Employee mobility and passport retention

CVML

Published on March 24 , 2026

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Many UAE organisations employ internationally mobile staff. During periods of regional uncertainty, employee mobility and access to personal documentation can become an important consideration.

Employers should ensure their employment practices comply with UAE regulations governing employee documentation.

Key considerations

Passports are personal documents

Under UAE labour regulations, passports remain the property of the employee and should not be retained by employers except temporarily for legitimate administrative purposes.

Avoid restricting employee mobility

Policies that restrict employee access to passports may expose employers to regulatory scrutiny and reputational risk.

Maintain transparent procedures

Where passports are temporarily collected for visa processing or administrative purposes, clear documentation procedures should be implemented.

CVML advises employers and family offices on employment compliance and workforce governance across the UAE.

If you or your organisation would like to discuss any aspects of this guidance note further, please reach out to your usual CVML contact, or email:

Hisham E. Oweiss, Partner, CVML (h.oweiss@cvml.ae)

Kwan Lung (Andrew) Wong (k.wong@cvml.ae)