I would kindly like to request your legal help to retrieve my passport from my sponsor. I have been working with an American-owned private company for the last 10 years.

Recently the management and the sponsor had some financial disputes and as a result, the sponsor kept all the employees’ passport in his custody.

It’s more than six months now and I would like to travel to India for my medical treatment and the sponsor is not available in Kuwait. The company management is also helpless in this case.

Name withheld

Answer: Please remember that passport is a personal document and can’t be retained by the company for any reason. The only option you have is to file a case, at the Justice Palace, through a lawyer against your company to get back your passport.

The law clearly states that the company can’t keep your passport. Lawyers charge nominal fees for this service and every case is decided in favor of the passport holder.

So, don’t worry. Just approach a lawyer and file a case. If the company — for any reason — doesn’t return your passport it will face legal action.

© Copyright 2016, Arab Times Kuwait

Send your legal queries to [email protected] or [email protected]