponsorship.
Golden Visa Holders: Those who hold Golden Visas can sponsor an "unlimited number of domestic helpers", including:
As an employer, it is essential that you comply with the UAE's rules regarding hiring a housemaid by providing:
You must also fully cover the maid visa cost Dubai in totality.
Domestic workers are required to follow the obligations outlined in employment contracts, in addition to the following:
Before you start the process of getting a 1 year maid visa Dubai, you need to make sure you're eligible to sponsor a home worker.
Decide the method of bringing your workers to the UAE. The process can be done through:
You'll need to ensure you have obtained an entry permit for your maid. They will also need to undergo a medical examination within 30 days of entering the country to apply for an Emirates ID card.
Important: All of these forms must be signed by an authorized typing centre before submission. You must also pay the total cost of maid visa cost Dubai.
After finding the right candidate, you can start the process of sponsoring and bringing the worker to the UAE. This step includes several procedures:
Get an Emirates ID handled for your maid through any authorized typist or the official government portals. This is a part of the maid visa cost Dubai you will have to incur.
The processing time for a maid visa UAE can vary, but generally, it can take anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks, once all required documents are submitted. Recent governmental streamlining is aimed to decrease those wait times.
Potential delays can occur due to:
Common challenges include incomplete paperwork and medical delays.
Best Practices:
For maid visa renewal Dubai, you need to submit:
These forms can be obtained from an authorized typist and submitted to any GDRFA office near you after paying the required fees for maid visa renewal cost Dubai.
The process of canceling the maid visa is simple and fast. You can:
Know someone who wants to grow their business? Refer them to SPC Free Zone and earn up to AED 1,500! Simply fill our referral form and we'll handle the rest.
Domestic workers can only be hired through a licensed agency.
It is possible to hire a maid without going through an agency, taking into consideration the laws and regulations of employing domestic workers in the UAE.
No. Bachelors are not allowed to sponsor maids in Dubai, UAE. Families can.
Domestic workers who are more than 60 years old can keep working in the UAE if the worker is physically fit as per the medical certificate issued by the relevant government authorities and all medical expenses related to the worker's treatments are to be borne by the family or the employer. Approval must be obtained from the relevant government authority for the continuation of the maid's work in the UAE.
The employer is typically responsible for the full payment of maid visa cost Dubai, providing the domestic worker with a return ticket to their home country upon completion of their contract or visa cancellation, as stipulated in the employment contract. It's crucial to ensure this is clearly outlined in the agreement to avoid any disputes.