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
Hello sir .
thanks for looking my question
Sir i have valid passport with ECR recently i got a employment visa for UAE as a residence car driver and my visa expire on 10th of oct 09. My problem is that when iam visit to office of the protacter emigrants (POE) for my ECNR stamping.The official staff saying stamping is temparory on going stop. I am continue going to their office last four weeks. sir so please kindly help me iam non metriclutaion student.
you need Embassy attested Agreement copy and Visa Copy then you submit all the documents at POE office with Affidavit, Ideminity bond, Pravasi Bharti Bima, And Form for ECNR then you will able to get ECNR for UAE.
sir,
i completed MBA and i received a passport april 2009 without ECR and ECNR stamp.. i got a job in kuwait.. so could u plz help me is it must to get stamp for ecr
@Murli
Passport without ECR is same as with ECNR stamping so you don’t have to get any stamping.
Its 1 year now, I have been to Dubai on visit visa without ECNR stamp.
I am Female. Age 31 years. But now on employment visa. I am not educated. No pan card
Can i get ECNR stamp on my passport from consular office?
@Jane
You can get ECNR if you have PAN card or 10th class certificate. If you don’t have, you are not eligible for ECNR stamping.
My name is fahad haneef and i want to get ecnr on my passport.What should i submit to get it cleared.
@Fahad
You have to fill passport form for Misc services (http://passport.gov.in/cpv/miscell.pdf) and submit it in passport office along with ID, residence and ECNR eligibility proofs. For ECNR eligibility proof, you can submit PAN card copy, degree certificates or even a 10th class certificate will also do. Also submit copy of Voter Id card or Ration card for residence proof.
Garduate lady applying for a new passport, not married ,(15th coloumn in PP form)
“ECNR status say yes or no” is the question.If i am on plan to go aborad after marraige and wish to employed there in future what option should i choose,yes or no for ESNR status.
@Revathi
You should choose ECNR status Yes in passport form and attach a copy of qualification certificate or Pan Card.
Hi Pankaj…Im working as an Engineer in UAE. Recently I changed my name in my passport and Iam now having the cancelled passport and my new passport. My residence visa is in my old passport. Is it necessary to change my name in my visa and labour card. Plz let me know how much it costs if i need to change. My job needs frequent travel to all middle east countries
@Prasad
It will be good that you get your name changed in visa and labour card also.
I don’t have idea of the cost that may incur in this.
hi sir,
i am balu.one of my relative offered me job in dubai.how much time wil taken for visa process.now i already attested my all certificates from dubai embassy.if it is need for visa process?
@Balu
Sorry but I don’t have much idea about Dubai visa processing. Please consult any visa agent for that matter.
Hello Sir
For question no 13 in PP form,should i need to specify my parents detail in case anyone of them is working at central government or state government .
if so what document(salary certificate or pan card of parents) should i attach with the form according to (Annexure B) passport information booklet.also sepcify how many photos is required to be send with the form.it says in form as 3 but also mentions to send 2 more in need of jumbo books – what is jumbo books?
@Revathi
The employer detail has to be filled for person for whom the passport is being applied.
Jumbo book is 60 page passport. Normal one is with 36 pages.
hii sir i m a housewife i want to go to hongkong with my husband for duration of 6months on his project basis ,should i require ECNR stamp on my passport to go to hongkong plz give reply to my que
@Vynshnavi
For Hongkong, ECNR is not required.
Pankaj, I have VISIT VISA for DOHA QATAR , Do I need ECNR at my passport ??
@Mukesh
As you are not going for employment to Doha, you don’t need ECNR stamping.
Pankaj Batra says
@Mukesh
As you are not going for employment to Doha, you don’t need ECNR stamping.
October 15, 2009, 11:06 pm Reply
In reference to your reply as above,…………..
I too intend to visit my sister in Doha for a month.My PP has the ECR ticked(as was in the PP before 2007)…………do I need to get it stamped as ECNR now or can I jsut go as it is?
Thx.
@Fateh
You don’t need ECNR stamping as you are not going for employment.
hi,i am dr dey,me & my wife(she is also a doctor) going to maldives.i am going for job,she is going with me as a tourist.do we need ECNR stamp from ministry.
