👷 Labour disputes · Awareness case
My employer is holding my passport · Yalla China
🤝 Governing law: 出境入境管理法 / Exit and Entry Administration Law
Can an employer keep your passport 'as security'?
Illustrative, general educational examples — not real specific facts and not legal advice; for awareness only. For an actual situation, consult a licensed lawyer.
Situation: A foreign worker was told to hand over his passport 'for safekeeping'; the employer refused to return it during a dispute. Rule: holding another person's ID documents is unlawful; the passport belongs to its holder and the issuing state, and the holder may reclaim it at any time. The worker can report to the police or the exit-entry administration, and the holder may face an administrative penalty. Lesson: never surrender your passport as 'security'; keep a copy and report immediately if it is withheld.
🎓 The lesson / takeaway
No one may hold your passport; withholding it is a violation — report it at once.
🕒 Updated: 16 March 2026