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The medical test for a Dubai residence visa costs AED 270 for the normal service, with the result in 24 hours. Faster options are VIP 6 hours at AED 700, VIP 2 hours at AED 1,020, and Smart Salem at AED 700 in about 30 minutes. These fees are set by Dubai Administrative Resolution No. 66. Everyone aged 18 and over takes the test.
Official fees
| Service | Result time | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Normal | 24 hours | AED 270 |
| VIP | 6 hours | AED 700 |
| VIP | 2 hours | AED 1,020 |
| Smart Salem | about 30 minutes | AED 700 |
| Pregnancy test, domestic workers | added to the above | AED 50 |
Source: Dubai Administrative Resolution No. 66 of approving charges for medical fitness, checked .
Older guides mention an "urgent 48 hours" level. It is not in the resolution, so if someone quotes it to you, ask what you are actually paying for.
What people actually pay can differ slightly from the table, because some typing centers add a charge for registering you. Published price lists of Dubai typing centers, PRO firms and free zones show normal service at about AED 250 to 320 and same day VIP at about AED 700 to 1,020, checked . If a price is far above the official fee, ask what the extra covers.
Who has to take it
The u.ae rules on residence visas say every applicant aged 18 and above takes the medical fitness test, both for a new residence visa and for a renewal. In practice:
- Employees take it for each new employment visa and at every renewal.
- Family members aged 18 and over take it when they join a sponsor on a family visa. Children under 18 do not.
- Domestic workers such as a maid or nanny take it with an added AED 50 pregnancy test. See the maid visa guide.
- Golden and Green visa holders take it too. The golden route is no exception.
Visitors on a tourist or visit visa do not take the test. It only comes up when you move to residence.
What happens at the center
Dubai Health lists two parts: a blood sample and a chest X-ray. Some professions also receive vaccinations at the same visit. Expect to queue for registration, the sample and the X-ray in turn.
Bring:
- The registration form, filled in at the center or at a typing center.
- Your original Emirates ID, or your passport if you do not have an Emirates ID yet.
- A personal photo with a white background.
- A copy of the e-visa or entry permit.
The result comes by SMS or email. Keep it until the visa is done: GDRFA's renewal pages list an approved medical exam as a required document for anyone over 18.
Where to go
Dubai Health runs 25 medical fitness centers, branded Salem, including centers in Al Quoz, Al Karama and DIFC. Smart Salem is the fast option. Our list of every visa medical center gives all 25 names by area.
Many typing centers register you for the test and print the form, and some do it as part of a full visa file. That is one of the jobs typing centers kept after Dubai moved visa processing to Amer centers on . Our guide to typing center services explains which counter does what.
Picking a speed
The normal 24 hour service is enough for most renewals, as long as you start well before the visa expiry date. Pay for VIP or Smart Salem when:
- your entry permit is close to running out and the residence visa must be stamped quickly,
- you are inside your grace period after a cancellation and the overstay fine is about to start, or
- a travel date is fixed and the visa has to be done before it.
Per adult, normal service is AED 270 against AED 1,020 for VIP 2 hours. For a family with several adults, planning a week ahead saves real money.
If there is a problem with the result
The test screens for certain infectious diseases, and what happens after an unfit result is decided by the health authorities, not by the center that typed your visa. If your result does not come through, or comes back with a question, ask the medical fitness center directly. A typing center or an Amer center cannot change a medical result.
Where the test fits in the visa
The order for a new residence visa in Dubai is usually entry permit, then medical test, then Emirates ID biometrics, then the residence visa. For a renewal it is medical, then the GDRFA renewal and the Emirates ID together. Our UAE visa page has a cost calculator that adds the AED 270 test to the GDRFA and Emirates ID fees, and the visa renewal guide covers the renewal itself.
