Desk research against primary sources. Figures are traced to the issuing UAE authority and linked on the page.
The justification an employer gives does not change the legal position — passport retention offered as safekeeping, deposit against a loan, or standard company policy is treated the same as any other confiscation, because the law does not carve out exceptions for employer intent. If your employer frames it as protecting the document from loss, that framing has no legal weight, and asking for it back in writing creates a record of the request even if the passport is not immediately returned.
Reporting through the MOHRE app, the hotline on 800 60, or in person all create an official complaint that MOHRE can act on, and any of the three routes is treated as valid — there is no requirement to attempt one channel before another. Because the offence is criminal rather than a labour dispute alone, the process can move separately from any ongoing employment issue, which means you are not required to resolve the employment relationship first before recovering your document.