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Modelling · Dubai

How to become a model in the United Arab Emirates

Apply through a Dubai agency’s own website: MMG Models, Michelle Hay Management, Bareface, Jay Jay Models, ANT Management and Pret Models all take online applications. UAE law bars work under 15, and 15 to 18-year-olds need a ministry work permit with written guardian consent. The government says charging recruitment fees to prospective employees is illegal.

By , Founder & Editor · Application routes checked · Editorial policy

Official application routes

Which modelling agencies in the United Arab Emirates can I apply to?

6 agencies · checked 2026-10-01

Each link goes to the agency’s own application page or official contact route — never a third party. Details are as each agency publishes them; where an agency publishes nothing, we say nothing.

How it works

How do agencies in the United Arab Emirates recruit?

  • Dubai agencies take applications through forms on their own websites. MMG Models asks for natural, unedited daylight photos without make-up, no more than three months old, and says phone photos are fine. MMG Models — Become a model ↗
  • Agencies work by appointment. MMG Models says it does not take walk-ins and aims to reply within a week; if you have not heard back by then, your application was unsuccessful. MMG Models — FAQ ↗
  • Under-18s apply with a parent involved. Bareface asks applicants under 18 to register with a parent’s email address, and the parent must sign its terms and conditions. Bareface — application form ↗
  • Young people aged 15 to 18 can work only under a work permit from the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, which needs written consent signed by a parent or guardian and a medical fitness certificate. UAE Government portal — Employment and training of minors ↗
  • Elite Model Look’s 2026 country list includes “UAE and Qatar”, routed to the contest’s international entry site. Elite Model Look — 2026 ↗

Fees, contracts and safeguarding

What are the rules in the United Arab Emirates?

  • The UAE Labour Law prohibits employing anyone under 15, and the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation does not issue work permits below that age (Article 5 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, as summarised by the government portal). UAE Government portal — Employment and training of minors ↗
  • Juveniles aged 15 to 18 may work only under a ministry work permit. The permit needs written consent signed by a parent or guardian, a medical certificate of fitness for the work and a ministry-approved contract. Juveniles may not work at night or in dangerous or harmful jobs. The page does not mention modelling specifically. UAE Government portal — Employment and training of minors ↗
  • The government portal says charging recruitment fees to prospective employees is illegal, and that recruitment, travel and residence-permit costs are borne by the employer. We found no rule written specifically for modelling agency fees, and the page does not say how this applies to agencies representing freelance models. UAE Government portal — Protection of workers’ rights ↗
  • Federal Law No. 3 of 2016 on child rights (Wadeema’s Law) protects children against all forms of negligence, exploitation and physical and psychological abuse. The government’s summary does not mention modelling. UAE Government portal — Children’s safety ↗

Under 18? Involve a parent or guardian at every step. Read the under-18 guide ↗

Official programmes

Are there model searches in the United Arab Emirates?

FAQ

Modelling in the United Arab Emirates, answered

Do Dubai modelling agencies charge to apply?

None of the application forms listed here asks for a fee. The UAE government says charging recruitment fees to prospective employees is illegal, though it does not say how this applies to agencies representing freelance models. MMG Models sells an optional paid masterclass and says attending does not guarantee representation.

How old do I have to be to model in the UAE?

UAE law bars work under 15. Juveniles aged 15 to 18 need a ministry work permit with written consent from a parent or guardian, and may not work at night. Jay Jay Models takes models-board applicants from 18, and Bareface asks under-18s to apply with a parent’s email.

Can I walk in to a Dubai agency?

Not at the agencies that say so. MMG Models and Jay Jay Models both say they work by appointment only and do not take walk-ins, so apply online first.

Is there a minimum height?

Most agencies listed here ask for your height without stating a minimum. Jay Jay Models lists 5 ft 9 in for women (petite from 5 ft 5 in) and 6 ft 0 in for men on its models board, and says height matters less for commercial work.

How long until an agency replies?

MMG Models aims to reply within a week and says no reply after a week means the application was unsuccessful. Jay Jay Models says it contacts applicants it is interested in within two weeks.

Can I apply from outside the UAE?

ANT Management says it accepts applications from talent based anywhere in the world. Elite Model Look’s 2026 contest also lists the UAE, routed to its international entry site, from age 14 with parent or guardian consent for under-18s.

Sources

Where this comes from.

Other countries

Apply elsewhere.