Just because you can get away with it?
Dear all
I would like to draw your attention to what I personally find troubling. If one is working in Qatar and one has taken out a loan against ones income and along the lines the individual is offered a better job in another country would that be acceptible to simply walk off leaving not only the bank that granted the loan but also leaving ones sponsor to pay off what can only be described as theft?
Here is a link on Qatar Living of a person seeking advice or encouragement to do just that.
http://www.qatarliving.com/node/667725
While pondering this issue why not ask yourself, is it still unfair that passports are held by companies and sponsors, and in light of these situations what would you find logical and fair?
I'm taking one of the dogs so I'm doing my bit.....plus I love dogs... no way I'd let them cage me here though....
Since I have been in Doha, I have only been out twice - haven't had a need to go anywhere else... my trip home in December is the first time since May 2007 - last year my family came to me to visit:-) and in Feb this year I went to India - I am not into travelling so much:-)
Between QAWS, work, my dogs and friends, I don't have time to leave Doha:-) So passport can stay safely in their hands and a multi-exit visa would be a waste of money for me.... :-)
"if you don't like the heat... get out of the kitchen... but stop trying to fan the flames before you leave... it will burn you on the a** as you go through the doorway...." ME
visit www.qaws.org
Well maybe you should get your passport back and ask your employer for a multi-exit permit... I do not like to be caged....
its safer with them - I need an exit permit like everyone else... and I have never had a problem with getting it when I have needed it... :-)
"if you don't like the heat... get out of the kitchen... but stop trying to fan the flames before you leave... it will burn you on the a** as you go through the doorway...." ME
visit www.qaws.org
Not having your passport is shocking. I would not stay here if that was the condition. No money is worth giving up your liberty.
many companies do not abide by that law... I am not in possession of my passport...
I have a personal loan (to be completed in March 2010, inshallah) and a car loan and I will be heading home in December for my leave... I would never ever think of not coming back to pay it... I cannot understand how people would do something like that... It's totally agains my ethical make up to even consider that...
I do believe though, banks should a bit more lenient with those that are still willing to repay the loan, even if people are out of the country - especially someone that has a good credit record. How they would police it though, is probably another discussion.
"if you don't like the heat... get out of the kitchen... but stop trying to fan the flames before you leave... it will burn you on the a** as you go through the doorway...." ME
visit www.qaws.org
Oh dear, you need to get your passport back.....
Banks in Qatar lend money with certain conditions attached. When you take the loan, you agree to abide by those conditions.
Chasing defaulters incurrs costs which are invariably passed on to the consumer.
Losing your job shouldn't be an excuse for not paying back your debts. Loan defaulters are just plain thieves and banks should be using collection agencies to recover it.
But as I stated, Qatar should not be essentially preventing people from leaving because they have a debt in a bank here. It is the bank's business to use international collection agencies when necessary to pursue the money owed them. But forcing them to stay in Qatar or worse, be jailed in Qatar (which is an expense for the Qatari government) is not the solution.
I didn't drink the kool-aid! -- PM
Gadarene, Thanks for the input, your suggestion "software that links banks & the immigration dept..." is exactly what I was hoping people would say when I asked what one would feel was fair and logical.
Still personally, I feel the same way Britexpat does, why put yourself in a situation where you can't pay it back. Why the stress and hassle not to mention the possible crimial implications? Wish folks would wise up.
Thankfully i'm the type of person who could never take a tissue without asking, this is why it goes against the grain.
NUCLEAR WEAPONS: IF AMERICA AND ISRAEL CAN HAVE THEM - THEN SO SHOULD IRAN.
We are all here on a "temporary" basis. (Yes , it can mean years).
We all know the rules regarding loans. So why put yourself in a position where you can't pay it back.
Sorry, pay the loan and enjoy your new job..
