Gulf Emergency Guide for Indian, Nepali & Sri Lankan Workers

🆘 Emergency Guide

What to do if something goes wrong

Real guidance for real situations — before you leave, right after you arrive, or years into the job. You're not alone in this, and there are official channels that exist specifically to help.

Select your nationality — the embassy and helpline numbers below change to match.

🚨 If you are in immediate physical danger right now

📞 Contact your nearest Indian Embassy/Consulate immediately — most maintain 24×7 emergency numbers.
🌐 File on MADAD — India's official consular grievance system, used to formally record trafficking, abuse, and severe exploitation cases.
🏥 If you're injured, get to a hospital first — deal with paperwork and reporting after you're safe.
👮 If it's safe to do so, local police can also be contacted — the Embassy can advise on this for your specific country.

📂 Find your situation

Before you leave — something feels wrong with the agency or offer▼

Verify the agency's RA licence is ActiveUse the Agency Checker before paying anything.

Check the fee they're asking against the legal maximumUse the Fee Checker — ₹35,400 total is the legal ceiling in India.

If something's already gone wrong, report itUse the Report a Scam page — it helps other job seekers avoid the same thing.

Your passport has been taken by your employer▼

In the UAE and most GCC countries, it is illegal for an employer to confiscate your passport — even though it's a common practice. Your passport remains your personal property at all times.

Ask for it back, in writing if possibleA dated message (SMS, WhatsApp, email) creates a record you may need later.

Contact the Indian Embassy/ConsulateThey can intervene directly with employers, and this is one of the most common complaint categories they handle.

File a labour complaint with the local ministrye.g. MOHRE in the UAE — each GCC country has an equivalent labour authority (see the Document Checklist for the authority per country).

If you need to travel and can't get your passport backConsulates can issue an Emergency Certificate — a one-way travel document — in genuine cases of confiscation or loss.

Your salary hasn't been paid▼

Unpaid salary is, alongside passport confiscation, one of the two most common complaints migrant workers raise with their embassies in the Gulf — you are far from the only person this has happened to.

Keep records of everythingPayslips (or lack of them), your contract, messages with your employer about pay.

File through the local labour ministry's wage complaint systemMost GCC countries have moved to mandatory electronic salary systems specifically to catch this — your Indian embassy's Labour Wing can guide you to the right one for your country.

File through MADADThis creates an official record with a trackable grievance ID.

Group complaints move fasterIf coworkers are facing the same issue, filing together tends to trigger faster inspection/action than a single individual complaint.

The job isn't what you were promised▼

Compare your actual contract to what you signed in IndiaEmployers are generally required to provide a copy of your contract — a mismatch with what you were promised is a real, reportable violation.

Check your salary against the market rangeUse the Salary Checker to see if what you're actually receiving is far outside the normal range for your role.

Raise it with the local labour ministry if it isn't resolved directlyContract substitution (being given different terms after arrival) is specifically something these authorities handle.

You're injured or need medical care▼

Get medical care firstGo to a hospital or clinic immediately — don't wait on paperwork or permission.

Check your pre-departure insurance coverageThe Pravasi Bharatiya Bima Yojana insurance mandatory for ECR-category workers covers death/injury — your agency should have details of your policy.

Notify the Embassy if it's seriousEspecially relevant if hospitalization is extended or you need help communicating with your employer during recovery.

You want to come home and your employer won't let you▼

Many GCC countries have reformed their sponsorship (kafala) systems in recent years specifically to reduce this problem, but it still happens.

Check if your country has moved to an electronic exit-permit systemSeveral GCC countries now let workers request an exit permit directly, without requiring employer sign-off, in specific circumstances — your embassy's Labour Wing knows the current rules for your country.

Contact the Embassy for repatriation assistanceThis is a well-established part of their role, not an unusual request.

If your passport is also being withheldSee the passport section above — an Emergency Certificate may be the path home.

Family back home can't reach a worker abroad▼

Contact the Indian Embassy/Consulate in the destination country directlyProvide the worker's full name, passport number, employer name, and last known location.

File through MADADThis creates an official, trackable record of your concern.

If you're in KeralaYour local District NORKA Cell (Non-Resident Keralites Affairs) specifically helps families track workers abroad — a state-specific resource worth using if it applies to you.

🌍 Country-by-country contacts — Indian Embassy AND local labour authority

Every number below is taken directly from an official government source (embassy/mission websites, or the destination country's own labour ministry site) and cross-checked where possible. Details can still change — if a number doesn't connect, try the official website listed, since that's the source most likely to be kept current.

Select where you are:

📞 Key India-side contacts (from anywhere)

⚠️ Important: This is general guidance, not legal advice — every situation is different, and the right specific steps depend on your country, visa type, and circumstances. In any genuinely urgent situation, contacting the Embassy/Consulate directly is always the right first move, not working through this page step by step. Contact details verified against official government sources in August 2026 — always double-check via the linked official website before relying on a number in an actual emergency, since offices can change contact details without much notice.

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