There is be no requirement of emigration check not required (ECNR) stamp, if you are not traveling for job or business purposes.
The Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (Emigration Policy Division) have allowed ECR passport holders traveling abroad for purposes others than employment to leave the country on production of valid passport, valid visa and return ticket at the immigration counters at international airports in India w.e.f. 1st October 2007.
ECNR is only required if you are traveling to any of the below 17 countries for job/business:
United Arab Emirates (UAE), The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Malaysia, Libya, Jordan, Yemen, Sudan, Afghanistan, Indonesia, Syria, Lebanon, Thailand and Iraq.
For all passports issued before January 2007, a blank second page in the passport means your passport is endorsed with ECR and you need to get emigration clearance if you are traveling to any of the above 18 countries for employment.
For all passports issued after January 2007, a “Blank” page 2 on your passport is deemed to have been ECNR endorsed. If you don’t fit into ECNR eligibility criteria, and Emigration Check is Required, there will be an endorsement in the passport regarding ECR.
Eligibility for ECNR status:
The following applicants are eligible for Emigration Check Not Required (ECNR) status:
- Gazetted Government servants.
- Holders of a PAN card.
- Salaried people may submit income-tax deduction statement in Form16 for three years from their employers, along with copy of returns filed in income tax dept. All Income-Tax payees(including Agricultural Income-Tax Payees) in their individual capacity. Proof of assessment of income-tax and actual payment of income-tax for last one year or copy of PAN card. However, in most cases as an assessment order is not issued separately by the income-tax department, income-tax returns which are stamped by income-tax authorities can be accepted.
- Persons holding professional degrees such as – Doctors holding MBBS Degrees or Degrees in Ayurveda or Homeopathy, Accredited Journalists, Engineers, Chartered Accountants, Cost Accountants, Lecturers, Teachers, Scientists, Advocates etc.
- Persons staying abroad for more than three years. An affidavit to this effect is to be submitted (as per format at Annexure ‘I’ of the instructions given along with passport application form. To download the format, please click here).
- Spouses and dependent children of category of persons listed in above mentioned categories (except No. 2).
- Spouses claiming ECNR should submit a copy of their husband’s passport with ECNR status and their eligibility proof under category 6.
- Seamen who are in possession of Continuous Discharge Certificate and Sea Cadets. Also Deck Cadets who: (a) Have passed final examination of three year B.Sc. Nautical Sciences Courses at T.S. Chanakya, Mumbai, (or) (b) Have undergone three months Pre-Sea training at any of the Govt. approved Training Institute, after production of Identity cards issued by the Shipping Master, Mumbai/Calcutta/Chennai.
- Persons holding permanent Immigration Visas of any country e.g. Green Card in USA.
- Persons holding diplomas form recognized institutions like Polytechnics or Certificates of vocational training from Government / recognized institutions.
- Nurses possessing qualifications recognized under the Nursing Council Act, 1947.
- All children below 18 years of age. (After the age of 18, they will be freshly evaluated for their eligibility for ECNR). Dependent children of parents whose passports have the ECNR endorsement. In the case of such children ECNR classification will be restricted until they attain 24 years of age.
- All persons above the age of 50 years.
- All holders of Diplomatic / Official passports.
- Persons holding educational qualification of Matriculation (10th class) or above.
- All persons who have staying abroad for more than three years (the period of three years could either be at a stretch or broken), and their spouses, and children up to24 years. This facility will be valid till the minor attains the age of 24 years if the applicant falls into any of the above categories and desiers to have ECNR stamp on his/her passport, please submit the documentary proof of eligibility.
How to apply for ECNR stamping
If and only if you are traveling to any of the below countries for employment, you need to get ECNR stamp, if you does not have already:
United Arab Emirates (UAE), The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Malaysia, Libya, Jordan, Yemen, Sudan, Afghanistan, Indonesia, Syria, Lebanon, Thailand and Iraq.
You have either to get the entire ECR stamp deleted, or if your are not eligible (categories listed above), you may get a temporary Emigration Suspension before leaving India.
Documents required for an ECNR endorsement
All below documents are required in original as well as attested copies.
- One of the following documents: Matriculation (SSLC)/PUC-II / Degree Certificate, PAN Card, Annexure ‘I’ if person has stayed abroad for more than 3 years.
- Filled up ECR Suspension form (Download from here: http://passport.gov.in/cpv/miscell.pdf)
- Applicable Fee: Rs. 300/-
- Submit your present passport along with 2 photocopies for last and first 4 pages of it.
- Attach photocopy of visa (if any).
- Attach photocopy of your confirmed return travel tickets (if any).
- Attach Sponsorship Declaration attested by Indian Mission / Consulate (for Middle-East Countries) (if any)
- In case, you go to a passport office other than from which you passport issued, Proof of current residence (Ration card/Voter Id/Lease agreement/Bank statement/Electricity, Phone bill), Employer Id.
