'Exit Permit'
As I understand it.....
If you are a non-Qatari national employed in Qatar by a local company (I.E. everyone who actually does any WORK there), the normal routine is to surrender your passport to your employer. I know one person working there who has been allowed to retain it because they need to move around the UAE for business.
I don't know if this rule applies to aircrew - international travel being an obvious part of the job, but....
If the employee wishes to leave the country, either for leave or on termination of their contract, they must obtain official permission from their employer - their sponsor - and/or get their passport back and the official permission to leave the country, otherwise they will be held at immigration (I've seen it happen several times at Doha airport). The sponsor's name is written in the work permit in the passport, so it's no good saying you're a tourist.
I know of two Brit nationals who have 'escaped' from Qatar by doing a runner on a leave 'pass'. I doubt if they're the only ones...
That's how it can be in that country - I was fortunate to work for a UK company and not have to lose my passport so I could leave whenever I liked, but I stuck it because I only needed to be there eight months.
TRC
Last edited by TRC; 27th Jul 2008 at 19:49.
Reason: Triping error