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Rostom · Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2014 4:28 pm Post subject:

Imagine the store room where your passport stamped with an exit-entry visa is held was set on fire? What will be your reaction?

Yes, this scenario happened in Jeddah in 2011 where a fire that ripped through the six-story Alesayi Plaza in Jeddah destroyed about 17,000 passports of expatriates working for the company raised a debate about why workers cannot keep their passports with them in the first place.
The fire disrupted the holiday plans of many employees who were due to travel this month and facing the headache of obtaining new passports from their embassies and consulates. It is understood that there were some workers whose passports were already stamped with exit/re-entry visas.
http://www.arabnews.com/node/384695

There is no law that forces employees to surrender their passports to a person or workplace in the Magic Kingdom.
“Although the Council of Ministers has allowed expatriates to keep their passports, many companies and Saudi employers still refuse to implement this rule. There is no department that supervises the implementation of this rule and protects the workers’ rights.”

“In case of death or a sick relative in the employee’s home country, the worker has great difficulty in obtaining his or her passport, especially during the weekend. The companies’ human resources departments are shut over the weekend, in the evening and the Eid and national holidays. Some HR officers open the department on the weekend or vacation to respond to quick cases, but most of them refuse to do so,”
http://www.arabnews.com/node/384695

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

The passport cannot be used to exit the Kingdom until you get an exit visa. Who processes the exit visa ? The employer. So what is the purpose of having a passport with no exit visa ?

Sensible employers will let you have a multiple exit/re-entry and keep your passport. Little Red Riding Hood should be careful in the choice of employer.

"Can I have a multiple ? Can I keep my passport ?" That is what you should ask. But then you have to ask yourself, "Do I believe these people ?"

sicklyman · Joined: 02 Feb 2013 Posts: 930

check out this thread on Linked In if you want to hear specifics on the illegalities of holidng passports:

http://www.linkedin.com/groups/Can-anyone-tell-me-if-3677558.S.53483539