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 clearance required (ECR)
Eligibility for ECNR status:
The following applicants are eligible for Emigration Check Not Required (ECNR) status:
- Gazetted Government servants, their spouses and dependent children
- Holders of Diplomatic/official Passports
- Persons having educational qualifications of matriculation and above
- Persons above the age of 50 years
- 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)
- Income-Tax payers (including Agricultural Income-Tax payees) in their individual capacity, their spouses and dependent children below the age 18 years.
- 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
- Nurses possessing qualifications recognized under the Indian Nursing Council Act. 1947
- 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
- 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
- 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 - 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:
- 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
Documents required for emigration clearance at PoE office:
- Passport (valid at least for six months)
- Valid Employment Visa
- Contract Duly Signed by Foreign Employer
- Valid Pravasi Bhartiya Bima Policy 2006
- Affidavit from Candidate Declaring Genuineness of Documents
Dear Pankaj sir,
The old passport of my brother was ECR status but he was in Libya for 6 years. After reading here about ECNR I sent him to apply for a new passport. He is not 10th pass. But the officers at Bhubaneswar passport office refused to change from ECR to ECNR, and now he got new passport with ECR.
Is there any way to change to ECNR now? Please advise sir .
@Rama
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) are eligible for ECNR.
You need to submit following documents while applying for reissue of passport for ECNR.
1. Passport copy (first two and last two pages, including ECR/Non-ECR page and the page of observation (if any), made by Passport Issuing Authority)
2. Applicant has to submit a written statement detailing all the dates of exit and entry into India and produce the passport for verification. (Format: Sl. No, Date of Exit. Port of Exit, Page Number of passport containing the stamp, Similarly details of corresponding entry. The last column should mention number of days spent outside India. This should be more than three years (1095 days).
so I can travel any country with ECR status no need do anything else what defence in between ecr status passport & ecnr passport any body can travel wid ECR status passport or want to do more paper work as compare ecnr status passport. If I will travel Thailand , dubai or etc country so I can go wid my ECR status passport . Only for travel / holiday journey . If I go others country wid my ECR status passport so what have process status or same process for ECR & ECNR IF GO THAILAND OR OTHERS COUNTRY HOLI DAY TRIP.
@Amit
ECNR is only required if you are going for employment to any of the below countries:
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.
Respected sir
My brother is going to complete his mba in the month of may. He has to go to UAE in search of job in t month of July. But in passport it’s written ecr required. So what he should do for ecr.
@Donald
He can get passport reissued with ECNR status by submitting 10th class certificate.
i m hasan i have to go saudi arabia as a employee of some company,but i got ecr in my passport so plz suggest me what is the get the ecnr and the what was the procedure for that.
@Hasan
You need to get passport reissued for ECNR status.
With application, you need to submit any eligibility proof from list mentioned on this page: http://passportindia.gov.in/AppOnlineProject/onlineHtml/NonEcrDocuments.html
I need to know whether I have to click yes on Ecnr if I am going to UAE. for employment I’m completing my b.tech degree this July..plz suggest sir I have to apply for passport also I want to know if what is the benefit of ecnr..?& can I goto other country like USA with ecnr?
@Nasim
Yes you should select ECNR category (also called non-ECR).
If you are going to any of the listed country for employment, then you need ECNR status; else its not required.
For going to USA, ECR/ECNR does not matter.
I HAVE ECR PASSPORT. AND I HAVE A WORKING PERMIT TO ENTER UAE. what should i do then..
@Shane
You need to apply for reissue of passport for ECNR status. If you don’t have time for that, you can get emigration clearance from PoE office.
I completed my btech…I got job in dubai…mypassport is non-ecr.but the company asking for immigration clearance is it required.. ??
Reply ASAP
@Sarath
You won’t need Emigration clearance in case your passport is with non-ECR or ECNR status.
I have to fill another form for ECNR while applying for passport?
@Nasim
No, there is no separate form, you need to mention non-ECR category in same form.
Hi. I had error in my date of birth of my sslc, so they considered only my birth certificate and….they gave me passport with ECR status…
In order to correct sslc it takes one year from the court…(Bangalore)
Iam. a B.COM graduate ; so kindly advice how to change from ECR TO ECNR without giving sslc to passport office
@Jackson
Please see all eligible documents list here: http://passportindia.gov.in/AppOnlineProject/onlineHtml/NonEcrDocuments.html
Dear sir my passport was ecr but iam staying five years in dubai .same country but another one calling for working visa new company . my question if u want immegration compalsory
@Bella
There is no issue unless you go to India and come back from there.
You would need ECNR status, if leaving India for Dubai for employment.
Hello Sir,
Reading the comments i understand that ECR stamp is only and only required if i wana work in the list of countries u mentioned above. I can travel with my ECR status passport to Canada for tourism.. correct ??
@Jani
Yes, correct.
Hi,
I have my employement visa stamped on my passport and there is a ECR on my passport some how i dont know no one told me at immigration . now do i have to get it removed or it will work and i can continue
@Rahul
If you intend to go to any of the listed country for employment, then you would need non-ECR status, else it does not matter.
Sir how many days take to delet ecr
@Mohd Shoeb
Same as passport issue. 30-45 for normal application and 10-15 for tatkal.
My sons aged 16 years have ECR endorsed on their PP. They propose to travel to Jakarta, Indonesia to visit my sister’s family who resides there. We have purchased to and fro air tickets for them. Indonesian provides Indian visa on arrival facility. Will they face any problem from Indian emigration officials at the airport since they do not have visa stamped on passport prior to commencement of journey.
@Allan
There won’t be any issue as they are not going for employment.
Sir before I working in qatar.my passport is ecr.now I want to go back qatar.so again need ecr clearence
@Surender
If you are going to Qatar for job, you would need Emigration clearance or ECNR status on passport.
Hi ,pankaj sir my passport is Ecr ,i have my employment visa for qatar can i do my emigration online through poe website or its better to do from agent.
@Zakir
There is as such no need of agents, you can apply yourself on PoE website.
Hi Pankaj,
My wife applied for reissuance of passport due to expiry. In the acknowledgement receipt emigration check is mentioned has yes. At the end of the receipt there is a note hich stays practice of stamping ECNR is discontinued. just a bit confused. previous ECR was no on my wife’s passport. also when I filled up the form online, I clearly mentioned against Emigration check Not required as YES . Now does from the acknowledgement receipt it means that new issued passport will have EMigration check.
@Anand
In new passport application, it asks for non-ECR status and answer is Yes/No.
So I think, in receipt it would be non-ECR mentioned as Yes.
hi,i am under ecr category and i want to go canada for tourist/work visa . i required ecnr certificate..plz tell in both cases work /tourist
@Sumit
ECNR is not required for traveling to Canada on any visa.
Hello Sir,
I am working in UAE since 6th months and now I want to change my Company so please tell me can I go final exit or cancell my privious vise and I can come to other company in UAG again , is any problem to come again in UAE.
@Pervez
There is no issue in going to UAE again.
But if you would need ECNR status on passport or fresh emigration clearance from PoE office.
Sir I am 12thpass.but in my passport ecr riqvired.how I can change my passport ecr to non ecr. How its possible.I need same passport.how long take time
@Surender
You can apply for reissue of passport for ECNR status by submitting 10th class certificate.
It would take 30-40 days under normal application and 7-15 days under Tatkal application.