Should I submit my Passport to Employer

Q: Is it compulsory to submit passport with your employer in UAE? I will be going 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? (Asked by: Purvi D)

A: 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 issuing 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