Boss Keeps My Passport

• Your passport is collected "for storage" and not returned promptly when requested.
• Your employer keeps your work permit, ID, or travel documents in an office or locked drawer.
• You are told documents will only be returned if you finish a contract, repay fees, or stay silent.
• You are threatened with immigration consequences if you ask for your documents back.
• Housing, transport, and identity documents are controlled together to make leaving harder.

• Date and time your document was taken or withheld.
• Who has it — name, job title, recruiter, owner, supervisor, or agency contact.
• What was taken — passport, permit, national ID, health card, or other identity document.
• Exact words used when they refused to return it.
• Witnesses present when the document was requested or refused.
• Related pressure — housing threats, schedule threats, termination threats, deportation threats, withheld wages.

"If your employer controls your documents, your movement becomes easier to control too. A clear timeline helps show that this was not a misunderstanding — it was leverage."

• Texts or chat messages about your passport or permit.
• Emails requesting return of your documents.
• Photos of storage locations if lawfully accessible.
• Witness statements from coworkers or housemates.
• Housing rules, fee demands, or transport restrictions tied to the employer.
• Any messages linking return of documents to obedience, silence, or staying in the job.

Not every worker can afford a lawyer immediately. If your employer is holding your passport, permit, or identity documents, contact an official worker protection service while continuing to document everything.