It is a stressful situation and a surprisingly common one: your sponsored maid leaves the home, stops answering, and you do not know where she is. In the UAE the sponsor stays responsible for a domestic worker until the situation is formally reported, so acting correctly, and calmly, protects you.
This guide is for a sponsor whose worker has left without permission and is out of contact. It covers when you are allowed to file an absconding report, exactly how to do it in 2026, what it costs, what your insurance does and does not cover, the consequences for the worker, and how to withdraw the report if she comes back. Where a figure or step is set by the authorities, we link the official source so you can confirm it live.
First: when can you file?
You cannot file the moment she steps out. An absconding (absence from work) report for a domestic worker requires that she has been absent for more than 7 days, is uncontactable, and her whereabouts are unknown. Try genuinely to reach her first, keep a record of your attempts (calls, messages, asking her agency), and only then file. Filing prematurely, or when she is simply on approved leave, can be rejected.
How to report it, step by step
Domestic workers are handled by MOHRE, except in Dubai, where the absconding report for domestic workers goes through the GDRFA. The steps are otherwise similar:
- Gather the worker’s details: passport or visa if you hold a copy, her passport number, Emirates ID or unified number, full name, date of birth and nationality.
- Open the “Absence from Work (Absconding Report) – Domestic Workers” service on the MOHRE app (log in with UAE PASS) or website, or visit a service centre or Tawseel point. In Dubai, use the GDRFA channel.
- Enter the details and confirm the absence has exceeded 7 days.
- Pay the fee and submit; processing usually takes about 2 working days.
On the fee, expect a federal charge of around AED 315 in most emirates (Dubai runs through the GDRFA). Filing through the app removes the service-centre commission, but the federal charge still applies, so it is not truly “free,” despite what some guides claim.
Your liability, before and after filing
This is the part families underestimate. While the worker is unreported, you remain legally and financially responsible for her. If she turns up working for another household, both you and that household are exposed: the UAE treats this “worker swap” seriously, with fines up to AED 50,000, and higher penalties for illegal employment. Earlier in 2026 the authorities blocked the files of scores of employers for exactly this.
Filing the report is the step that limits your ongoing liability and begins cancelling the worker’s status under your sponsorship. Do not delay it out of hope that she will return; keep trying to reach her, but file once the 7 days have passed.
What the insurance does, and does not, cover
Every sponsored domestic worker is covered by the mandatory worker-rights insurance (the policy that replaced the old AED 3,000 deposit), with cover up to AED 20,000. On absconding, it can cover the worker’s repatriation airfare, but only if you filed a report and she was later apprehended within the cover period. Our insurance and employer-duties guide explains the policy in full.
The insurance will not reimburse you for the cost of recruiting a replacement. There is no UAE “employer-protection” policy that pays you back for an absconding worker; that is a Saudi product. Your route to recovering fees is the recruitment agency’s guarantee, not insurance.
Consequences for the worker, and withdrawing the report
A confirmed absconding case typically results in a one-year labour ban for the worker. If she returns and you resolve things, you can withdraw the report: as the employer you provide her Emirates ID (both sides) and passport, pay a fee of around AED 115, and it processes in about 3 working days (via GDRFA in Dubai). Withdrawing the report lifts the ban.
If the relationship is genuinely over, the cleaner path may be to cancel the visa properly rather than leave an absconding case open; our guide to cancelling a maid visa walks through that, and if you intend to re-hire, our Tadbeer replacement guide covers your options.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Filing on day one. The absence must exceed 7 days, or the report can be rejected.
- Doing nothing and hoping she returns, which leaves you liable and exposed to worker-swap fines.
- Assuming the insurance repays your recruitment costs; it covers her airfare on a filed-and-apprehended case, not your replacement.
- Leaving an absconding case open instead of cancelling the visa once you know the relationship is over.
- Not keeping evidence of your attempts to reach her, which supports a clean report.
The bottom line
Try to reach her, wait for the 7-day threshold, then file promptly to limit your liability. Keep your records, know that the insurance covers her airfare but not your replacement costs, and withdraw the report if she returns and you settle. For anything touching safety, our safety guidelines set out the steps, and a properly managed hiring service reduces the chance of ending up here in the first place.
