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A UAE job seeker visa from GDRFA costs AED 200 for 60 days, AED 300 for 90 days or AED 400 for 120 days, each plus 5% VAT. On top you pay a AED 1,000 security deposit, a AED 20 warranty fee and a AED 40 collection and refund fee. Already in the UAE? Add AED 500 plus AED 10 and AED 10. It's issued in 48 hours.
The visa fee itself is small. The money that catches people out is the deposit, the inside-country charge and the cost of extending.
The visa fee by length
| Visa length | GDRFA fee | With 5% VAT |
|---|---|---|
| 60 days | AED 200 | AED 210 |
| 90 days | AED 300 | AED 315 |
| 120 days | AED 400 | AED 400 plus AED 20 VAT |
Source: GDRFA "Issuing a visit visa to explore job opportunities", checked .
Each extra 30 days costs AED 100 before VAT at issue. Later, an extension costs AED 600 before VAT. So if you're unsure, buying 120 days at the start is far cheaper than buying 60 and extending.
The deposit and its two charges
| Line | Amount | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Security deposit | AED 1,000 | The financial guarantee u.ae mentions |
| Warranty fee | AED 20 | A separate charge on the guarantee |
| Collection and refund fee | AED 40 | GDRFA's fee to take and return the deposit |
Source: GDRFA job seeker service page, checked .
The AED 1,000 is the part you can expect back. GDRFA's page names the fee for refunding it but does not spell out the refund steps or timing. Before you pay, ask how the deposit comes back (to the card, to the provider, at an Amer centre) and keep the receipt.
Extra lines if you're already in the UAE
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Fee inside the country | AED 500 |
| Knowledge Dirham | AED 10 |
| Innovation Dirham | AED 10 |
Source: GDRFA job seeker service page, checked .
These AED 520 apply when you're on a tourist visa or another visit visa and want to switch to the job seeker visa without leaving. Flying out and applying from abroad avoids them, but the flight may cost more than the fee. Our change visa status in the UAE page compares both.
What an extension costs
| Emirate channel | Fee per extension | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| GDRFA (Dubai) | AED 600 plus 5% VAT | 180 days of stay in total |
| ICP (other emirates) | AED 100 application plus AED 500 extension | 180 days in total for job exploration |
Sources: GDRFA job seeker extension page and ICP visa extension page, checked .
The GDRFA extension page also lists AED 500, AED 10 and AED 10 as fees inside the country. Ask before you pay whether they are charged on top for your file. GDRFA states 48 hours per extension and ICP states 2 days. For ICP, we did not find the issue fee for the job exploration visa itself on its service pages, so this page doesn't quote one.
What you don't pay on this visa
- No sponsor fee. There's no host company, so no sponsor charge.
- No work permit fee. That comes later and the employer pays it. See employment visa cost.
- No medical test or Emirates ID. Those belong to the residence visa stage, not to a visit visa.
Agency prices
We could not find enough Dubai agencies publishing their own job seeker visa price to give a fair range, so we don't show one. When you compare quotes, ask each provider to separate three things: the GDRFA fee with VAT, the deposit with its AED 20 and AED 40 charges, and the service fee. A quote that hides the deposit inside one number makes the refund hard to track.
Documents you'll pay to prepare
- Passport valid for at least six months
- White-background photo
- University degree, attested (u.ae lists an attested qualification certificate)
Attestation fees are set in the country that issued the degree and then by MOFA in the UAE, so they vary by country.
Ways people overpay
- Buying 60 days, then paying AED 600 plus VAT to extend.
- Applying from inside the UAE when a cheaper exit was possible.
- Losing the deposit receipt, then chasing the refund for weeks.
- Overstaying. The fine is AED 50 a day. See UAE overstay fine.
- Paying a "recruiter" to find the job. That fee is illegal in the UAE.
Refusals usually come from eligibility, not money: the wrong skill level, a degree that fails the university rule, or a passport under six months. Check those on the job seeker visa UAE page first.
How it works with us
Send your passport copy, degree and your current location on WhatsApp or through the form on this page. A visa adviser checks eligibility, then sets out each government line for your exact case, deposit included, and gives you one total price before you pay. The team files with GDRFA, tracks the 48-hour decision and sends you the e-visa. When you leave or switch visa, the adviser tells you how to claim the deposit back. DubaiVisaDesk.com is a private visa service and GDRFA makes the decision.
If the visa is refused, the government fee doesn't come back from GDRFA. Before you pay, your adviser confirms in writing which part of the total, if any, is returned.
Official sources
- GDRFA job seeker visa: fee by length, deposit, AED 20 and AED 40 charges, inside-country lines.
- GDRFA job seeker extension: AED 600 plus VAT, 180-day cap.
- ICP visa extension: ICP extension fees and limits.
- u.ae job seeker visit visa: financial guarantee, documents.
- u.ae labour rights: employer pays, recruitment fee ban.
Checked . Fees can change without notice, so confirm on GDRFA or ICP before paying.
