Q: Is it legal to hold the passport of the employee by a company? I didn't get my passport back after stamping visa, they gave me just a copy of passport with the visa page. My PRO told me that all passports should stay with the company and I can receive it back to travel only upon approval of the management. He explained that this is the company policy and common practice.

Q: I got a job in Dubai and my employer asked me to submit the passport for visa stamping. After stamping the visa on my passport, I asked my employer to give me the passport back but he refused. Kindly guide me, what can I do? One more thing. They have written in the offer letter that if I resign from the job, I will have to pay all the visa cost. Kindly guide me also regarding this, as I have already signed that offer letter.

Q: Hi Madam, I am working for a company on a limited contract in Dubai. I need to go for an emergency vacation, but the company isn't allowing the leave nor giving passport also. How can I get the passport from the employer? Please Help me.

Q: What to do if the employer does not give a passport? Who can help and what to do? Thank you in.advance.

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?

Q: I would like to know, as per the Labor Law, can an employer keep the passport of an employee? If not and the employer is still keeping the passport, what to do? Thank you

Q: Hi, I want to know how can we take an order on a petition in Sharjah to take my passport back from my employer. And how much does it cost? My visa is in the free zone but my passport is with the HR department in the head office outside the SAIF Zone.

Q: How can I get my passport from the company I work for? They do not register me with the ministry of labor and I also cannot appeal a case against them because I am not registered with their company. What do I need to do? Please advise me. Thank you

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 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.

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).