Job Discussion Forums

[veiledsentiments]

I've never understood the paranoia from many teachers these days about letting their passports out of their hands for a few days. It was a document that sat in a drawer somewhere in my flat that I had to chase down if I decided to travel on one of the holidays.

One of my employers held the passport in his safe... which I figured was probably safer than my dresser drawer. If I decided on Wednesday to drive to the Emirates, I just picked it up as I left after teaching that day... and it took seconds. Kuwait University took about 4 months to get my passport stamped, and since one needed an exit visa to leave the country, it didn't matter that I didn't have it that whole time.

VS

[Whatever will be]

My government advises me that my passport is a key document that provides evidence of my identity and citizenship and that I am responsible for the safekeeping of my own passport. Furthermore, I must safeguard my passport at all times to combat possible fraud and stop criminals from assuming my identity.

As my government has issued an Act that contains specific measures for its citizens to protect their passport, I would be in violation by handing it over. In case of theft or loss (through fire, inadequate security), I would have to give a statement to my government representatives as to the disappearance of my passport and need for replacement, which would uncover my negligence to observe the Act.

Personally, I do not hold a cavalier attitude towards my responsibility as a citizen, the advice of my government and Acts that govern me. Hence, I will not have my key identity document other than in my possession.

Also: it is against Omani law to keep worker's passports.
By handing over the passport, they (and I by implication) are breaking the law of the host country.

Having been bullied - into signing a much less favorable contract - just minutes before being asked to hand over my passport, I had lost faith in the ethical behavior of the recruitment agency and simply did not trust them to do the right thing.

On a more practical note: having experienced the recruitment agency's strict observance of their office hours, their unwillingness to drive to me (when there was an issue with the bank), and the potential RO 8 for a taxi round trip to fetch the passport (if I can manage that after work and before they close shop), I can do without the cost and inconvenience.

And as my own experience showed: there was really no need for the recruitment agency to have my passport for a few hours, days or weeks.
I guess my insistence to keep my passport sped up the whole process and it was over and done with in a couple of hours rather than waiting for 6 weeks for the paperwork to be done as another posting indicated.

[Sleepwalker]

A quick response to some of the points made here.

I have worked for a few places in the Middle East and, on one occasion, arrived at the airport and found no visa waiting - I had to beg one of the Omani airport staff to call the company to find out what was the problem. I was told that the PRO had not arranged a visa and just to purchase a tourist visa. It took three in and out trips over several weeks to get the visa transferred. On another occasion, arriving back in Muscat from an extended stint teaching elsewhere (as a favour to the company), they didn't meet me and I had to phone to remind them that they were to take me to their temporary accommodation.

The company was one that thankfully seems to have disappeared from the recruiters' list.

I also worked for another company that wanted all passports - the reason given was that staff might lose their own passports which were better in the office safe. The real reason (supplied by the PRO) was to prevent runners.

I would think that most of these rumours are based on some truth. Just keep a local contact number handy in case of problems.

[Tazz]

Given that droves of western expats pull runners from the godawful MOM and MOHE colleges every semester it ain't surprising that the recruiters would want to 'trap' them here....

[veiledsentiments]

I can't think of any organization that I pay less attention than the US government... and its related embassies. Fortunately I have the intelligence and common sense to make my own decisions which were nearly always more logical and informed than my government.

YMMV, but I found them useless and too often rude...

VS

[Whatever will be]

@ VeiledSentiment
Sorry to hear that you have such negative experiences with your own government.

I'm happy with mine. And no - I'm not American

The passport paranoia seems to be on the recruitment agency's side: if they would offer good deals, no-one would feel like running, which would eliminate their insecurity and subsequent desire to trap teachers by holding their key identity document.

It was lucky that I did have my passport on me as the bank requested it in addition to the Resident's card when I wanted to open an account. It would have been a major hassle to retrieve it from the recruitment agency in time.

Also handy to have the passport when deciding to drive to Dubai or UAE for the weekend at the spur of the moment.

In summary: lots of advantages in having one's passport handy