@ Dali,people take bank loans all over the world including here in the mid-east,why then this holding passport/exit business only in this town?...so yes,it is still very much unfair & the authorities need to find a more advanced way to deal with this situation...i'm no IT expert but i'm pretty sure,with the kind of money these guys have & waste,they can put in place some kind of software that links banks & the immigration dept...of course,it's morally & ethically 'not cool' to run away if one owes anyone money,bank,individual whoever,but as exiled saint mentiond,if someone's lost their job & has got another one in another country,he/she should be allowed to leave with some sort of future address proof or something of the sort,through which the person can be traced in their new country of residence in the event they don't resume payment of their loans...this confiscating passport/requiring exit everytime somebody wants to go Dubai for the weekend is ridiculous,to say the least...but it's in keeping with the general short-sightedness on display from the authorities,so it's not very surprising...
Before coming here, read some Qatar Labour Laws and with regards to 'PASSPORT':
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howsweetisqatar:
yap in Qatar all the companies will keep the passport with them, only UK & USA citizen can keep their passport with them.
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well, you're definitely WRONG. QR5,000 is the fine for sponsors not handing back passports of their employees after completing visa formalities.
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Sponsors do not have the right to keep the passports of their employees except to perform official business, unless it has been agreed in writing between both employee and employer.
http://www.qatarvisitor.com/index.php?cID=414&pID=1228
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PM,Collecting agencies and better screening for loans, thats a good option, are the banks here delegating with international collecting agents?
I have heard of alot of thefts that have happened this way.
As for the original thread two people told him to ignore the banks and that other people had gotten away with it.
I agree with Brit "walking away without paying off your loans is ethically wrong and in most cases a criminal offence"
Messymiss, also logical but how can you monitor when peoples moral compass goes haywire later on?
NUCLEAR WEAPONS: IF AMERICA AND ISRAEL CAN HAVE THEM - THEN SO SHOULD IRAN.
maybe the sponsors should chck out the ppl be4 agreein to become there garaunters!!!
Pay peanuts & you get Monkeys
i have the custody of my passort aswel as my sponser passport
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Rules and Regulation are meant for the guidance of the wise people fools follow them
of posters did not support ditching the loan obligation. Even the poster was wanting to continue to pay his loan off by setting up an automatic payment from his new account.
I don't think that the Qatari government or law should be involved in keeping anyone prisoner here because they owe a bank money. People should be able to leave and still pay off their loans. If you were in the US, the government couldn't keep you from moving to a new city or state because you have a loan in one city. The banks have to use collection agencies if they don't get their money. The same can be done here, as well as banks being more careful about extending credit.
I didn't drink the kool-aid! -- PM
There were many cases where the bank loan / car loan were taken and not settelled and manage to get away with it.. So where's the grip? Most of the private companies do keep the employees' passports with them. Receiving a financial aid from any bank in Qatar with an intention NOT to settle them in the specified timeline is subject to legal proceedings including imprisonment.
Two different issues. (how sweet not all companies keep passports)
Keeping someone's passport and holding them against their will is morally and legally wrong in Qatar. A country that is trying to be progressive and promote human rights.
Running away from your obligations such as a personal loan is also wrong. There are also two problems with this.
1. The person taking out the loan.
2. The stupid banks who were loaning money like crazy up until very recently to some people they must have known would not repay. Banks insure themselves against a certain amount of loses and know that all loans will not be repaid, but this is how they work out how much profit they will make. However the general all round incompetence shown by banks in Qatar was astounding and when the recession came their loses mounted....
I understand people running away and not paying a loan as they have lost their job, because they could end up in jail for non-payment. If you don't have a job, then you can't pay back your loan, so you can't leave. Catch 22.
However when you do get another job you should make arrangements to pay back your loan at the earlies.
However some people on this site keep saying that interpol will be after you. what rubbish
yap in Qatar all the companies will keep the passport with them, only UK & USA citizen can keep their passport with them.
Lucky Folks ...
Two different issues. one can make all the excuses available, but walking away without paying off your loans is ethically wrong and in most cases a criminal offence.