@Putu
For maldives, ECNR is not required.
iam gopi, sir i got passport on 01/04/2005 in my passport ECR emigration check is required so what is the procedure for this ECR .Now i came oppurtunity to go for UAE sir what to do for ECR requirement.
@N.Gopi
Read the comments by Shivpriye here
@N.Gopi
Sir, If u are going thru’ some employment/labour contractor to UAE and are not Std. 10th Passed, u need to visit Protector of Emigrant (POE) office at Khar(W), Mumbai … there are other such offices in other metros…
But if u are atleast std. 10th passed or is a Income tax payee for last 2-3 years, go to the passport office nearest to ur home, or from whr u got it originally with proper documents. If it is ur original RPO, the work will be done in max 3 days…if not, then it may take upto 1 month…
Read my original post as suggested by Pankaj above, for further details
My friend has a ECR passport, he got a employment visa from oman on 11.nov 2009. He studied 8th standard only. How can he get ECNR stamp? Can you please tell where can he get ECNR stamp? What are all the document need for him to get ECNR to enter oman. Please reply. Its urgent. His passport was issued from tamiladu, trichirappalli. When he approached, passport office at trichy, they told not possible to get ECNR there. He is 8th standard guy with ITI Electrician certificate hold. Please anybody reply how to get ECNR for him
@Saravanan
If he has PAN card, then also he can get ECNR.
Thanks mr pankaj, for ur prompt reply..?
I couldn’t reply you on yahoo answers, so just posted this question again.. I followed the link of urs, and saw that the first column is been ticked as correct.. and in the Emigration Status ECR is written and the next two lines are striked off (these two lines are ECNR ones). But in my passport, the first column is striked off and the Emigration Status is having a tick mark… So, in this case Emigration check is not required for me na? Plz let me know..
@Shyam
Yes, you don’t need ECNR stamping in that case, you already have one.
Thank you Mr. Pankaj.. for ur prompt reply…
Hi Pankaj,
My mom is going to Dubai on visitor visa next week. She has ECR on her passport.
She is 65 yrs old. Does she need to get any exemption from the POE office for this trip?
Can she travel with her passport as it is?
Thanks,
Rahul
@Rahul
For visiting Dubai on a non-employment visa, ECNR is not required. So your mom may visit dubai without getting an ECNR stamping.
Hello,
had a query, got my passport renewed recently , the new passport does not have any stamp on it ( ECR / ECNR). Was wondering, would I be needing to get this ECNR stamp done from passport office ? or does it mean that I do not need to get one ( as i had given my education documents aswell while applying for the passport renewal)
@Mr Gupta
Most of the newly issued passports are by default with ECNR, so you don’t have to get stamping for that.
hi pankaj
this is arjun
am presently working in a bpo in new delhi
i got selected for a company in dubai
my question is that “is it necessary to have the graduation mark sheets to get the ecnr stamping? ” also i only have one year’s income tax return..
i am a graduate but can i get the ecnr thru 10th or 12th marksheet only..i have lost my grads marksheets..thanks man
@Arjun
You can get ECNR stamping even with a PAN card copy or a 10th class certificate.
but the company i got selected in..they need me to be a graduate
if i get the ecnr done by 10th marksheet will it reflect on the passport or anywhere that it was done by 10th’s marksheet and not by the graduation marksheet??
@Arjun
There will be just an ECNR stamping on passport and there will be no details (which proof was attached etc for this) on passport apart from this.
I remember using my 10th marksheet and certificate to get ECNR this year…although the same were already used while getting a passport during my undergrads 🙁
thanks guys!
Dear Pankaj,
I’m planning to travel to Thailand for a week long holidays with my wife. I have an old passport(2002) . Do I need any ECNR stamping for this.
Thanks,gaurav
@Gaurav
For holiday trip to Thailand, you don’t require ECNR stamping, So don’t worry and enjoy your holidays.
Just carry a return or onward journey ticket for both…required both during immigration chek in India and while getting a Visa on arrival in Thailand
Thanks Pankaj,
I’ve return tickets for both and our hotel(stay) confirmed in Thailand . Will that be enough to clear in India and getting Visa on Arrival in Thialand. I’m leaving Monday night so will appreciate an ealry reply
many thanks.
