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An Abu Dhabi work visa starts with a MOHRE work permit, which is federal and works the same as in Dubai. The visa part then goes to ICP instead of GDRFA. ICP's work entry visa costs AED 100 to apply, AED 100 to issue and AED 100 in smart services, lasts 60 days and needs UAE health insurance. ICP issues the residence in 2 days. The employer pays.
If your employer is licensed in Dubai, see work visa in Dubai. The route follows the emirate where your employer's immigration file sits, so ask HR if you are not sure.
ICP and MOHRE fee lines
| Step | Fee line | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| MOHRE work permit | Application | AED 50 |
| MOHRE work permit | Two-year permit, Category 1 / 2 / 3 | AED 250 / AED 1,200 / AED 3,450 |
| ICP work entry visa | Application | AED 100 |
| ICP work entry visa | Issuance | AED 100 |
| ICP work entry visa | Smart services | AED 100 |
| ICP, worker already in the UAE | Status adjustment | AED 500 |
| ICP residence | Application | AED 100 |
| ICP residence | Issuance | AED 100 per year |
| ICP residence | Smart services | AED 100 |
| ICP residence | Deposit fee | AED 20 |
| ICP Emirates ID | Card and smart service | AED 100 per year + AED 100 |
Source: ICP visa issuance, ICP issuing residency and ICP Emirates ID, checked ; MOHRE recruiting page, checked .
Not in the table: the medical fitness test and health insurance. We did not find an official Abu Dhabi fee page for the medical test, so we do not quote one. Insurance is priced by the insurer.
We add no total, on purpose. ICP's pages list lines, not a total, and the right sum depends on the company's MOHRE category and whether the worker is inside the UAE. The employment visa cost page explains the lines further.
What agencies charge
We found no published price range from Abu Dhabi agencies. For comparison, Dubai firms publish about AED 3,500 to AED 8,000 per employee for a two-year mainland Dubai visa, all in, employer cost (published prices of 4 Dubai firms, checked ). That is a Dubai figure, not an Abu Dhabi quote.
Where Abu Dhabi differs from Dubai
Only the points the official pages show:
| Abu Dhabi (ICP) | Dubai (GDRFA) | |
|---|---|---|
| Entry permit fee lines | AED 100 application, AED 100 issuance, AED 100 smart services | AED 200 plus 5% VAT |
| Health insurance at the entry stage | Required on the ICP page | Not listed on the GDRFA entry permit page |
| Inside the country | AED 500 status adjustment | AED 500 plus AED 10 and AED 10 |
| Residence fee structure | AED 100 per year plus application and smart lines | AED 200 for two years plus small add-ons |
| Residence processing | 2 days | 48 hours |
| Grace period after cancellation | 90 days for skill levels 1 to 3, 30 days for most others | 60 days |
Source: ICP and GDRFA service pages, checked .
The MOHRE side does not change between emirates: same permit, same category fees, same 2 working days.
Documents checklist
- Passport copy, valid for at least six months
- Recent photo on a white background
- MOHRE job offer, signed by employer and worker
- Attested degree, if the job is at skill level 1 to 4
- Professional licence, where the job needs one
- Valid UAE health insurance in the worker's name
- Medical fitness result, for the residence stage
Processing time
- MOHRE work permit: 2 working days.
- ICP work entry visa: ICP lists 2 days for its visa services.
- After entry: the worker has 60 days to finish the residence. The entry visa can be extended.
- ICP residence: 2 days. Emirates ID: 5 days.
Common refusal reasons
- No MOHRE approval on the file when ICP checks it.
- Health insurance missing, expired or not valid in the UAE.
- The job title does not fit the employer's licensed activity.
- A degree not attested for a skilled level role.
- The 60 days after entry run out before the residence is done, and fines start.
Who pays
u.ae is clear: the employer bears recruitment, travel and residency costs, and recruitment fees charged to workers are illegal. That applies in Abu Dhabi as in any emirate.
How it works with us
The employer, or the worker with the employer's go-ahead, sends the job offer, the passport copy and the company's licence details on WhatsApp or through the form on this page. A visa adviser confirms the file is an Abu Dhabi one, checks the MOHRE category and whether the worker is inside the UAE. You get one total price before you pay. The team prepares the MOHRE permit request and the ICP entry visa, then tracks the medical, Emirates ID and residence. DubaiVisaDesk.com is a private visa service. MOHRE and ICP make every decision.
ICP and MOHRE keep their fees if a request is refused. Before you pay, the adviser confirms in writing which part of our total, if any, would be returned.
Official sources
- ICP visa issuance: work entry visa fees, 60 days, health insurance, MOHRE approval.
- ICP issuing residency: residence fees, status adjustment, 2 days.
- ICP residency cancellation: grace periods by category.
- ICP Emirates ID: card fees, 5 days.
- MOHRE recruiting a worker from overseas: permit fees and documents.
- u.ae labour rights: employer pays.
