The option of sponsoring a maid or nanny is open to families living in Dubai, but, bachelors are not eligible to sponsor a maid. Dubai follows certain criteria for sponsorship of a house maid, although this may vary slightly from one emirate to other in the UAE. You can visit the UAE immigration department for the latest procedure. For latest regulations in Dubai, visit Dubai Naturalization and Residence Department (DNRD), as the rules are subject to change.
When sponsoring a full-time maid in Dubai, you will also have to bear the airfare to their home country once in two years or annually. Majority of the maids are from Sri Lanka, India and Philippines. They usually live in. Majority of the family accommodation has 'servants' quarters.
Maids are also available without having to be sponsored by you. Such maids are usually married women, sponsored by their husbands. These maids work part-time, and do not live-in. They are paid on an hourly basis, although, rarely, such couples live in servants’ quarters, in return for the part time work for one of them, while the other works full time.
Maid's Visa
To sponsor a house maid, you should hold a UAE Residency Visa (this is different from that of an employment visa or work permit). When you arrive for the first time in Dubai, you may have to wait for a month before obtaining your own residency visa. This may, however, be delayed or may vary depending on your company.
Arranging for a housemaid sponsorship is a two step procedure. First an entry permit / employment visa will be required for the maid to enter Dubai. Then you need to apply for a residence visa for the maid. The DNRD will issue a residence visa, labour card and labour contract for the maid.
A maid’s visa can be obtained by Head of the Family (usually the sponsor - male), drawing a minimum salary of Dh.6000 per month or Dh.5000 + accommodation. Maids can only be sponsored from Sri Lanka, India, Philippines, Bangladesh, Ethiopia and Indonesia.
Steps for applying for a maid's visa
- Residence Visa (employment permit to enter country)
- Medical Check and Health Care (after bringing in the maid)
- Residence Stamp on Maid's Passport
- Labour Card
Documents required for Maid Residence Visa:
- Salary certificate of sponsor in Arabic (in case of government employee) / labour contract of sponsor (for private employees) and accommodation contract.
- Application form duly filled in from an authorized typing office
- Sponsor's passport copy
- Copy of maid's passport
- Passport photos of the maid
- Affidavit from embassy / consulate certifying non-relationship if maid is from the same country.
Procedure for obtaining a Maid Labour card
You will have to apply for a residence permit and medical fitness report within 30 days of arrival of your maid into Dubai. Make a visit to DNRD counter and pay the authorized typist seeking an urgent (urgent visa forms may require a refundable deposit) or non-urgent form.
After stamping on the employment entry permit, your maid will have to go through a medical test (see procedure below). The waiting time for this could vary from 24 to 36 hours for most government hospitals. The medical test results can be taken to the typist, with the required fee to apply for residence visa.
Now submit the stamped employment permit, medical report, maid’s original passports, sponsor’s passport copy, and salary certificate to the residency section. You will have to declare to the officer the salary that you intend to pay to the maid. It is better to take your maid with you to save time. You will be handed over four printouts of the unified contract, to be signed by you (sponsor) and your maid. The copies can be re-submitted to the officer, who will counter-sign and return two copies back to you. Among the two copies handed over to you, one is meant for sponsor and another for maid. A residence stamp with one-year validity will be placed in your maid’s passport.
You can collect the labour card within 24 hours. If you had opted for an urgent visa, you can collect your refundable deposit too at the counter.
Procedure for undergoing the medical tests
You will have to take your maid for medical fitness tests in any of the 14 centres allocated for the purpose in Dubai. Visit the website http://www.dha.gov.ae/ to check out the various locations and contact details.
All new maids will be screened for HIV, Hepatitis B, Pregnancy, Syphilis, TB and Leprosy. The Hepatitis B vaccination is given in 3 doses – one immediately, followed by one month and booster after six months. Various medical fitness package details are available at the Dubai Health Authority website http://www.dha.gov.ae/
The medical fitness results will be sent to DNRD electronically. The sponsor will also be notified through SMS.
Renewal of Maid's visa in Dubai
Renewal of house maid visa will have to be done annually. Visit an authorized typist and pay the renewal fee (Dh.5100) and obtain the renewal application form.
Visit a government hospital for medical tests, pay requisite fees.
Submit renewal applications, and medical fitness report to any DNRD branch.
Cancellation of Maid's visa in Dubai
Visit DNRD / Immigration Department and ask for visa cancellation form. You will have to produce a copy of maid’s original passport, apart from one-way ticket fare for the maid to fly back to her home country.
Take maid, her passport and labour card, your passport and visa cancellation form to the airport on departure day. Check in maid and obtain a boarding pass.
Visit airport immigration counter with maid, boarding pass, labour card, and passport for cancellation of visa. The authorities at the counter will do the necessary cancellation processes to ensure there is no further problem with the visa status.
Note: Each country has its own regulations regarding minimum salary, age criteria etc. Therefore, you will have to also check with respective consulate embassy for such details. A housemaid from India / Philippines will have to be older than 30 but less than 60. There will also be differences in recommended minimum salaries from country to country. Therefore, visit the embassy website of the respective country for details.