Independent guide for foreign workers · no recruitmentEnglish · नेपाली · বাংলা · සිංහල

The Nepali, Bangla and Sinhala editions were translated and checked by AI models. No native speaker has reviewed them. The English edition is the reference version. If in doubt, compare the translation with the English edition and the official sources. Most facts were last checked against the official sources on 2 October 2026; the source ledger shows the check date of each claim.

Home / Situations
Questions workers ask

My recruiter wants to keep my original documents.

Some procedures legitimately require originals to be presented to authorities, but that is different from a private actor retaining them indefinitely. Ask which document, for what procedure, for how long and who will physically hold it. Official Romanian visa guidance requires personal appearance with the original travel document at the diplomatic/consular stage; that does not answer every private retention request.

What to do next

  1. Ask for the procedure and return date in writing.
  2. Keep complete copies.
  3. If your passport is retained against your will, treat that separately as a warning sign.

What the source says

RO-WARN-001 · Warning signs · verified 2 October 2026

Current official guidance lists warning signs including a requested placement commission, no contract before departure, no contract in an understood language, changing claims about salary/hours/accommodation/transport, passport retention, and a job different from the contract.

Date and context: 8 August 2026

Sources

What this answer does not decide This page cannot decide whether your employer, recruiter or legal status is safe or lawful. Check the linked authority for your situation.

Situations

My employer or recruiter has kept my passport.I arrived and the job is different from the job in my contract.An agent says I can enter Romania first and the work papers will be fixed later.

Situations → · Guide