Taking a maid to the UK

[184jones]

Hi
Just wondering whether anyone has taken a maid back to the UK with them for a holiday? Were there any extra costs apart from the flight back? Are there any special visas I need to get and approx how long do they take to get? how did it work out? Any help would be appreciated.

I am going back to a family farm for a month at Xmas and just need an extra pair of hands over the Xmas period or else I end up doing all the cooking, cleaning, washing for everyone and come home exhausted!!! ( my sister isnt the most domesticated!)
THanks

[hg]

Good question !!

I don't have the personal experience (having had the maid only for a month) but I wonder if the act of taking her with you abroad for work is legally allowed. MoM website seems to harp on the fact that the maid must only work at the address mentioned in her work permit.

Will watch with interest what others have to say.

[merichan]

You have to look with the UK embassy...


Quite a few countries deliver a holiday visa for your maid, given that you provide a copy of the work contract, certify that she will be still employed by you afterwards, that you take insurance for her while in the country etc.... the exact conditions vary from one country to another.

And by the way it's always a holiday visa... so theoretically she is supposed to share holidays with you, not work... :

[BooneC]

It's nearly 10 years ago now! But my wife worked in the UK for a year and had my 2 year old son with her for 9 months or so. She was able to get our maid a visa for the whole period with little trouble. I remember it was specifically for domestic help and required some documentation like proof of employment etc.

If they allow maids long term working stays I'm sure a holiday visa is not a problem.

She's also been on holidays with us to France, Taiwan and Australia and I don't remember having to do anything more unusual than getting a visa.

[cbavasi]

We have English friends who always take their helper home with them... but they seem to file the paperwork well in advance. I do remember another set of friends not being able to take their helper home b/c she had only been with them 10 months and the visa was denied... but this was years ago so the rules may have changed (?)

[QRM]

You have to apply for visa etc, the maid must sign paper work that they know about UK minimum wages regulation (even if they only going for a short stay), which raised our helper eyebrows, I pointed out taxis start prices are $9, and she is unlikely to get much change from $15 for a Macdonald meal.

There are fees, if I recall about $600 to the British embassy (they have a special visa section in the city) and if you are a British citizen the maid has to been in your employment for over a year.