Filipino housemaids face delay

ABU DHABI Filipino housemaids planning to go on holiday to their home country are facing long delays at the embassy to secure travel permission.

Domestic workers have to get an exit form called Overseas Workers Travel Permit that allows them to return to the UAE after visiting the Philippines. They have to produce the form at the Immigration before boarding the flight to the UAE.

But employers sponsoring Filipino housemaids complain the waiting period to get the exit clearance is excruciatingly long.

According to some employers who spoke to XPRESS, their domestic helps are queuing up outside the embassy premises as early as 6am to beat the rush. “My maid had to visit the embassy twice last week but could not get a form. The queue was that big,” said an Emirati sponsor who identified himself as Abdullah. “Finally I dropped her to the embassy at 6am. Even then she had to wait for more than three hours for her turn,” said Abdullah.

Another sponsor of a Filipino housemaid, Abu Mohammad, said his domestic help waited from 7am till noon to get the travel clearance.