Q: Dear Respected Lawyers, I am on management visa from Sharjah whose passport was denied by the employer after completing 13 months of service. They told me passport can't be given until my client in Iraq settles a business transaction dues the company did. Feeling insulted, I resigned on June 20th 2018 and stopped going to the office waiting for my Iraqi client to visit the UAE. Finally, the client came to Dubai on August 23rd and showed my employer his account where the client lost more than USD 700,000 because of the mismanagement of the project by the employer. The employer left the meeting room saying I will never get my passport or visa cancelled. He told if ever I report it to the Labor Department, I will be put into trouble through his contacts with senior police officials. Finally, I filed my labour complaint today for my Visa cancellation. Kindly advise whom should I approach at Sharjah Court to file a petition for getting back my Passport on an urgent basis. Humbly requesting your valued positive advice and assistance.

Q: My visa is canceled by labor and they will transfer my all data to the federal authority of the immigration office for cancellation. But my employer can not give me my passport or my Emirates ID and it is required for cancellation. How I can recover my documents?

Q: The reason for holding my passport is that the employer terminated the contract but did not cancel the visa. How much does it cost to file a legal case? How long will it take to get back my passport? Thanks

Q: Sir, I have an absconding case. My employer got my passport and he does not want to give it to me. I do not want to leave the UAE. Please tell me what I can do!

Q: Good day to all, My employer is still refusing to release my passport. They say I need to show them an exit paper or a new visa, but I was already terminated from their employment last March 2023. What is the right way to get my passport back? Thank you for your advice!

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, I have been working in Dubai since November 2022, but my employer applied for my visa at the end of December and I received my MOHRE contract and residency in early January. It is a limited contract. In February, our employer made us sign an offer letter that has different clauses than the MOHRE labor contract. When I asked the employer, they said it was just a formality for our own personal records. The labor contract and the offer letter both have different clauses (pay, allowance). The offer letter also states that the company can hold my passport, and even if I complete my probation or work for 23 months and 28 days (before 24 months), I will have to pay them the visa fee if I resign. I wanted to go on leave due to family matters involving my mother's health, but my employer is not allowing me and is holding my passport. Can they do that? Secondly, if I resign without a notice period, am I liable to pay for the visa fee (based on the offer letter)? What if I don't pay? Can they ban me on this basis?

Q: Dear Lawyers, How to request my passport back from my employer after many requests have been refused?

An interview-format article covering the topic of an employer demanding to hold an employees passport. This is from the legal podcast of lawyer Ludmila Yamalova, the founder of LAWGICAL with LYLAW.

The UAE has adopted a major reform in its legislative system that brought about 40 new laws and amendments to the company law, criminal law, personal status, among others. The amendments aim to develop the legislative structure in various sectors, the labor law being one of these, was the most recent. We try in this article to shed light on the changes introduced with the new labor law and their significance on both, the employer and employee.

The provisions of this Law, known as "UAE Labour Law", govern the relationship between employers and employees and other labour matters in the United Arab Emirates. There are special labour related regulations applicable in some of the free zones in the UAE.

This Decree sets the rules and conditions for the termination of fixed-term (limited) or unlimited (not term-bound) employment contract between employer and worker in the United Arab Emirates.

The provisions of this Decree-Law, known as "New UAE Labor Law", govern labour relations in the private sector of the United Arab Emirates. The New Labor Law repeals the previous UAE Labor Law (Federal Law No. (8) of 1980).