in Government, India, Travel

Emigration clearance not required (ECNR)

Emigration check not required (ECNR) stamp is not required, if one is not travelling for employment purposes.

The Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (Emigration Policy Division) have allowed  ECR passport holders travelling 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 travelling to any of the below 17 countries for employment:
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 travelling 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.

Emigration check not required (ECNR)

Emigration clearance required (ECR)

Eligibility for ECNR status:

The following applicants are eligible for Emigration Check Not Required (ECNR) status:

  1. Gazetted Government servants, their spouses and dependent children
  2. Holders of Diplomatic/official Passports
  3. Persons having educational qualifications of matriculation and above
  4. Persons above the age of 50 years
  5. Children up to the age of 18 years. (For re-issue of passport, after they attain the age of 18 years, documents to proof their non-ECR category has to be submitted, else ECR stamping will be done)
  6. Income-Tax payers (including Agricultural Income-Tax payees) in their individual capacity, their spouses and dependent children below the age 18 years.
  7. Persons possessing two years diploma from any institute recognized by the National Council for Vocational Training (NCVT) or State Council of Vocational Training (SCVT), or persons holding three years diploma/equivalent degree from institutions, such as Polytechnics recognized by the Central/State Governments of India
  8. Nurses possessing qualifications recognized under the Indian Nursing Council Act. 1947
  9. All professional Degree holders , their spouses and dependent children. Examples of professional degree holders are Doctors holding MBBS degree or equivalent degree in AYURVED or HOMEOPATHY, accredited Journalists, Engineers, Chartered Accountants, Cost Accountants, Lecturers, Teachers, Scientists, Advocates, etc
  10. All persons who have been staying abroad for more than three years (the period of three years could be either in one stretch or broken) and their spouses
  11. Seamen who are in possession of Continuous Discharge Certificate (CDC), or Sea Cadets and Deck Cadets
    a. who have passed the final examination of three years B.Sc. Nautical Sciences courses at T.S. Chanakya, Mumbai and b. who have undergone three months pre-sea training at any of the Government approved training institutes, such as T.S. Chanakya, T.S. Rehman, T.S. Jawahar, MTI (SCI) and NIPM, CHENNAI, after production of identity cards issued by the Shipping Master at Mumbai/Kolkata/Chennai
  12. Persons holding Permanent Immigration Visa, such as the visas of UK, USA and Australia. 

How to apply for ECNR stamping

If and only if you are travelling 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. If the applicant does not have Non-ECR status then All such ECR passport holders need to obtain Emigration Clearance Certificate from the Protector-General of Emigrants, Ministry of Overseas India Affairs.

Documents required for ECNR (non-ECR) status:

All eligibility documents list can be seen here: Non-ECR documents list

Protector of Emigrants (PoE) offices for Emigration clearance:

The POE offices in India are situated at the following places:

  1. Protector of Emigrant office New Delhi
    Jaisalmar House, Canteen Block, Man Singh Road,
    New Delhi
    Tel No. 011-2338 2472
  2. Protector of Emigrant office Mumbai
    Building “E” Khira Nagar, S.V. Road, Santacruz (West),
    Mumbai-400 054
    Tel No. 022-2614 7393
  3. 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
  4. Protector of Emigrant office Chennai
    Tamil Nadu Housing Board Complex, Ashok Nagar,
    Chennai-600 083
    Tel No. 044-2489 1337
  5. Protector of Emigrant office Hyderabad
    8th Floor, Chandra Vihar Complex, Opp. Exhibition Ground,
    M.J. Road, Hyderabad.
  6. Protector of Emigrant office Trivandrum
    Suganth, 24/846 (I), Thycaud,
    Trivandrum-695 014
    Tel No. 0471-2324835
  7. Protector of Emigrant office Chandigarh
    Kendriya Sadan, 5th Block, Ground Floor,
    Sector-9-A, Chandigarh
    Tel No. 0172-2741790
  8. Protector of Emigrant office Cochin
    3RD Floor Putherickal Building, Market Road, Ernakulam.
    Kerala – 682035
    Tel. No. 0484-2360187
  9. Protector of Emigrant office Jaipur
    Hall No.3, RIICO CFC Building, Sitapura Industrial Area, Sitapura,
    Jaipur-302022

 

Documents required for emigration clearance at PoE office:

  1. Passport (valid at least for six months)
  2. Valid Employment Visa
  3. Contract Duly Signed by Foreign Employer
  4. Valid Pravasi Bhartiya Bima Policy 2006
  5. Affidavit from Candidate Declaring Genuineness of Documents
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4,643 Comments

  1. If you going for visit and not work, no stamping is required
    But if are going for work, you need to get passport stamped with ECNR for which minimum qualification is now matriculation. So you are eligible for ECNR stamp.
    It take one day to get ECNR stamping done. You go there in morning and by evening you will have passport stamped.

