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. Dear Sir,

    As communicated earlier, my dad visited the passport seva kendra for correction on ECR. They have insisted him to apply for passport again.. Why does he need to do that, the problem is from PSK & not while applying or producing the documents from verification. Request you to pitch in to solve this issue. This is leading to frustration.

  2. Sir my husband is working in dubai and I am travelling to dubai on residence visa and I have my passport and I have chosen ecnr at the tym of application.. do I need to get any kind of stamp on my passport regarding emigration before travelling.. or i can travel with the same passport which is without any kind of stamp… pls reply soon..

  3. My passport issued me in 2010 and my passport second page is blank so it means that it is ecnr by default.

    That means.
    I do not need any stamping now frm POE office.

  4. Dear Sir,

    While applying passport for My Child (6 Months Old), what to be filled in following details???
    (1) Marital Status *
    (2) Employment Type *
    (3) Educational qualification *
    (4) Is applicant eligible for Non-ECR category?*
    (5) If applicant is minor, enter the following details.
    a. Father/Legal Guardian’s File/Passport Number
    b. Father/Legal Guardian’s Nationality, if not Indian
    c. Mother/Legal Guardian’s File/Passport Number
    d. Mother/Legal Guardian’s Nationality, if not Indian
    (6) Residing Since (Month-YYYY) *
    We are residing since Jan-2012 However due to my child birth date of Mar-2014 following massage appears
    (Massage Showing : Residing since date should be greater than or equals to Date of Birth and
    less than or equals to current Date)
    (7) If I put my childs birth month and year which is Mar-2014 than they are asking following details
    Please enter your previous address details as duration of your stay at your present address is less than one year.
    Previous Residence1 From (Month-YYYY) *
    Previous Residence1 To(Month-YYYY)*

    Request you to please guide…..

    Regards,
    A.P.

    • @A.P.
      1. Single
      2. Not employed
      3. Below 10th class/Not educated
      4. No
      5. Please provide parent’s passport details.
      6. Mar-2014, since birth
      7. As child was born in Mar 2014 only, there is no need to provide previous address.

  5. Sir I am residing in Saudi Arabia and I fall under ECNR category. Now I am planning to bring my wife to Saudi Arabia but as I am newly married my marriage certificate is not yet ready. So I am planning to call my wife to Saudi Arabia on a visit visa rather than family visa as it would take time. She falls under ECR category. Does she require Emigration clearance or stamp?

    Thank you in advance sir…hoping for a quick reply 🙂

  6. One more question sir…
    After acquiring my marriage certificate Can I change my wife’s ECR status to ECNR status by producing our marriage certificate as a proof (as I fall under ECNR) ?

    • @Ali
      yes, you can get ECNR status of wife based upon your status. Passport would need to be reissued for that.
      Also, even if you don’t have marriage certificate, you can get it done with Annex D affidavit.

  7. Sir I got my employment visa but the the problem is that on my evisa uae my company address not mention just name mention .when I go protector office they say to me REISSUE visa again because ur company address not mention .can u tell me how much time on reissue of visa.
    I am from pakistan ,m so much confusing wt hapnd now next .

  8. Hello sir,
    I am a medical doctor, going on work visa to Abu Dhabi. My passport has an ECR stamp on it. I couldn’t board the flight in Jaipur 2 days ago. I am in Delhi now.
    Please comment

  9. Yaa I am goin to hometown to get an ECNR. I got to delay my joining date for another 2 weeks or so.
    Isn’t this harassment?? I wasn’t allowed to board a flight. I was helpless, requesting some dumba&& immigration officer in Jaipur to let me go. Is this the purpose of ECR ? Can we not get rid of it ?
    People at Jaipur airport gave me all the wrong information I can get. 2 sleepless nites, loss of 2 weeks, 50k Indian rupees. I am scared, intimidated to travel.

  10. Dear mr.pankaj,
    Thanks for all post reply u made.
    Can u pl..advice what does mean of
    “concerned indian mission” in belwo requirement.

    Original Contract Duly Signed by Foreign Employer and attested by concerned indian mission.

  11. Hello sir,
    I am going to jordan for training ,but my passport is ecr. can in travel with this passport without necr stamp?i wl gat my visa on arrival.

  12. Dear sir
    I am a environmental proffessional got job offer in Oman. My visa is in process. But my passport indicates ecr which means either I have to remove the same or go through Poe

    Is it required to get job agreement attested through mission India in Oman.

    • @Safir
      For getting emigration clearance from PoE office, you would need following documents:
      1. Passport (valid atleast 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

  13. Hello Pankaj,

    Thanks for the information. Even am facing a problem with ECR stamp in my passport. I have to travel Malaysia by 15th September 2014 for my new job. I received an offer and approval letter from my employer and Embassy in Malaysia. All set to go for visa then I came to from my friend who recently left to Malaysia. He went ahead and applied ECR deletion which took a weeks time. I can follow the same procedure or I can go to Protector General of emigrants in Hyderabad and get the ECNR clearance certificate. If so how many does it take to get the certificate. Please help me providing this information.

  14. Dear sir,
    I have finished my Msc and planning to go abroad for working purpose. I have to apply for passport. Do I fall under ECR or ECNR?

  15. Dear Pankaj
    Thanks for reply on 31st aug

    Today I went to Mumbai emigration department but as per them both visa & agreement must be attested from Indian embassy.

    Is it really required in case of individual directly applying to Poe?

    • @Safir
      As per their website (http://poeonline.gov.in/), following documents are required:
      1. Passport (valid atleast 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

      Not sure, why they don’t follow guidelines.

  16. Sir I am working in saudi arab and now I come to india for vacation and I get a employment visa from dubai before I was in dubai so I wants to know that I have to do again emigration? And my.passport is going to expire after 5 months so I have renew its now? I hope you will reply me fast