“I am in an EU country. Does the ‘legal compliance’ cause apply in my case? How would one go about proving it?”
Sorry don’t know for the EU. Do you need a visa to stay in the country of residence? If you can’t apply for a visa or extend one without your passport – also some countries require overseas nationals to present a passport on demand, if either of those apply you are potentially legally as risk. Do either of those situatons apply?
For instance I live in SE Asia and my visa runs out mid Dec and I will need my passport to renew my visa, I have been told that is a case for escalation but can only push for it after 10 weeks, which I’m a couple of weeks shy of.