Travel bans and exit rules in Bahrain

Why a travel ban is issued

• Request by a party to a court case. The Bahrain national portal lists a Ministry of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Waqf service through which a party to a case asks the judge to impose a travel ban on the other party, with a BD 30 fee. Once approved, the Nationality, Passports and Residence Affairs is notified. A separate service lets an employee who is a party to a labour lawsuit ask the judge to restrict the other party from leaving.^10,11
• Court orders. Khaleej Times reported in November 2015 that the Ministry of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments launched an online service confirming whether a person is banned from travel by any court order issued from July 2008.⁶
• Financial debts and civil claims. The Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) said in November 2015 that some expatriates are under court-ordered travel bans because of financial debts or civil claims and cannot leave until these are settled.⁵

How to check for a ban

1. Travel Ban Service, Bahrain national portal (Ministry of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments)Khaleej Times reported the service in 2015, when it was in Arabic only. Its current name and availability were not confirmed.⁶
   Official www.bahrain.bh

How a ban is lifted

• Request to lift based on settlement. The national portal lists a Ministry of Justice service through which either party to a case asks the judge to lift a travel ban based on a conciliation or settlement, with an explanatory letter. Processing takes two working days, and if approved the Nationality, Passports and Residence Affairs is contacted to lift the ban.¹²
• Settling financial claims online. Khaleej Times reported that outstanding financial claims can be settled through the online system without a court order, after which an SMS confirms the ban is lifted and the Nationality, Passports and Residence Affairs department is notified.⁶
• Work permit while a ban is in place. LMRA said in 2015 that expatriates under a court travel ban for debts or civil claims can renew a work permit or obtain a new one with a new employer to legalise their stay, under an indefinite agreement with the Ministry of Justice.⁵

Exit rules

No source reviewed states whether Bahrain has an employer exit permit, and none describes one. LMRA's guide to contractual obligations says the employer must bear the expenses of returning the worker to the home country under Article 27 of Law No. 19 of 2006, and must not keep the worker's passport or ID card unless the worker gives written consent. Human Rights Watch said in January 2020 that, after Qatar's reform, Saudi Arabia remained "the only country to require exit permits for all its migrant workers." Saudi Arabia has since changed its rules for private sector workers.

Sponsorship and changing jobs

Work permits for expatriate workers are issued and managed by the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) under Law No. 19 of 2006 regulating the labour market, and Decision No. 76 of 2008 on work permits. Domestic workers are covered by selected articles of Labour Law No. 36 of 2012 and a tripartite domestic worker contract.

Changing employer

LMRA says that where a worker has held the current work permit for 12 months or more, the current employer can approve the transfer directly or after the notice period but cannot reject it, and if the employer does not act within seven days the system automatically approves the transfer after the notice period. The notice period is 30 days, or as set in the contract up to 90 days. Under 12 months, the current employer can approve or reject, and the application is cancelled if the employer does not act within seven days. A transfer requested within the last three months of the permit needs the current employer's consent. The new employer must pay the work permit fees within 30 days of approval.

Absconding reports

LMRA says an employer can file an Absence from Work notification when an expatriate employee has been absent for 15 days or more without justifiable reason or notice. LMRA verifies the application within 11 working days after a BHD 5 admin fee is paid. Once approved, the notice cannot be cancelled, and the employee cannot be transferred to another employer or re-employed by the same employer. LMRA lists a separate service titled Grievance Against the Absence from Work During the Verification Period.

Reforms

• 8 November 2015LMRA allowed expatriates under court travel bans for debts or civil claims to obtain or renew work permits.⁵
• 1 May 2021Wage Protection System phase one started for companies with 500 or more employees, followed by 1 September 2021 (50 to 499) and 1 January 2022 (1 to 49), according to PwC.⁷

Domestic workers

According to a MRRORS (formerly Migrant-Rights.org) guide reviewed by Clyde and Co (current as of September 2023), domestic workers are covered by specific articles of Labour Law No. 36 of 2012, including written contracts (Article 19), monthly wages (Article 40), at least 30 days' paid annual leave after one year (Article 58) and end of service pay (Article 116). Working hours and rest are not set by law and depend on the contract. The guide says workers have the right to keep their passports and the employer must not hold them. The guide says domestic workers need sponsor permission to change employers, and either party must give at least 30 days' notice under the tripartite contract.⁸

Wage protection

LMRA's guide says wages must be paid under Decision No. 68 of 2019, and a wage obligation is discharged only by a signed register entry, a receipt or a transfer to the worker's bank account. PwC reported that LMRA phased in the Wage Protection System from 1 May 2021 to 1 January 2022 by company size, requiring salaries to be paid in local currency at least monthly into a locally regulated bank account. For domestic workers, the MRRORS guide says bank payment is not mandated but workers may request it.^4,7,8

Fees workers should not pay

LMRA's guide to contractual obligations says the employer pays the monthly permit fees, bears the costs of employing the worker, issuing or renewing the work permit and the worker's residency, and may not charge the worker "any fees for the issuance or renewal of the work permit." For domestic workers, the MRRORS guide says the law does not explicitly ban recruitment fees but employers may not deduct recruitment or visa costs from salary.^4,8

Where to complain or get help

Sources

1. Labour Market Regulatory Authority, Expatriate Employee Transfer (9 September 2026) · official
2. Labour Market Regulatory Authority, Expatriate Employee Absence From Work Notification (30 April 2026) · official
3. Labour Market Regulatory Authority, Expatriate Employee Rights and Obligations (14 October 2025) · official
4. Labour Market Regulatory Authority, Contractual Obligations of Expatriate Employee and Employer (V.01) (14 October 2025) · official
5. Labour Market Regulatory Authority (blog), LMRA allows under travel ban expats to obtain work permits (8 November 2015) · official
6. Khaleej Times, Info about travel ban in Bahrain available online now (14 November 2015)
7. PwC Middle East, Bahrain Wage Protection System implementation update (April 2021)
8. MRRORS (formerly Migrant-Rights.org, reviewed by Clyde and Co), Know Your Rights: Bahrain Domestic Worker Regulations (September 2023)
9. Human Rights Watch, Qatar: End of Abusive Exit Permits for Migrant Workers (20 January 2020)
10. Bahrain National Portal (Ministry of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Waqf), Submit a request to impose a travel ban (27 October 2026) · official
11. Bahrain National Portal (Ministry of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Waqf), Execution of a travel ban request related to a labour lawsuit from the employee (27 October 2026) · official
12. Bahrain National Portal (Ministry of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Waqf), Submit a request to lift a travel ban (27 October 2026) · official