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A maid visa in Dubai costs about AED 6,000 to AED 25,000, going by the published prices and cost guides of 3 Dubai firms. The lower figure covers the visa alone. The higher one is a full package with recruitment and a flight. The official lines underneath include ICP's AED 5,000 domestic worker guarantee, the AED 270 standard medical and the Emirates ID. Salary is extra.
The price you pay depends on three things: whether she is already in the UAE, whether you hire through a centre or sponsor her directly, and what the quote leaves out.
The official fee lines
| Line | Amount | Paid when |
|---|---|---|
| Application | AED 100 | Residence file opens |
| Issuance | AED 100 for each year | Residence issued |
| Smart service | AED 100 | Residence issued |
| Status adjustment | AED 500 | Only if she is inside the UAE |
| Financial deposit fee | AED 20 | With the guarantee |
| Domestic worker guarantee | AED 5,000 | Residence issued |
| MOHRE work permit | Amount not readable | Permit stage |
Source: ICP issuing residency service page, checked . MOHRE's page lists its own fee rows for Dubai and the other emirates, by 1-year and 2-year terms, but the figures did not show in the page text on . Search snippets of that page show a number, and we will not repeat it until it is confirmed.
The permit for a resident sponsor runs 1 year, so the issuance line is normally charged for one year.
Medical, Emirates ID and insurance
| Item | Official price |
|---|---|
| Medical fitness test, 24 hours | AED 270 |
| Medical, 6 hours or Smart Salem | AED 700 |
| Medical, VIP 2 hours | AED 1,020 |
| Emirates ID | AED 100 per year plus AED 100 smart fee |
| Medical insurance | No set price, but required |
Sources: Dubai Administrative Resolution No. 66 on medical fitness charges and ICP Emirates ID service page, checked . Domestic workers take a pregnancy test with the medical, at an extra charge. MOHRE says employers in Dubai and Abu Dhabi must give their domestic workers adequate medical insurance. Premiums depend on the insurer and the plan, so there is no single figure. See medical test for a residence visa and Emirates ID for residents.
What Dubai agencies charge
| Type of quote | Published range |
|---|---|
| Visa only | AED 6,000 to AED 7,000 |
| Centre package with training, insurance and flight | AED 10,000 to AED 25,000 |
Published prices and cost guides of 3 Dubai firms, checked . These are other firms' figures, not ours. The salary you agree with her is on top of every one of them.
One of those guides also says the sponsor only needs AED 6,000 a month in salary. That is wrong. MOHRE asks for AED 25,000 a month in family income. Check that first, because no fee matters if you do not qualify. The rule is on our maid visa in Dubai page.
Why two quotes for the same maid differ
- The guarantee. AED 5,000 is a big line. Some packages show it, some cover it, some leave it out and add it later.
- Inside or outside. A worker already in Dubai adds AED 500 for status adjustment.
- Recruitment. A centre that sources the worker charges for that work. If you found her yourself, you should not pay a recruitment fee.
- Insurance level. Plans differ a lot. Ask which insurer and what cover.
- Speed. A VIP medical costs AED 1,020 against AED 270 for the 24-hour service.
- Service commission. MOHRE caps business centre commission at AED 72 per service. Services on the MOHRE website and app carry no charge beyond the federal fees.
Papers you need before anyone can quote
- Your Emirates ID and residence details
- Her passport copy, with at least 3 months left
- Whether she is in the UAE now, and on what visa
- Your salary certificate and last 3 months of bank statements
- Your tenancy contract or title deed
How long you pay for, and when you pay again
MOHRE issues the permit in 2 working days and the contract in 1 working day. ICP states 2 days for the residence. Then the clock starts on next year's bill: a resident sponsor's permit runs 1 year, so you face the renewal fees, a fresh medical and insurance every year. Our maid visa renewal page lists them.
Ways to lose money
- Paying a deposit to an agency without a receipt that names it as the ICP guarantee.
- Booking a VIP medical you did not need.
- Starting the process before checking your bank statements reach AED 25,000 a month.
- Letting her work on a visit visa while you wait. If she overstays, ICP fines AED 50 a day, and you lose the work.
- Paying a centre for recruitment when you brought the worker yourself.
How it works with us
Tell us on WhatsApp, or in the form on this page, where your maid is now and whether you have already found her. A visa adviser lists every fee for your case, including the guarantee and any status adjustment, so nothing gets added later. You see one total price before you pay. The team files the MOHRE permit and the contract, books the medical, follows the residence and the Emirates ID, and keeps you posted. DubaiVisaDesk.com is a private visa service. The government fees go to MOHRE and ICP, and the authorities decide.
If the permit is refused, the authorities keep their fees. Before you pay us, the adviser states in writing what share of the total, if any, you would get back.
Official sources
- ICP issuing residency: fee lines, guarantee, status adjustment
- ICP Emirates ID renewal and issue: card fees
- MOHRE new work permit for domestic workers: income rule, fee rows, 2 working days
- MOHRE domestic worker contract: insurance duty
- Dubai medical fitness charges: medical prices
- u.ae domestic helpers: no fees from workers
Checked . Confirm every amount on the ICP or MOHRE page before you pay. Our wider residence visa cost page covers other permit types.