The POE offices in India are situated at the following places:
- Protector of Emigrant office New Delhi
Jaisalmar House, Canteen Block, Man Singh Road,
New Delhi
Tel No. 011-2338 2472 - Protector of Emigrant office Mumbai
Building “E” Khira Nagar, S.V. Road, Santacruz (West),
Mumbai-400 054
Tel No. 022-2614 7393 - Protector of Emigrant office Kolkata
Room No. 116 A Wing, 3rd MSO Building, DF Block,
Salt Lake, Kolkata-700 064
Tel No. 033-2334 3407 - Protector of Emigrant office Chennai
Tamil Nadu Housing Board Complex, Ashok Nagar,
Chennai-600 083
Tel No. 044-2489 1337 - Protector of Emigrant office Hyderabad
8th Floor, Chandra Vihar Complex, Opp. Exhibition Ground,
M.J. Road, Hyderabad. - Protector of Emigrant office Trivandrum
Suganth, 24/846 (I), Thycaud,
Trivandrum-695 014
Tel No. 0471-2324835 - Protector of Emigrant office Chandigarh
Kendriya Sadan, 5th Block, Ground Floor,
Sector-9-A, Chandigarh
Tel No. 0172-2741790 - Protector of Emigrant office Cochin
3RD Floor Putherickal Building, Market Road, Ernakulam.
Kerala – 682035
Tel. No. 0484-2360187 - Protector of Emigrant office Jaipur
Hall No.3, RIICO CFC Building, Sitapura Industrial Area, Sitapura,
Jaipur-302022



So you mean that if we don’t have an ECNR stamp on our passport it will not matter from 1st of October onwards.
I am planning to get this done as I will be travelling in November.
Now emigration clearance or suspension of emigration check requirement is necessary only in case of 18 countries in the world. These countries are United Arab Emirates (UAE), The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Malaysia, Libya, Jordan, Yemen, Sudan, Brunei, Afghanistan, Indonesia, Syria, Lebanon, Thailand and Iraq (emigration banned).
Hi Pankaj,
Thanks for the helpful post. I’m planning to travel in December. Do you know where I can find the official document stating the amendment so that I can show the officials a printout in case they are unaware of the change in regulations?
Actually, I found my answer. The country I am planning to visit is in the new list of 174 countries mentioned in:
http://moia.gov.in/shared/linkimages/146.doc
Amit, Thanks for the document link.
hi pankaj…that really helps. but can u tell me how to go about getting this stamp in case of me goin to these 18 countries….and how long does it take to get it
Hi Niel,
hi pankaj,
i hv issued my passport dis july n travelling to UAE in dec. der is no stamp on my passport. does dat mean i need to get a stamp or no? d passport official say no but im still confused. plz help.. do i need ECR or ECNR? im a graduate. so plz help.
Poonam,
If you have got your passport issued this year, Most probably it will be already with ECNR.
If there is no stamp for ECR, that means its already ECNR.
But if you have a ECR (emigraion check required) stamp in your passport, You need to get ECNR stamped.
-Pankaj
hi pankaj,
thanx for ur response.
yes its ECNR..but der is no stamp.. d 2nd page of d passport is a blank page. is dat how d new passports are..? coz dat is wat is confusing.. i mean is der NO STAMP d passport for ECNR? Since der is NO STAMP of ECNR will it b a problem at d airport? n will it b a problem for me in UAE if i hv to get a job visa der?
Poonam,
You need not to get ECNR stamped on your passport. They should not be any issue while going to UAE.
In new passports if there is no stamp then they are by default ECNR.
thank u soooo much for all d help..God bless you.
Dear Pankaj,
Does it mean that, from 1st Oct. if we are going to Thailand as Tourist we need not have ECNR stamp? can you kindly give me the government web site for the latest amendment?
the link,
http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=30989&kwd=ECRS
Indians travelling abroad for reasons other than employment will not need emigration clearance from October 1.
Under the Emigration Act, a person holding a passport with the emigration-check-required (ECR) stamp has to get clearance from the protector of emigrants (POE) before leaving for employment abroad. The act does not cover ECR passport holders travelling for other purposes. The rule was nevertheless applied to them, too, which has now been waived.
If you going to Thailand as a tourist, you don’t require ECR suspension.
http://www.thaindian.com/the-india-story/indian-government-removes-the-emigration-check-required-(ecr)-system-4313.html
Hi,
I am travelling for tourism to Malaysia and Singapore in November 2007. I have ECR stamp in my passport. Do I still need to get ECNR stamp for Malaysia?
Thanks
Rishi
Rishi,
Now its not required for traveling.
ECNR only required if you are going for employment, that too only for 18 countries listed above in post.
Hi Pankaj,
I have to travel to USA on B1 visa for employment.I have ECR stamp in my passport.Do I need ECNR stamp too to travel.
Thanks,
Neeraj.
@Neeraj
For USA, ECNR is not required. You may read details in the full article here : http://www.pankajbatra.com/travel/emigration-clearance-not-required-from-oct-1/
Hello Pankaj
I am confused person again, I have got the employment Visa from Kuwait and ticket also in my hand and i dont have ECNR stamp in my passport. I am not a graduate. But I have 7 yrs of experience which includes 2 years of gulf experience. Please guide me what should I do? I am non graduate..!! I am told to get ECNR stamp..i dont what to do..am running out of time.! pls pls help
Hi Prasad,
Please get your passport stamped with ECNR as soon as possible. You need to worry about your qualification as minimum requirement in now matriculation.
All persons having educational qualifications of matriculation and above are eligible for ECNR.
All PAN holders are also eligible.
hello pankaj,
iam going to uae on visit visa ,i dont have ECNR stamp on my passport,my qualification is intermediate can i eligible for ECNR stamp.
And
how many days it will take for ECNR stamp in passport office.