Questions & Answers
Questions & Answers
5 available 5 • View allIs the employer authorised to hold the employee passport?
5
Q: I want to take my passport back from my employer. I am taking a salary of 1800 and working as an engineer, so why should I keep my passport with them?
I have not taken any advance from the company, but I am afraid to ask them to return it to me.
What to do if they deny it because after asking passport a new issue will be raised and I know they will not give?

Oct 6, 2019
728
Can the employer hold my passport and ask for visa cost if I resign for salary reduction?

1
Q: Good afternoon.
I am on an unlimited contract in Abu Dhabi, working at a private company. I've been here for 5 months, now I submitted my resignation letter to my boss last May 18 as he wanted to put me on commission-based payment.
I asked for a reduction of salary letter or any letter stating that I will be on a commission basis. He doesn't want to give me and wants me to reimburse the money he has put in my bank account. He wants me to pay for the visa costs. He is also holding my passport.
I have filed a complaint on MOHRE about this on May 18. Then he received a message about the complaint and instructed me to leave.
On May 19, I received a call from MOHRE and we settled and I withdrew the complaint. I went back to work to do the 1-month notice but he refused.
He is threatening me that I was absent since May 18. He doesn't want me to work there, he deleted my work email.
I was at the office on May 22 but he refused to accept me so I called MOHRE about my case and they reactivate my complaint again.


May 24, 2021
395
Does your employer have the legal right to keep hold of your passport?
44
Q: I recently ended up my contract with my employer because of a medical grounds.
Actually, we don't have medical insurance, we are working 17 hours and I am not getting any assistance from the company.
After submitting my resignation letter, my employer accepted it but requested me to leave the country then only after he will proceed with the cancellation. He finally agreed after a long period of negotiation.
Now, the employment visa is cancelled and he forwarded me the residence cancellation where it's clearly mentioned that I have until 08 December grace period.
I asked him to give me back my passport which he is keeping it since I started working for the company and he refused, saying that only on the 19th Jan in reference to my flight date which is 20th of January.
In between, I received an offer with three times the salary I used to get and a lot of benefits including health insurance.
As per the labour law, does he have the right to keep hold of my passport even after cancellation of my employment visa?

Jan 17, 2018
9942
How to get my passport released if the employer holds it and asks for money?

0
Q: Submitted a resignation letter to my employer, but he rejected claiming for AED 10,000 before he cancels my visa and gives me my passport (he is holding my passport).
10 months of working with him (already completed my 3 months probation).
There's also a breach of the contract:
1. Working not on the agreed hours (No overtime compensation paid).
2. Salary delay every month.
Any advice to take him on through the appropriate quarters to get my visa canceled and get back my passport?
He is claiming 10,000 before he gives me my passport and cancels my visa.


Mar 17, 2023
97
Is it legal for my employer to withhold my salary until I leave the country or change status?




1
Q: Hello,
I have given my notice, and my last day is July 24, but the employer is refusing to pay my salary; even the salary for June. Is this even legal?
He claims I'll get everything at once, which is after leaving the country or changing status.





+2
Jul 2, 2024
547
Legal blog
1 available 1 • View allCan My Employer Hold My Passport? 10
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.
Jan 15, 2020
8430
Laws & Regulations
2 available 2 • View allFederal Law No. (8) of 1980 Concerning the Regulation of Labor Relations 53
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.
Apr 20, 1980
103617
Federal Decree-Law No. (33) of 2021 On the Regulation of Labor Relations 34
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).
Sep 20, 2021
26448

