LOK SABHA
The Minister of State (I/C) for Overseas Indian Affairs, Shri Oscar Fernandes told the Lok Sabha today that as per information received from the Indian Missions in Gulf countries, the sponsors normally retain the passports of the employees when they reach the destination country in order to obtain work permit/extension or renewal of visas and for security reasons as well as to discourage lateral movement of the emigrant workers to other employers. Such passports are returned to the employees by the sponsor in case of need, such as foreign travel or return to India. In case of any inconvenience reported, the concerned Mission immediately takes up the case with the sponsor directly and with the local authorities through local foreign office.
This information was given by Shri Oscar Fernandes in reply to a question by Adv. (Smt.) P. Satheedevi.
AK/SK/SK
(Release ID :14228)