Checked 25 September 2026. From NHRA's new-licence process for non-Bahrainis, how-to and FAQ guides, the cost sheet (Aug 2022), fees 2021 and its SLA v3.0 (Sep 2026). Verification-company prices are the 2022 figures NHRA publishes.
The NHRA licence runs in a fixed order, and the first step is not the exam: it is a job offer. A non-Bahraini nurse can only open an application in NHRA's online system, Mehan, from an invitation sent by a Bahrain healthcare facility. After that come verification of your documents, NHRA's review, the Prometric exam, a letter to Bahrain's Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA), your work permit, a Bahrain ID and a health check — and only then the licence. This guide walks through each step and the fees NHRA lists.
NHRA new-licence process, cost sheet (Aug 2022) and SLA v3.0 (Sep 2026).
The steps
| Step | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1. Invitation | The Bahrain facility invites you through its NHRA system; you get an email with a link to Mehan (mehan.nhra.bh) |
| 2. Verification | Primary source verification of all qualifications, full experience, good standing and licence — DataFlow, QuadraBay or Clean Sheet Group |
| 3. Mehan application | Sign up from the invitation, choose the profession, link the verification report, add education, licence and experience, answer the questionnaire; pay 20 BD |
| 4. NHRA review | If an exam is needed, the eligibility code arrives in Mehan |
| 5. Prometric exam | Book with the code; upload the result to Mehan |
| 6. LMRA letter | On approval NHRA issues a letter to the LMRA — automatically and without fee for new applications |
| 7. Work permit, CPR, health | LMRA work permit; then upload your CPR (Bahrain ID) and a health-fitness certificate from a licensed facility in Bahrain |
| 8. Pay and licence | Pay the notice in Mehan (within two weeks); the electronic licence appears in your Mehan account |
From NHRA's "New License Application Process for Non-Bahrainis", its how-to and FAQ guides and NHRA Circular 2/2017 (two weeks to pay). NHRA circulars 9/2018 and 9/2019 warn facilities that allowing practice before the licence is issued is "a criminal act". You are in Bahrain for the CPR and health check before the licence issues — you simply may not practise until it does.
What you upload
| Document | Notes |
|---|---|
| Primary source verification report | DataFlow / QuadraBay / Clean Sheet Group; validated inside Mehan |
| Certificate of Good Standing | From the regulator of your last country of practice, not older than 6 months |
| CV, passport, photo | White-background photo |
| Attested education certificate | Plus the back page of an Indian degree for DataFlow |
| Experience certificates | Covering the full experience claimed |
| Valid licence | From your last country of practice (for an Indian nurse, the state nursing council registration) |
From NHRA's non-Bahraini application checklist and the DataFlow guide. "NHRA only accepts complete application submitted through the online system MEHAN."
Fees
| Item | Amount | Paid to |
|---|---|---|
| Application submission | 20 BD | NHRA |
| Licence issuance (allied + nursing) | 50 BD | NHRA |
| Prometric exam | USD 184.5 (69.5 BHD) — Aug 2022 sheet | Prometric |
| DataFlow | Single document 60 BD; regular 120 BD; express 171 BD | DataFlow |
| QuadraBay | Single document 33 BD; regular 110 BD; express 145 BD | QuadraBay |
| Renewal (nursing) | 40 BD a year | NHRA |
| Good Standing certificate (for another country) | 20 BD (30 BD urgent) | NHRA |
From NHRA's cost sheet (Aug 2022), fees 2021 and good-standing guide. Clean Sheet Group's prices and current 2026 verification prices are not published by NHRA.
Our arithmetic on NHRA's Aug 2022 cost sheet: about 250–260 BD before the health check, visa and travel.
Your NHRA licence costs
NHRA's own fees are fixed; the Prometric and verification amounts are editable because NHRA's latest figures date from August 2022. Enter today's rupee rates to convert.
| NHRA application fee | 20 BHD |
| NHRA licence issuance | 50 BHD |
| Verification (QuadraBay regular 110 / DataFlow regular 120, 2022) | BHD |
| Prometric exam (USD 184.5 on the 2022 sheet) | USD |
Health-fitness test, visa, CPR and travel are extra and are usually arranged with the employer.
Inside Mehan
NHRA's how-to guide walks through the application screens: sign up from the invitation email, choose your profession, upload a photo, "validate your verification report" (the guide names QuadraBay and DataFlow; NHRA's licensing page also lists Clean Sheet Group), then enter education, licence and experience, answer the questionnaire and sign the declaration. Everything happens online — NHRA "only accepts complete application submitted through the online system MEHAN" — and the licence itself is electronic, viewable and printable from your Mehan account with a barcode. Keep your login safe: it is also where you renew, transfer and request a Good Standing certificate later.
How long it takes
NHRA's Service Level Agreement (version 3.0, September 2026) gives 5 working days for issuing a new professional licence — but only for NHRA's own step, and only "once the submission is considered complete"; the clock pauses while documents are missing. It does not include verification, the exam, the LMRA work permit or the health check. DataFlow's express package promises "14 business days in most cases"; its regular turnaround is not stated. NHRA publishes no end-to-end timeline.
NHRA SLA v3.0; NHRA's DataFlow guide. Exam booking, LMRA, CPR and health check are extra.
