Gulf Recruitment Fee Checker | Check Legal Agency Charges

⚖️ Emigration (Amendment) Rules, 2017

✓ Verified August 2026

Legal Recruitment Fee Checker

Find out the maximum a licensed agency is legally allowed to charge you for a Gulf job placement, how to spot fee-related scam patterns, and what to do if you're being asked for more.

How much is the agency asking you to pay? (₹)

₹

₹0 Legal max: ₹35,400

Base service charge cap₹30,000

GST (18%)₹5,400

Maximum legal total₹35,400

📋 What this fee is allowed to cover

✅ Included in the ₹30,000 cap

Candidate scouting and selection
Advertisement costs
Trade test fees, where applicable
Certificate attestation charges
Travel/lodging for interviews arranged by the agency
Bank guarantee renewal cost
Administrative overhead

🚫 Must NOT be charged on top

Embassy or consular visa fees
Pre-employment medical check-up costs
Anything billed separately as an "extra" beyond the receipt

🚩 Fee-related scam patterns to watch for

💵

Asked to pay before signing any contractA legitimate agency finalises the contract first — never pay a deposit to "hold" a job offer.

🧾

Asked to pay in cash with no receiptRule 25 requires a receipt for any amount collected. No receipt is itself a red flag, regardless of the amount.

✂️

Charged a separate "processing" or "registration" feeSplitting the cost into multiple smaller "fees" to get around the ₹30,000 cap is a known workaround — the total still counts toward the legal maximum.

🏦

Told to pay into a personal account or directly to a foreign employerPayment should go through the agency's own registered business account, not an individual's personal account.

⏱️

Pressured to pay quickly because the visa will "expire"Urgency is a common pressure tactic. A real visa timeline allows time to verify the agency and the fee first.

📝 A proper receipt should show

The agency's full name and RA licence number
The exact date payment was made
The exact amount received, in words and figures
What the payment is for
The agency's signature or official stamp

❓ Common questions

Does this cap apply no matter which Gulf country I'm going to?▼

Yes. This is an Indian rule governing what Indian-registered recruiting agents can charge — it applies the same way regardless of whether you're going to Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, or Bahrain.

Does this apply if I'm from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, or Pakistan?▼

No. This ₹30,000 + GST figure is specific to India's Emigration Rules. Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Pakistan each have their own separate labour laws and fee limits, which this tool does not cover.

What if I already paid more than ₹35,400?▼

You can still file a complaint. Keep any receipt or record of what you paid, and contact the Pravasi Bharatiya Sahayata Kendra or eMigrate.gov.in using the details below.

Is GST always added, or is ₹30,000 the real maximum?▼

GST is a standard tax on the service itself, so the practical maximum you should ever be asked to pay in total is ₹35,400 — ₹30,000 plus 18% GST.

Can the agency charge extra for visa fees or medical tests?▼

No. Embassy/consular visa fees and medical check-up costs must be paid separately by you to those bodies directly — they cannot be bundled into or added on top of the agency's service charge.

⚠️ If you're being asked for more than ₹35,400

Do not pay the excess. Get a receipt for anything you do pay, and report the agency:

📞 Toll-free (India only): 1800 11 3090
💬 WhatsApp: +91 7428 3211 44
✉️ Email: helpline@mea.gov.in
🌐 Online complaint: eMigrate.gov.in
Already abroad? Contact your nearest Indian Embassy/Consulate, or register on the MADAD portal.

⚠️ Important: This limit is set under Rule 25 of the Emigration Rules, 1983, as substituted by the Emigration (Amendment) Rules, 2017, and confirmed in current Ministry of External Affairs advisories (₹30,000 + 18% GST). Verified against current sources as of August 2026. This is not legal advice — rules can change; always confirm the current figure on eMigrate.gov.in before relying on it for a dispute or payment decision.

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