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
I got my wifes Resident Visa under my sponsorship to Dubai. In her passport there is nothing mentioned as ECR or ECNR. Does she need to get an ECNR stamp in the passport, her profession is House Wife and she have a valid visa also.
Joseph, If nothing is mentioned in passport, then its ECNR by default. All new passports are issued with ECNR.
hi i want details for submet for ECNR PLZ HELP ME OUT
Thank you for your prompt reply.
But sir, it is not a new passport. It is issued Nov. 2006. Please advise.
Thanks and Regards,
Joseph
Yes Joseph, Passport office had started issuing passports with default ECNR since 2006. If you read above user comments in this post, there are many such users who were issued passports in 2006 and does not have ECR/ECNR on their passport.
Hi All,
I finally got my passport with ECNR stamped yesterday. I went thru the following ordeals at the RPO, Mumbai.
1. Went to RPO (Hall-2, New Passport office, prabhadevi) on 29th June Monday and submitted 10th and 12th marksheet and certificate and 2 proof of local address ( 1 bank statement in original and 1 rent agreement).The counter staff declined any time frame for receiving the passport back as it was an outstation passport and said that it would take more than 10 days
2. Went to the enquiry counter there and stood in queue for 30mins. The facilitator informed me to contact the Passport officer who sits in the Old passport office (200m from this bldg) and put up my case.
3. Met Mr. John who is the PA of Passport officer (cabin no. 10 on the 1st floor) and he informed me to come the next day in morning with an application for urgent ECNR processing and all valid travel documents.
4. Went again on tuesday 30th June at 10:00AM. Mr. John came at around 10:30 and saw my application along with xerox of air ticket, hotel reservation proof, employment letter . He put his comments on my application and asked me to meet his boss.
5. After 10 mins I was allowed to meet Mr. Choubey (RPO Mumbai) who readily appreciated my case and put instructions on my application to come and collect it next day. A great help indeed!!
6. Went to the collection counter on Wed 1st July, at 4:00PM…the counter staff came after 10 mins. , saw my receipt and ask me to wait. After 30 min he called me up and gave my passport with all necessary stamps.
7. Moral of the story- Do not go by the instructions put up at Passport office website, It is always better to go to office and find out the formalities. Always take sufficient time (1-2 months) in hand, if ur expecting a travel abroad and need passport related changes. If going to Mumbai RPO, take 2 proofs of residence over and above any other docs.
@kalvakota srinivas rao: Thanx for ur suggestion. but I need ECNR as i am going to malaysia for employment, and this country is in the list of 18 countries for which emigration clearance is required. And I am a boy not a girl 😉
@ Pankaj: Thanx for maintaining this blog. Its a great effort and really commendable. Keep it Up!!
Very nice site!
hi, pankaj i have got an oppurtunity to uae but i dont have ecnr in my passport, what can i do and how much time it will take.
@Mr Reddy,
You should go to nearest passport office along with all required documents and it should be done in maximum 2-3 working days.
I want to bring my family in UAE, My wife is not educated,she studied up to 7th STD.My children are under 18.Recently I got residence visa for them.Now they require Emigration checking.
@Rajni
For your family ECNR is not required as they are not going for employment.
i hav ecr stamp on my passport n im goin to dubai n turkey for visit so do i need ecnr stamp what is the procedure and my passport ws made in delhi but now i hv shifted to manali and dnt hv residence proof of delhi will matric certificate only wud b sudfficient
@Abhishek,
As you not going for employment, you don’t need ECNR stamping.
Dear Pankaj,while i applied for my second passport,i had requested for ECNR status on the basis of me living in dubai more then 3 years,i had attached the visa copies and all required documents.Still unfortunately it was overlooked or by mistake i got ECR status,at that time i was in hurry to go back in dubai.so dint had the time,Now i am in mumbai and in next 3 weeks or so have to go qatar on work visa.My question is my passport is issued from mumbai but i Have done H S C from Uttar pradesh,will the H S C mark sheet would be accepted here to get me ECR status to be Changed in ECNR.Can it be done in 1 day or it takes long time,
@Rajkumar,
Please see the detailed reply above in post from Mr. Kalvakota Srinivas Rao, who recently got ECNR stamping done.