Emigration clearance from India
Bahrain is one of the 18 Emigration Check Required countries, and since 2015 every Indian nurse going to work in one of them needs emigration clearance from the Protector of Emigrants, whatever the passport category. Since 25 August 2025 recruitment no longer needs a Country Specific Order: a Bahrain employer can recruit directly on eMigrate or through an MEA-registered agent, and a 2015 order bars charging nurses any recruitment fee. The Indian Embassy in Bahrain explains the employer side — registration on eMigrate, attestation of the visa document, a Job ID and Job Code, then the emigrant's own EC application. The UAE emigration guide covers the rules in detail.
| Bahrain side (NHRA / LMRA) | India side (eMigrate) |
|---|---|
| Invitation, verification, Mehan application, exam | Employer registers on eMigrate; for direct hiring, the visa document is attested at the Indian Embassy in Bahrain and a Job ID and Job Code are created |
| NHRA approval → LMRA letter → work permit | You apply for emigration clearance online with the Job ID/Code, passport, PBBY policy and signed contract |
| Arrival: CPR, health check in Bahrain, licence payment | Clearance must be approved before you fly |
From NHRA's non-Bahraini process and the Indian Embassy in Bahrain's eMigrate guide (2018, general and not nurse-specific). No single official document sets out the combined order; the rows are our reading of the two. For recruitment through an Indian agent, the employer attests the power of attorney, demand letter and contract at the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce, Bahrain's foreign ministry and the Indian Embassy, and passes the demand number to the agent.
Getting the order right
- Job offer and facility invitation first — nothing starts without it.
- Order verification early: it is usually the slowest step.
- Keep your Good Standing Certificate within six months of issue when you submit the application — if the process is delayed or restarted, you may need a fresh one.
- Arrange emigration clearance on eMigrate after the work permit and before you fly.
- Do not start work until the licence shows in Mehan.
Practise it, don't just read it
While verification runs, the exam is the step you can prepare for. Timed quizzes are a good start.
The ProSyllabus NHRA nursing library has topic quizzes for Fundamentals of Nursing, Medical-Surgical Nursing (two quizzes), Pharmacology, Maternal and Child Health, Critical Care and Emergency, Infection Prevention and Professional Practice and Bahrain Health Regulations — the first one is free.
How do I apply for an NHRA licence from India?
Through NHRA's Mehan system, from an invitation sent by the Bahrain facility that has offered you a job; you cannot apply without it.
What is the NHRA licence fee for nurses?
An application fee of 20 BD and a licence issuance fee of 50 BD; renewal is 40 BD a year.
What is the NHRA Prometric exam fee?
USD 184.5 (69.5 BHD) on NHRA's August 2022 cost sheet — the latest official figure.
How much does DataFlow cost for NHRA?
NHRA's 2022 sheet lists 60 BD for a single document, 120 BD regular and 171 BD express; QuadraBay is 33, 110 or 145 BD.
How long does the NHRA licence take?
NHRA's own step takes 5 working days once the file is complete. Verification, the exam, the work permit and the health check add to that; no end-to-end time is published.
What is the LMRA letter?
The letter NHRA sends to Bahrain's Labour Market Regulatory Authority when your application is approved, so the work permit can be issued. For new licences it is issued automatically without a fee.
Do Indian nurses need emigration clearance for Bahrain?
Yes. Emigration clearance from the Protector of Emigrants is required for nurses to all ECR countries, including Bahrain.
Can I work in Bahrain before the NHRA licence is issued?
No. NHRA circulars call permitting practice before the licence is issued a criminal act.
Is the NHRA licence electronic?
Yes. It is issued in your Mehan account and can be viewed and printed there with a barcode.
What if NHRA rejects my application?
The reason is shown in Mehan. Correct what it names before asking your employer to invite you again.
Does the health-fitness test have to be done in Bahrain?
Yes. NHRA asks for a health-fitness certificate from a licensed facility in Bahrain, uploaded after the work permit.
More in this series
- NHRA Bahrain nursing exam: pattern, pass mark, attempts
- NHRA nurse eligibility for Indian nurses
- NHRA nurse renewal, CPD, BLS and transfer
- NHRA nursing exam study plan and references
- NHRA Bahrain nursing notice board — official updates
- Gulf nursing licences compared: Saudi, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain
- Indian nurses and emigration clearance: the 2025 rules
Sources
- official — NHRA — New License Application Process for Non-Bahrainis
- official — NHRA — How to Apply (Mehan)
- official — NHRA — Frequently Asked Questions (Mehan)
- official — NHRA — Primary Source Verification: how to apply (DataFlow)
- official — NHRA — Approximate Cost for New License (Aug 2022)
- official — NHRA — Health Professions Fees 2021
- official — SCH Decision No. 17 of 2016 — NHRA fees
- official — NHRA — Issuing Certificates of Good Standing
- official — NHRA — Service Level Agreement v3.0 (Sep 2026)
- official — NHRA — Health Profession Regulation Section
- official — Embassy of India, Bahrain — eMigrate registration process
- official — MOIA order of 12 Mar 2015 — emigration of nurses to 18 ECR countries
- official — MOIA order of 7 May 2015 — no recruitment fees from nurses
- official — MEA OM of 25 Aug 2025 — Country Specific Order for nurse recruitment discontinued
official = a document published by the conducting body. reported = a news or coaching site we could not check against an original. Where sources disagree this page says so rather than picking one.
