Sponsoring a maid or nanny in the UAE is a labour file, not a family file: it runs through MOHRE and a licensed Tadbeer centre as well as GDRFA. We handle the entry permit or status change, the domestic worker contract, the DHA medical, the Emirates ID and the residency stamping — usually in five to seven working days, with no typing-centre visits for you.
- Sponsor salary
- 25,000/ month
- With accommodation
- 22,000
- Visa validity
- 2 years
- Stamping
- 5-7 working days
Eligibility: salary and accommodation
Dubai applies stricter rules to domestic-worker sponsorship than to family visas. Before anything is filed we pre-check your salary certificate and tenancy contract so the file is not rejected after payment.
- Minimum household income of about AED 25,000 per month, or AED 22,000 with company-provided accommodation
- Ejari tenancy contract for a home with at least two bedrooms
- Bachelors cannot sponsor a female domestic worker; sponsorship is intended for families
- Medical-need exceptions exist but require documented evidence and GDRFA approval
The maid visa journey
Six stages across MOHRE, DHA, ICP and GDRFA. We keep the file moving between them and tell you the only two appointments the worker has to attend in person.
- Entry permit — employment entry permit if she is coming from outside the UAE
- Status change — in-country conversion from a visit visa to an employment visa
- Medical fitness — DHA blood test and chest x-ray at an approved centre
- Emirates ID and biometrics — ICP fingerprinting for a first-time card
- MOHRE domestic worker contract drafted, signed and registered
- GDRFA residency stamping and Emirates ID card delivery
Documents required
Clear colour scans of every item. Blurry copies are the most common cause of a GDRFA rejection and a restart of the fee cycle.
- Sponsor — passport and visa copy, Emirates ID, salary certificate or labour contract, Ejari (min. two bedrooms)
- Worker — passport copy, white-background photograph, visit visa copy and entry stamp if already inside the UAE
- Attested marriage certificate where the file is opened in the wife's name
- Health insurance policy compliant with the MOHRE domestic worker requirement
Cost, insurance and your obligations
A licensed-centre package for a two-year visa typically starts around AED 8,500-9,000 including permit, medical, Emirates ID and basic insurance. Direct family sponsorship usually runs AED 15,000-17,000 plus a refundable AED 2,000 deposit. We quote your exact case before you commit.
- Health insurance is mandatory since January 2025, from about AED 320 per year
- Salary must be paid monthly through the bank under WPS
- Minimum salaries are set by the worker's embassy — Philippines USD 500 (about AED 1,835), India typically AED 1,200+
- Twelve hours of daily rest, one paid day off per week, 30 days paid annual leave and a return ticket at end of service
Frequently asked
Around AED 25,000 per month of household income, or AED 22,000 if your employer provides accommodation. Thresholds vary by case and channel, so we pre-check your eligibility before you commit to anything.
Generally no. A single man cannot sponsor a female domestic worker in Dubai — sponsorship is intended for families living together. Exceptions exist for documented medical needs, subject to approval.
A licensed-centre package for a two-year visa starts around AED 8,500-9,000 including permit, medical, Emirates ID and basic insurance. Direct family sponsorship typically runs AED 15,000-17,000 plus a refundable AED 2,000 deposit.
Recruitment of domestic workers runs through MOHRE-licensed Tadbeer service centres, which handle the contract, work permit, visa, medical and Emirates ID as one package. We coordinate the whole process for you.
Yes, set by the worker's embassy and dependent on nationality. The Philippines raised its minimum to USD 500 (about AED 1,835) per month from October 2025; Indian workers are typically AED 1,200 or more. Salaries must be paid monthly through the bank.
Two years. Start the renewal at least 30 days before expiry — it needs a fresh medical test, insurance and Emirates ID renewal, which we run as a single job.
Under the UAE Domestic Workers Law: monthly salary through the bank (WPS), at least 12 hours of daily rest, one paid day off per week, 30 days of paid annual leave, paid sick leave and a return ticket home at the end of service.
Yes. Since January 2025 every domestic worker must be insured, starting from about AED 320 per year for the basic MOHRE-compliant plan. We include it in the visa package.
Only through licensed centres that employ the worker on their own visa and hire her out hourly, daily or monthly. Using a maid sponsored by another family is illegal and both households can be fined.
Employing a domestic worker without a valid work permit — on a tourist visa or someone else's sponsorship — carries fines from AED 50,000 up to AED 200,000. If a worker absconds, report it to MOHRE promptly, and always cancel the visa properly when employment ends.