  2. Hi Pankaj,
    The news item you have stated is very confusing. The list of couuntries where immigration check not required was expanded to 174 countries this januaury. rule for 18 countries is now new. It was stated in some media by the said minister that govt is planning to do away with the system. I have not seen any official news on this. though some travel agents are saying that it is not required from oct 1.

  3. hello pankaj,

    please i need ur help…..
    i have ssc certificate but i had laminated the certificate last year (lamination certificate) ,may i apply for ECNR stamp in same condition or remove the lamination cover from the certificate. what to do?

    and one more thing..
    if i will go to uae on employment visa without ECNR stamp what will happen? means i have to pay the penalty fee? or Airport Authority dont allow me to the board plane? please please reply me.

  4. Hi Lalit,
    The rule for 18 countries is older one. But latest news is that ECNR won’t be required in case you are not going for employment in any of the country. Not only those 174 countries.
    -Pankaj

  5. Hi Sameer,

    It does not matter that your certificate is laminated or not. You will get ECNR stamp easily as you have SSC certificate.

    if you go to uae on employment visa without ECNR stamp the Airport Authority won’t allow you to the board plane.

    -Pankaj

  6. 1. If you are not going for Work, you don’t need ECNR stamp for any country.
    2. If you going to work in any of country other than 18 countries, you don’t need ECNR stamp for any country.
    3. You only require ECNR stamp, if you are going for work in any of the specified 18 countries.

  7. Hi Pankaj,
    I got my passport issued in Augt,2006.But it doesnot have any of the ECR or ECNR stamps.I have even travelled to Eurpe last year without any problem.Now i have to travel to US so will I require ECNR stamp as my office has asked for copy of endorsement page,but in my case, it’s blank
    Pl resolve my query asap.
    Thanks in advance

  8. hi . pls calrify my douts . i am 10th pass do i need ECNR for egupt.

    my husband is working there & i want to go for a 2 months

  9. Dear Pankaj
    I am working in Saudi Arabia
    I have sent Visa to my Wife in Trivandrum. Through an Agent it was in Processing Stage of Visa Stamping. She will get her Passport after Visa Stamping only on Tuesday 18th. Her flight is on the same day Night from Trivandrum. Agent is telling that she no need of ECNR if she is going on Visit or Resdential Visa.
    I came to know that is ther no need of ECNR
    Can you please confirm that r she is in need of ECNR
    Are she can board the Flight with out ECNR
    Is it necessary to fill D & E cards at Airport
    Please let me know
    Thanks & Regards

    SENTHIL KUMAR

  10. Hi Pankaj,
    Your info was quite useful as I was about to go to passport office tomm.

    But I have heard that ECNR stamp is cancelled from Oct’07 onwards.

    I have a passport which is issued in 2001 and has ECNR cancelled by pen.

    Please advice should I go for ECNR stamp

  11. Dear Pankaj.,

    I hv noticed in my passport that ECR stamping and wd like to know how long it take for me to get ECNR stamping , am a Graduate and a tax payer
    aswell but i dont hv a Visa for Saudi as of now but
    am selected for Saudi position thru my company.

    Please advise……….

  12. Hi Pankaj,

    My mother is visiting me in Oman this month end. Her passport was issued in Nov 07 from kerala and it seems tat her passport has ECR stamp on it. She is coming to oman from mumbai, I have send her visit visa and return ticket from here (oman). Now my query is, will she be required to get the ECNR stamp on her passport or can she travel without that ? Pls advise.

  13. Hi Bincy,

    As I had written in the blog many times, ECNR is only required if someone is going to work. As your mother is going to meet you and not work, so she does not require ECNR stamp.

    -Pankaj

  14. Hi pankaj,
    I have recently applied for indian passport and as per agent says I mentioned my educational qualification upto SSC only (For less checking and bribe as he said.). But I am M.Sc degree holder. Do I need any ECNR/ECR status for will be issued passport. Is it mendatory to mention full education details? Education details upto SSC will create any problem in granting B1 visa to USA? How can I rectify all this if it will cuase any problem in visa grant? please reply ASAP.

  15. Hi Kiran,

    You should not have hide your qualification.
    However, Even an SSC is eligible for a ECNR stamp and you passport will have that when it comes. So you will not need any stamping on passport.

    Your educational qualification while applying for passport should not be a problem while getting B1 visa to USA as qualification is not mentioned on Passport.

    -Pankaj Batra

  16. Hi Pankaj,

    This is one of the most helpful weblog I have ever visited.

    I have ECR stamp on my passport and I am currently studying in Canada, I am visiting India and my flight is via Qatar.

    So my doubt is am i allowed to step down on Doha airport and change the flight to India with ECR stamp on passport?

    Looking forward for your reply.

    Thanks.

  17. Hi
    pankaj

    i got my passport in oct.2006 with out ecr/ecnr stamp .I am planning to go to saudi arbea for employment purpose next month .Do i require ecnr stamp on my passort.

    with best wishes
    Pradeep Jain