Maid Visa in UAE – Demystified!!

Procedures, Costs of Maid Visa (Nanny) in Dubai Abu Dhabi UAE

One of the fiercely debated issues for working class residents in UAE is that of Maids!

Hamza works for a bank in Dubai and his wife works for an Advertising Agency. They have 2 kids, one of them goes to school. Their parents are back in their home country. Now, for two individuals who are working full time job, to manage their kids and home becomes a tedious task.

Solution??

You guessed it right. MAID.

Many of us may relate to the above situation. However, getting a maid on residency visa is a bit of cumbersome task here in UAE. However, with proper planning and knowledge, you will be easily able to obtain a visa for domestic help.

Procedure for applying Maid Visa

As with any new visa in UAE, maid visa is a 2 step process:

1.  Entry Permit

2. Residence Visa

Entry Permit for Maid Visa

The sponsor of the Maid Visa will need to choose a recruitment agency and must get a Entry Permit application typed at an authorised typing centre. The sponsor must then go to the residency department to obtain Entry Permit.

The entry permit for the maid visa will enable the maid to travel to UAE. The entry visa must be presented to the recruitment agency. The sponsor will have 60 days to stamp residency visa for maid once the person arrives.

Residency Visa stamping for maid

Once the maid arrives in UAE, the process of residency visa stamping must be done within 60 days. Prior to that below points must be satisfied:

Health Insurance

If you are employing maids from Ethiopia, Sri Lanka or Indonesia, their medical fitness must be done in the country of their origin before applying for visa. I suggest that you do medical fitness for maid in their countries, irrespective of their nationalities. This assures you that the maid does not have any health issues.

Maids are to be provided a health insurance coverage in UAE. A health insurance must be subscribed prior to applying for residency visa.

Maids will then be required to undergo medical test in UAE authorised health centres. Once the medical fitness is successful, you may take the maid’s passport for stamping in the residency department.

Costs of Visa (Annually)

Entry Permit	AED 200 to AED 250
Residence Visa	AED 200 to AED 250
Annual Sponsorship Fee	AED 5,000
Refundable Security Deposit	AED 2,000
Medical Fitness	As applicable

Other costs of sponsoring maid visa

Besides the above costs, depending on from which country your maid is from, the respective country’s officials may ask for a security deposit. If you are recruiting maid from India(Maids with ECR-Emigration Check Required status), you are required to place a security deposit of AED 9200 which is refunded upon cancellation of the maid visa. Nepal requires you to keep a security deposit of AED 5000 plus a service charge of AED 300. Sri Lanka requires US$1000 as security deposit and AED 185 as registration fee.

Who is eligible to Apply for Maid Visa?

Any UAE residence with monthly salary of AED 6,000 or AED 5,000 with Accommodation is eligible to apply for maid visa. You are also required to have a 2 bedroom apartment tenancy contract in sponsor’s name. I have also heard of the instances where the Department has considered combined income. But please clarify this point

Salaries of Maids

Countries such as India, Philippines, Indonesia and Sri Lanka have stipulated that the maids from their countries must be given a minimum wage which is as below:

India                      AED 1,100

Philippines            AED 1,400

Sri Lanka              AED 825

Indonesia              AED 800               

I hope that you now have a fair idea as to the procedures associated with sponsoring maid visa in UAE. For any clarifications, do leave a comment below.