Is it compulsory to submit passport with your employer in UAE?

Question

I will be goin to Abu dhabi on work permit. My Bank is going to provide me Family visa. Is it compulsory to submit the passport with my employer? Will they take my wife's passport also? Is there any other way if I don't want to submit my passport to them?

Answer 1

it is compulsory in UAE to submit your passport in the company you are working. that is the only document company will have in case if you are found guilty or ran away from job but still you will be in the country and will definitely be caught by the cops.

Answer 2

It's not compulsory, it's illegal to keep somebody's passport, also when some banks do so for security reasons.

To keep somebody's passport means to put a travel ban on this person and this only can by ordered by a judge. Please look at the last page of your passport. It's even not yours. It's the property of your country and you are not suppose to give it up.

In case your employer demands you to hand over your passport you can file a complaint with the Labour Department.

Your family member's passports are untouchable by your employer. The bank is not your wife's sponsor. that will be you.

To keep sombody's passport is just against the UAE Law!

Answer 3

hello.. it is not a law to keep your passprt with your employer.. but it an unwritten rule.. if you are workign for some MNC, chances are that you will not be required to keep your passport with them... and if your wife is on your sponsor-ship then she is ur responsibility and not the company's.... hope this answers your question...

Answer 4

Employers of The Gulf countries including Saudi Arabia made it a policy to keep the

passports of their employees with them.

against work permits . This procedure is not

mandatory but  a humiliating and a disgraceful

one.  About  55 years back gulf countries were not known to the world as much as they are today. Saudi Arabia was known for pilgrimage

to the Muslims. Natives of all these countries

became rich overnight , because of oil resources. They were mostly nomads with no

cultural background.  They lack in civility and

etiquette.  Normal ethics are not known to them

Answer 5

Yes, it is arbitary and not ethical. An indirect blackmail.

Also depends upon which company you have opted for employment. Private companies do force their employees into strict adherence for submission of the passport.

But than you have no choice - either submit to their requirements or loose the opportunity to get employed.

Answer 6

Dear

As per rules, "the act of retaining the employee's passport is not legal and the employer should hand over the passport to the employee". this quoted from an expert advocate from Dubai, UAE.

Also the Passport is the property of the respective issueing Government (not even the property of the holder - the name "holder" itself saying that, the person is just a holder of the passport only.). So as per the law it is absolutely against LAW.

Anyhow, sometimes most of companies will retain the passport of their employees for security reasons here, because in UAE anyone can go out of country even without the permission of employer if he holds the passport. But in some other countries like Saudi Arabia / Qatar even if the employee holds the passport he cannot go out of country without stamping a exit&re-entry pass/visa in his/her passport.

If the company mention in your job contract that they will keep the passport, it will be acceptable. even if the statement is not in the offer/appointment letter, it will be a non-written rule here to submit your passport with employer for your job there. But, no need to give your wife's passport to them. Hope the employer will not ask this to you.

Best of Luck

Thx