My employer is holding my passport in Kuwait: what can I do?

What the Ministry says

The Ministry of Interior tells employers not to keep a worker's passport. It says the worker has the right to keep it. Its leaflet for workers, Guidelines for Foreign Labour, says the same.

When you speak to anyone, say "the Ministry of Interior says" so they know the source.

If your employer still refuses

Report it to the Criminal Investigation Department. The Ministry names it as the body that receives claims of violations.

The number to call is printed in the Ministry's leaflet, Guidelines for Foreign Labour, in Arabic and English. The link is above.

What to write

Keep the message short and polite. For example: "Please return my passport today. I need to keep it with me."

Send it by WhatsApp or email, so you have the date and time. If you speak to someone in person, write down who it was and what they said. If your employer replies, keep the reply too, with the date.

Keep a record

Write down each time you ask for your passport: the date, who you asked and what they said. Keep the messages together, for example in one folder on your phone. Send a copy to someone you trust, in case your phone is lost.

What to bring when you report it

• A copy or photo of your passport page and your residence card.
• Your contract and your latest payslip.
• Your messages asking for the passport back, with the dates.
• The name and address of your employer.

While you wait

• Your embassy or consulate can advise you in your own language. It is worth a call if your employer will not answer.

Before you sign anything

Build your leaving plan too, so you know your other dates while this is sorted out.