Actress Emma Watson has allegedly been employing an illegal homekeeper.

The `Harry Potter` star hired the maid to work in her New York apartment at the beginning of last year but Border Agency staff have since launched a probe following a complaint that the woman was travelling to London on and off to help Watson, 24, in her Islington home, reports contactmusic.com.

It is believed that the housekeeper spent a total of three months in Britain between September last year until early February and was quizzed on arrival by immigration staff about her ability to pay for her stay.

Although the home office can't comment on individual cases a source from the department told The Mirror newspaper: ''An allegation has been received and processed and has been allocated for further action.''