Other answers by
162 162 answers •
View allإمكانية المطالبة بالمستحقات العمالية بناءً على الراتب الفعلي وليس المكتوب في العقد 0
السلام عليكم،
أعمل في شركة في العين مند ثلاث سنوات ونصف "منها سنة وعشرة أشهر إقامة تابعة للشركة" وما تبقى كنت أعمل بالإعارة من شركة أخرى. راتبي في عقد العمل 500 درهم ولكن راتبي الفعلي 2500 درهم.
هل يحق لي المطالبة قانونًا على حسب الراتب الفعلي؟
وهل فترة العمل بالإعارة تدخل ضمن أيام المستحقات؟
علمًا بأنني أستلم راتبي بشكل مباشر بإيصال قبض من الشركة، وراتب العقد (500) أستلمه بنكيًا أو عبر فروع الأنصاري.
Jul 17, 2023
226
Mold in apartment due to construction fault: Can I get compensation? 0
Hi everyone,
I rent an apartment. After two days in the apartment, water started leaking from the ceiling.
It turned out to be a fault in the building's construction, which caused condensation in the false ceilings. When the panels were demolished, it was found that they were all full of mold.
The building manager has started work, but the apartment is no longer habitable.
Should the landlord compensate me for the lack of peaceful enjoyment of the property?
Jul 17, 2023
424
New owner in Dubai with no Ejari and previous tenant: What are his rights? 0
Dear Sir/Madam,
I recently purchased a studio flat in Dubai that was previously tenanted under a Tenancy Contract from November 2022 to November 2023.
However, there is no registered Ejari to establish a tenant-landlord relationship in the Dubai Government record.
The previous landlord had given the tenant a year's notice to vacate the flat, which was given six months ago. Now that I have purchased the flat, I have asked the tenant to replace the cheques, but she has refused to cooperate.
Can you please advise me on whether I am obligated to continue the Tenancy Agreement signed by the previous owner, given the absence of an Ejari?
Alternatively, when can I tell her to vacate the flat, or do I have to wait until November 2023?
Secondly, I would like to know if I need to serve the tenant with an eviction notice again to vacate the flat. If so, for how long is the remaining period valid, or do I need to issue a new eviction notice of one year?
I would appreciate your prompt response.
Many thanks!
Kind Regards,
Apr 11, 2023
1720
My company is asking us to work 9 hours this Ramadan. What can we do? 0
My company is asking us to do 9 hrs. duty this Ramadan starting last 8th of April 2023 without overtime pay.
And no one from my colleagues wants to complain as they are scared of what might happen.
Just today, my showroom manager is asking me to extend until 12 pm when I started my duty from 10 am and I am fasting.
What can I do?
Apr 13, 2023
547
Issuing a legal notice for non-payment and false accusations by a client 0
Hello,
We would like to issue and send a notice/legal notice to one of our clients for none payment of dues and false accusations.
How can this be done?
Apr 15, 2023
471

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1546 1546 answers •
View allWhat countersuit can be filed against an employer for a false absconding case? 0
Hello,
What countersuit can I file against an employer who filed a false absconding case against an employee?
Apr 15, 2025
39
Is a bounced rent cheque case considered a criminal record for U.S. visa applications? 0
Hello,
My rent cheque was bounced, and my landlord filed a case against me in Sharjah Court. I received a fine of 2,000 AED, which was later reduced to 1,000 AED upon appeal.
Does this case count as a criminal conviction under UAE law, or was it handled as a civil matter?
If I apply for a U.S. visa, will I need to submit court records under the requirement for applicants with past convictions?
Apr 15, 2025
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Can a person with a UAE criminal case travel to another GCC country on a work visa? 0
Hello,
If a person has a criminal case in the UAE, can he or she travel to any other GCC country on a work visa?
Apr 7, 2025
181
Missing business partner since 2003. What to do about his share in the LLC? 0
Hello,
I am a manager of an LLC company with 25% share. In February 2003, a partner joined the company with a 25% share.
After two months, he didn’t like the company and left. After two years, we did not know where he was. We just heard that he left to Tunisia before his visa expired.
What to do with his 25% share, please?
Apr 7, 2025
134
Can a Pakistani expat register a second marriage in the UAE without disclosing the first? 0
Hello,
I want to know the UAE rules regarding second marriage for expats. I am a Pakistani national and already have a wife back in my home country.
Now, I want to do a second marriage in the UAE with a Moroccan girl. Can you please let me know the procedure involved?
Can I get my marriage registered in the UAE? Is it mandatory to disclose the first marriage? I am on an employment visa in Dubai.
Apr 7, 2025
141
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