@Gaurav
Yes, tickets and hotel voucher will be enough for getting Thai visa.
hi ,my parents are going to visit to dubai for transit visa (14 days visa ) they are 0 and 45 they are not 10th pass .do they required ECNR stamp required ?
@Shailesh
For transit visa, ECNR is not a requirement.
My name is fahad hanif mohd according to my educational certificates but on my passport it is fahad haneef mohammed.I want to get ecnr on my passport.What i should i do to get it cleared? Reply
@Fahad
You should provide proofs on which your same name is mentioned as on passport.
its a sticky situation. Passport office can be finicky at times, if name is not matching on document. U can go to the enquiry counter in the passport office (if ur in Mumbai, then the last cntr. in Misc. Service Hall of new RPO office-Bengal Chem. bldg) and show him ur docs….
its better, as suggested by Pankaj also, to go with those relevant docs. having the same name as in ur Passport
sir
plz send me emmigration office address in hyderabad. my native place chittoor (dist)
@Gopi
Regional Passport Office, Kummaraguda, Secunderabad- 500 003.
dear sir, resently I have changed my adress in my passport. I get a new passport instead of my old one. but in my old passoprt ecnr stamp was there, where in my new passport, there is a stamp stating ECR.
The problem is all of my documents including my sslc book to b tech certificate is submitted to my company in Abu dhabi for my visa requirments.
what can i do to get ecnr stamp on my passoprt?
kindly give me a reply
@Anil Kumar
While applying for new passport, did you mentioned ECNR stamping requirement. In case not they might have just put it back on ECR by mistake.
When you get a new passport , your old passport will be cancelled and returned to you. Any visas in the old passport are still valid until the date of expiry. You would need to carry both the passports to travel using the visa in the old passport. I am not sure this applies to ECNR stamping or not. If its not, then you will have to get ECNR stamping again.
Dear Mr pankaj,
thank you for maintaining this blog.
also thank full for your quick and kind reply,
could you pls clarify my following doubts?
1) now i dont have any of my educational certificates with me to do the ECNR stamp. will my pan card do ? (i didnt pay any taxes up to now)
2) in the official web site , there is a provision that if the spouse of the applicant is a proffessional degree holder such as docter engineer lecturar or teacher etc, the applicant would be omitted from the ECR catagary.
since my wife is a lecturar in computer science here in new mumbai , can i go for that way?
3) my old passport having this ecnr stamping in it and it was valid up to 2012 jan.What i had done is I changed my adress.
will this old passoprt do anything to get the ecnr stamp?
4) what else can i do for getting ECNR ?
@Anil
Yes, ECNR can also be obtained with PAN card copy but they will ask for other documents also like address proofs and all.
However, you can goto passport office with whatever document you have and old passport and request them to put ECNR on new passport also, showing them old passport with ECNR stamp.
dear sir,
I went to passoprt office today . When I asked about this, they asked me wether I put my passport copy showing ecnr stamp in my change of adress application. I had included the same in my application. They recieved my passport along with a writen application for ECNR stamp @ free of cost. For this process they need 2 days to check my previous application.
If the document is there with my application, I will get the ECNR stamp .
Thye also said if I didnt include the document which is showing the ecnr status in my previous application , I will have to pay 300 rs as the charge, to get the ecnr , on the basis of the old pasport’s ECNR stamp.
thank god!!!!!!!
@Anil Kumar
Thanks for sharing the details.
Hopefully you will get the passport back with ECNR stamp soon.
Hi Pankaj,
I hv been living in the US for the past 7 years and I am going to Thailand for tourism for a week, do I need ECNR stamping. The POE officer is Chennai asked me to obtain the clearance although I read everywhere that I dont need it. Please advise.
@Valli
For Thailand, you don’t need ECNR stamping. Enjoy and Happy holidays there.
hi pankaj…if i had to work in usa will i be needing ECNR in my passport..i have a ECR stamp now
@Kiran
for USA, ECNR is not required.
thanks man u cleared 1% doubt i had in mind..very helpful portal ….