A maid visa application in the UAE combines legal employment approval and residence authorisation for a domestic worker. The process includes a Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) work permit and employment contract, followed by the relevant entry or change-of-status process, medical fitness test, residence issuance and Emirates ID application.
Start by confirming who will sponsor the domestic worker. For the routes covered here, an eligible household holds the sponsorship directly, or we sponsor the worker through our two-year service. The route determines the requirements, documents, costs and who manages each stage.
Choose the Maid Visa Sponsor First
The named sponsor is responsible for the work permit and residence process. A household can sponsor the domestic worker directly, use our typing support while remaining the sponsor, or select our two-year sponsorship service.
Private household sponsorship
Under private sponsorship, the household is the domestic worker’s sponsor and employer. The household holds or opens the required MOHRE sponsor file and remains responsible for the work permit, contract, immigration applications, insurance, Emirates ID, renewal and cancellation.
For expatriate private sponsors, MOHRE requires family income of at least AED 25,000. Proof is provided through a recent salary certificate or three months of bank statements, based on the sponsor category.
The service covers applications such as:
Sponsor file opening
Entry permit
Change of status
Medical test arrangement
Emirates ID typing
Residence processing
Visa renewal and cancellation
Our typing service fees exclude VAT, and government fees are charged separately at cost.
Expat Maids sponsorship
Under our two-year sponsorship service, we are the domestic worker’s sponsor and manage the applications included in the package.
The service includes:
Two-year UAE residence visa
Medical testing
Emirates ID registration
Government typing and submissions
A Wages Protection System (WPS)-compliant salary card
The client provides the required household and domestic worker documents. We submit the work permit and immigration applications and coordinate the processing stages included in our package.
Identify the Correct Application Route
A domestic worker outside the UAE needs the required entry permit under the selected sponsorship route. The medical fitness, Emirates ID and residence stages continue after the worker enters the UAE.
The domestic worker is abroad
A worker who has not entered the UAE under the new sponsorship needs the relevant entry permission. MOHRE approval is required when the visa applicant is classified as a domestic worker. The residence process continues after the worker enters the UAE.
The domestic worker holds a visit visa
A visit or tourist visa does not authorise employment in the UAE. The domestic worker must receive the required work and residence approvals before starting work.
An application completed inside the UAE follows the approved change-of-status process.
The domestic worker has an existing or cancelled sponsorship
A domestic worker cannot receive a new work permit while holding an active permit under another employer. We review the worker’s records and confirm whether the case requires cancellation, transfer or a new sponsorship application.
Check Eligibility and Prepare the Documents
The document list differs between private household sponsorship and Expat Maids sponsorship. It also depends on the worker’s current visa record and the emirate handling the residence application.
Core worker requirements
For a new MOHRE domestic worker permit, the worker must:
Be at least 18 years old
Hold a valid passport
Have no active work permit under another employer
MOHRE requires at least three months of passport validity for the work-permit stage. GDRFA Dubai and ICP require at least six months for the entry and residence stages. The domestic worker should therefore have at least six months of passport validity when the application begins.
Documents for private household sponsorship
An expatriate household using Expat Maids typing services in Dubai should prepare:
Sponsor passport
UAE residence visa
Emirates ID
Proof of income meeting the AED 25,000 requirement, such as a salary certificate, labour contract or three months of bank statements, based on the sponsor category
Attested marriage certificate
Ejari
Latest Dubai Electricity and Water Authority bill
Domestic worker passport
Current visa, cancellation document or existing sponsorship records
The final list depends on the sponsor category and the domestic worker’s current status.
Documents for Expat Maids sponsorship
For our two-year visa package, the published document list includes:
Client passport
Client UAE residence visa
Client Emirates ID
Ejari or tenancy contract
Domestic worker passport
Current visit visa or cancellation document
High-resolution digital photographs
Complete the Work and Residence Process
The application sequence depends on the sponsorship route and the domestic worker’s current status.
Work permit and employment contract: MOHRE reviews the domestic worker permit and employment contract under the selected sponsor.
Entry or change of status: A worker outside the UAE follows the entry-permit route. A worker already in the UAE follows the required change-of-status or sponsorship-transfer process.
Medical fitness: The domestic worker completes the required medical fitness test.
Emirates ID and residence issuance: The residence application is linked to the Emirates ID process. After approval, the residence record is issued and the Emirates ID card follows.
Salary-card setup: Our sponsorship package includes a Wages Protection System (WPS)-compliant salary card for electronic wage transfers.
Under private sponsorship, the household remains responsible for the applications and government charges. Our typing team prepares and submits the selected applications on the household’s behalf. Under our sponsorship, we manage the visa stages included in the package.
Compare Who Handles Each Stage
The sponsorship route determines who holds the legal sponsor file and who processes each application.
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Typing support does not move the worker onto Expat Maids sponsorship. The household remains the sponsor throughout that route.
Review the Maid Visa Costs
The total cost depends on the sponsorship route. Private sponsorship combines government charges, medical testing, insurance, Emirates ID, residence processing and any typing support selected.
Expat Maids sponsorship prices
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Prices and package terms are subject to change. Check the latest prices and inclusions before applying.
Both options include the two-year residence visa, Emirates ID, WPS-compliant salary card, medical testing, government typing and Emirates ID registration. Under the Flexible Package, the client covers the domestic worker’s repatriation flight under the package terms.
Private sponsorship costs
There is no single total for every private sponsorship case. The amount depends on the sponsor category, required government applications, worker status, medical test, insurance and Emirates ID processing.
Our typing service fees exclude VAT, and government fees are charged separately at cost. Request an itemised quote showing the service fee and government charges.
Start the Correct Maid Visa Application
A maid visa application in the UAE starts with two checks: who will sponsor the domestic worker and the worker’s current visa status. Private sponsorship keeps the sponsor file and application responsibility with the household. Our typing support covers selected submissions while the household remains the sponsor. Under our two-year sponsorship service, we hold the sponsorship and manage the included visa administration.
Contact Expat Maids to confirm the correct route, required documents and package price.
