LMRA Work Permit Renewal Bahrain: Steps, Fees and Timing

01LMRA work permit renewal: the shortest route

1. Check that the employer’s responsible or authorized person can access LMRA EMS.
2. Confirm the passport has at least two months of validity.
3. Complete any required periodic medical examination.
4. Sign in to EMS, open the employee’s permit and choose the renewal action.
5. Select six months, one year or two years when eligible, then submit.
6. Pay the BHD 5 administration invoice before its due date.
7. Pay the renewal invoice. LMRA says validation is immediate after payment when the application meets the rules.
8. Download the renewed residence permit from Bahrain’s National Portal.

02Check the renewal conditions first

• Applicant role: the person applying must be registered with LMRA as responsible or authorized for the establishment.
• Passport: valid for at least two months.
• Medical examination: an employee in an occupation that requires a periodic medical check must complete it before renewal, whether inside or outside Bahrain.
• Employee abroad: renewal is allowed while the worker is outside Bahrain only if the existing permit is still valid.
• Renewal window: six months before expiry for a one-year or two-year permit, and five months before expiry for a six-month permit.
• Dependants: LMRA says their permits are renewed with the employee’s renewal.

For an Indian worker whose passport needs renewal, use Indian passport renewal in Bahrain before reconciling the permit renewal documents.

03Open LMRA EMS and choose the employee

Open the official Expat Management System. Sign in with the employer or authorized-person account. Open the establishment, find the employee and choose the work permit renewal action. The employee can check the resulting permit status later, but the employer submits the renewal.

Logged-in step: selecting the establishment, employee and renewal period is visible only after an authorized employer signs in. This guide does not recreate that private screen.

04Submit the renewal and pay both invoices

Follow the EMS instructions, review the employee and permit period, then submit renewal. LMRA says a successful submission produces a notice telling the employer to pay the administration fee before the invoice due date. Pay the administration invoice first, then the renewal invoice through EMS or an accredited bank.

Once payment is complete, LMRA validates the renewal immediately when the application satisfies the regulations. The permit is printed on the same day. Use Bahrain’s National Portal or contact NPRA to print the residence permit.

05LMRA work permit renewal fees and timing

Add the BHD 5 administration fee. LMRA lists BHD 90 to renew dependant permits regardless of whether the main permit is renewed for six months, one year or two years. The published processing time is one working day.

06Fix common renewal problems

The renewal button is unavailable

Check the permit expiry date. The official window is six months early for one-year and two-year permits, or five months early for a six-month permit.

A medical check blocks renewal

Complete the periodic examination required for the employee’s occupation. LMRA applies this condition even when the employee is outside Bahrain.

The employee is outside Bahrain

Confirm that the current permit is still valid. LMRA states that an employee outside Bahrain can be renewed only while the permit remains valid.

The application was submitted but did not continue

Check both invoices. LMRA warns that the application is cancelled if the administration fee is not paid before its due date.

The passport expires soon

Renew the passport first if less than two months of validity remain, then update the relevant records before retrying.

The renewed residence permit is needed

Print it through Bahrain’s National Portal after the LMRA renewal is complete.

07LMRA renewal questions and official links

Can a worker renew their own LMRA permit?

For an employer-sponsored work permit, the employer or an authorized person submits the renewal. The worker can check status and validity through LMRA’s public employee-data service.

Can LMRA renew a permit after it expires?

This guide covers renewal before expiry. If the permit has expired, use LMRA’s specific expired-permit process or contact LMRA before submitting another transaction.

Where can an employer renew?

Use LMRA EMS or an accredited bank. LMRA also lists service counters at its headquarters, Executive Services and Seef Mall Muharraq.

• Official Work Permit Renewal service
• LMRA fees guide
• LMRA status check guide
• Download the renewed residence permit
• Book an LMRA appointment

LMRA Contact Centre: +973 17506055.