My sister works in Dubai as F&B coordinator. She was travelling to Dubai last month when her passport was impounded by Immigration officer at Mumbai airport. They said they need to verify her age because her age has been modified on the obervation page.
After over a month of her calling the airport and passport office, finally she received a call from the airport that come & colllect your passport. When she reached there, they escorted her to the police station and filed a case 465, 468, 471 & 420 against her. They told her that her age on the passport's main page is correct but the DOB on observation page has no record of it in the passport office. She wasn't even aware of the observation page.
The only thing we remember is that, at the age of 20, she had travelled to Dubai to see me. I was trying to arrange an employment for her. As she was not 21, our parents probably used an agent to increase her age. Our parents are deceased now and we don't even know as to which agent they used.
Once her passport was impounded, we send letters to possport office and explained the situation. Everyone told us, everything is fine, all she has to do is to pay the fine and they will correct the passport or issue her a new passport. Instead Immigration CSI at airport filed a case. She has been in the police station for 5 days and finally got out on bail. We are embarrased and humiliated because of all this and now she is about to loose her job in Dubai.
Since she is out on bail, lawyer is saying it may take up to 3 months to get her passport back. Her pasport is with police. She is a single mother, her job and life is on stake. The lawyer was arranged by the police, they all want $.
My question is: is there a way that she can get out of this ordeal soon? How can she get her passport back? How her name can be cleared from immigration? how long will it take? Can you recommend a good lawyer? I would really appreciate your help on this.
