Sponsors keeping staff passports
#1
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 8
Sponsors keeping staff passports
Hi.
Just curious.
Is it legal for sponsors to hold on to staff passports in exchange for Iqamas and vice versa when we go on holiday?
Or is it just the done thing in KSA?
Thanks.
Just curious.
Is it legal for sponsors to hold on to staff passports in exchange for Iqamas and vice versa when we go on holiday?
Or is it just the done thing in KSA?
Thanks.
#2
Re: Sponsors keeping staff passports
I also remember we had to get colleagues/friends to sign for our debts to the company when we went on holiday. In case we didn't come back...
They are so backward it's unreal....I always used to tell the HR Director that if you stop treating people like shit they won't run away! The wall had better listening skills though..
#3
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Nov 2012
Location: bute
Posts: 9,740
Re: Sponsors keeping staff passports
Common practice in KSA. Many employees get very uptight about this. It never bothered me that much.
When you say it is illegal, what do you mean ? A contravention of Saudi law ? I hardly think so. They make the rules within the Magiuc Kingdom. You could ask Carleton-Browne at the FO. When he says it is illeagel what do you imagine he is going to do ? Send a gunboat to remonstrate with the rulers of Hejaz-Nejd ?
When you say it is illegal, what do you mean ? A contravention of Saudi law ? I hardly think so. They make the rules within the Magiuc Kingdom. You could ask Carleton-Browne at the FO. When he says it is illeagel what do you imagine he is going to do ? Send a gunboat to remonstrate with the rulers of Hejaz-Nejd ?
#4
Re: Sponsors keeping staff passports
Common practice in KSA. Many employees get very uptight about this. It never bothered me that much.
When you say it is illegal, what do you mean ? A contravention of Saudi law ? I hardly think so. They make the rules within the Magiuc Kingdom. You could ask Carleton-Browne at the FO. When he says it is illeagel what do you imagine he is going to do ? Send a gunboat to remonstrate with the rulers of Hejaz-Nejd ?
When you say it is illegal, what do you mean ? A contravention of Saudi law ? I hardly think so. They make the rules within the Magiuc Kingdom. You could ask Carleton-Browne at the FO. When he says it is illeagel what do you imagine he is going to do ? Send a gunboat to remonstrate with the rulers of Hejaz-Nejd ?
Anyway there were a couple of instances of companies being fined relatively big amounts while I was there for 'losing' passports. There was a construction company that had a fire in their head office if I remember correctly and several thousand employees were stuck up shit creek (as you can imagine for some countries getting a new passport is not necessarily straightforward so they were effectively stranded in KSA for quite some time)...
#5
Just Joined
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 4
Re: Sponsors keeping staff passports
Surely you cant be forced to give up your passport - it contravenes international law.
#7
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Joined: Mar 2013
Location: where I currently am
Posts: 454
Re: Sponsors keeping staff passports
my contractor holds passport in their head office downtown. When I want to leave, I pick it up in exchange for the iqama, my driving license etc. I don't know anyone who has had their passport lost through this process. I have yet to use this process though because I haven't got to my first leave date yet...
#8
Hit 16's
Joined: Mar 2010
Location: Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, she walks into mine
Posts: 13,112
Re: Sponsors keeping staff passports
Don't think so--no multinational treaty on it as far as I'm aware. However, your passport doesn't belong to you, its the property of Her Majesty, which leads us back to FCO and gunboats...
#9
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Joined: Mar 2013
Location: where I currently am
Posts: 454
Re: Sponsors keeping staff passports
check this out...
http://www.arabnews.com/news/449793
might take a copy of that article in to my contractor next time I visit
Muhammad Al-Bijawi, director of the ministry’s Madinah branch, said that no party in the Kingdom is entitled to withhold passports, explaining that this decree has been issued by the country’s highest authority.
might take a copy of that article in to my contractor next time I visit
#10
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 5,125
Re: Sponsors keeping staff passports
no buts a lot of companies do not much you can do about it, some companies will not pay you in they do not hold your passport etc
#11
Re: Sponsors keeping staff passports
When I came here they kept it because they were making the Iqama . After I got that they initially kept it until I went on holiday for the 1st time . I then said that I needed the Iqama too in case there was a problem re-entering the country and never gave the passport back to them when I cam back . They have asked for it and I've told them that they can keep a copy and if someone needs to see the real thing I will bring it in . They seem happy enough with this so far . The thing is , if you don't have a multiple exit visa you still need the company to make an exit visa for you so it's not like you can do a runner anyway . I don't know that I trust them not to lose it though .
#12
Hit 16's
Joined: Mar 2010
Location: Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, she walks into mine
Posts: 13,112
Re: Sponsors keeping staff passports
When I came here they kept it because they were making the Iqama . After I got that they initially kept it until I went on holiday for the 1st time . I then said that I needed the Iqama too in case there was a problem re-entering the country and never gave the passport back to them when I cam back . They have asked for it and I've told them that they can keep a copy and if someone needs to see the real thing I will bring it in . They seem happy enough with this so far . The thing is , if you don't have a multiple exit visa you still need the company to make an exit visa for you so it's not like you can do a runner anyway . I don't know that I trust them not to lose it though .