Hi pankaj,
Thxs for ur helps as per above, i have passport which have written “Emiration check not require (ECNR)”,, and passport officer has cut the same by pen,… Now i have to go to dubai for wrking ,,… M confused whether i need Emigration check or i do not need to do any thing
@Diwan,
As you going to Dubai for employment, you must get your passport stamped with ECNR.
Hello Mate,i have no words to thank you for the noble cause you are doing by guiding many of us and it go’s without saying that you would be blessed by each and every one and according to me blessing is one thing you need to do well in life and have peace.Mate keep up the good work and my best wishes for you and your family.
Thanks&Regards,
Rajkumar Singh
@Rajkumar,
Thanks for the appreciation and wishes.
Thxs Pankaj,
I will go to pass port office and get ECNR stamp , how many day it will take
@Diwan,
It will take max 2 days for passport delivery.
My aunt want to Visit canada in Next Few days…She already obtain her Visa…But she is not too literate..i.e only 8th or less…so is she required ECNR as her pasport has stamped of ECR required….Pls reply
@Sachin,
For Canada, ECNR stamping is not required.
Hi,
I am traveling to Kuwait on a visitor visa to visit my relatives. My passport was issued in Year 2000 in Bombay. It does not have ECNR stamp on it. In 2004 when I accompanied my husband to Oman, his company got it done on temporary basis i.e. ECRS (ECR suspension). As per new rules, do I require to get it done again. SOme travel agents are saying NO, some are saying Yes, it is very confusing. I am based in Hyderabad at present. I have only 3-4 days in hand and dont want any last minute hassles at the airport. Should I go to POE office in Hyderabad?
@Revati,
Now ECNR is not required for visitor visa, its only required in case of employment.
Dear Mr.Pankaj
I want to bring my family in UAE, My wife is not educated,she studied up to 9th STD.My children are under 18.Recently I got residence visa for them.Now they require Emigration checking or POE.
@Chavan,
As they are coming on a residence visa and not coming for employment, they do not required ECNR stamping.
i am going to USA. fro doing Masters..i got ECR stamped on my passport 2nd page…do i need to get ECNR on my passport.????…can some one suggest me…
@Chandra
For USA, ECNR stamp is not a requirement.
BTW which course and college you are joining. Visit StudyPlaces.com also.
Hello Mr.Batra,
My brother has a passport with no stamp of ECNR/ECR and its a new passport … He is an engineer and going to Dubai for employment purpose so we just need to know whether we need a ECR stamp or an ENCR stamp on the passport ..Kindly reply asap.
@Pooja,
New passports are with default ECNR so you don’t have to worry about stamping now.
Sir,
Do you have any idea reagarding the address of Higher Education office in Lucknow for certificate attestation.
@Pooja,
No, I don’t have idea about address of Higher Education office in Lucknow for certificate attestation.
I got passport with ECR on 2004 before i complete my degree. Now i am in Dubai. I have taken 2years ECNR for Dubai. How to cancel it permenantly.
@Palanikumar,
You can get permanent ECNR by filling ECNR form and visiting passport office.
We are in the process of inviting our relative to Dubai (Visit Visa for 30 days), her passport says Emigration CHeck Required (ECR).
Is it mandatory that her passposrt should have ECNR stamped.
Appreciate you respone.
@Santhosh,
ECNR is required only in case you are going for employment. For a visit visa, its not required.
Hello Pankaj,
i Have a Query could you help me on this… As my Pass Port verification is completed longtime back some where in the month of June last week… till now i didn’t receive the pass port ..do.i need to go to post office and check out or contact pass port office or does it takes more time to deliver to home. Please Advice.
Thanks & Regards
Rakesh
@Rakesh,
Please check passport status after choosing your passport office on this page: http://passport.gov.in/