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
Dude,
I have recieved visit VISA from Argentina for 3 months, I will be flying to Argentina in July. Will be back in July itself. Have my tickets already. Do I need to go to the POE or RPO for this??
Will there be any check at the Airport??
@Dhawal
ECNR is not required for Argentina, so you may go there without any issue.
Person going to study MS (2 years) to US…does he require ECNR stamp. Has presently only a one way ticket.
@Alok
For US, ECNR is not required. You may travel without any issue.
sir I recently to go to UAE on employment visa . my passport renewed from dubai conciliate, on nov- 2008 so I need to ECNR stamp? sunny
@Sunny
If you are in India, you must get it done before leaving for UAE, as its required for travelling to UAE on employment visa.
hi, i am planning to bring a lady to UAE with my family to look after my kids for 2 months on visit visa. she is 38 years old and with ECR status in the passport. Whether she willl be permitted to fly with us.
@Paul
As lady will be traveling with you for employment, It will be better if you can get her ECNR stamping.
sir when reopening emigration office pls send me details
Sir
I got a visit visa for 14 days to visit Dubai. do i need to get the ECNR stamp on it ? please advice
@Anil
Visit visa does not require ECNR stamping. So don’t worry and enjoy your time there.
What is the time taken (by the passport authorities) to clear from ECR stamp to ECNR?
@Praveen
It may take 2 to 15 days depending where you live.
Sir
Thank you very much, you save my time
Anil Gautam
sir my passport no any ECR or ECNR stamps. that passport renewed from dubai. And I am staying in UAE last 10 years . Now i am in india for change my sponsor. so my doubt most persons are saying No stamps (ecr/ecnr) in passport, That passport holder no need ECNR that is right or not? I send a mail already to you last week but i am not clear the subject of stamps. now days i am travel with employment visa to dubai. so pleas clarify urgently. regards sunny.
@Sunny
All new passport issued with no stamp are ECNR by default and there is no further action required.
Hello Dear Sir,
I have got a job in Dubai recently i didnot have a ECNR in my passport how ever i went to passport office in Bangalore the TCS guys asked to go with reissue of passport by that time i have got the Visa slip on my old passport number and in the new passport i have my old passport number will there be any issues after landing in Dubai..?
Thanks,
Jowhar
@Jowhar
You should carry both new and old passport and then there should not be an issue after landing in Dubai
Sir,
I am travelling to Tanzania for as a tourist. There visa is on arrival basis.
My passport has the ECR thing.
what do i do. Do i need to go the airport few days earlier….or i can direct report during the flight timings.
Pls help
@Nakul
For Tanzania, ECNR is not a requirement, so you may visit that without any issues at airport.
Hi I want to know if I produce my admit or mark-sheet (which was detained) of matric from Assam board to Patna Passport Office.
Either they will accept my document as qualify for ECNR on my Passport.
If not than tell me another any precess for the same. Thank You.
@Imam
Yes, 10th class certificate/mark sheet can be shown as a eligibility proof for getting ECNR stamp.
Actually it was shown fail on mark-sheet than also my mark-sheet can be accepted as eligibility for ECNR stamp???????????????
@Imam
In that case, it will be difficult. You may choose to show some other proof like PAN Card etc.
Yes, I’ve PAN card. If I submit copy of my PAN card than my Passport is eligibility for ECNR????????
@Imam
Yes, Imam. PAN card will work.
Thankssssssssss let me try with my PAN card copy……
I am an engineer and now in Saudi Arabia. Emigration is suspended in my passport until July, 2010. During my visit to India will there be any problem while returning with this suspension in my passport ?
@Majeed
As your ECNR stamping was temporary was valid only till July, 2010, you can have issues in returning back to Saudi Arabia.
In case you are not coming back to Middle east for employment, then there won’t be any issue.
Hi Pankaj for Maldeep (Andaman Nicobar wala) Emigration Check Required or not???
@Sharfraj
ECNR is not required for Andaman.
Hi Friend’s.. i have got my passport in 2002.. i m planing for abroad studies.. last time i went DUBAI.. i face problem while emigration check purpose.. its mandatory to ECNR stamp on passport…please provide more information ….
kiran
@Kiran
If you are going for employment to one of the 18 countries, then you need to get ECNR stamping.
Hi Pankaj,
how about if someone goes for employment to the countries other than the 18 countries mentioned. I will be going in for employment in Tanzania and I will be getting one way ticket only – since it’s an employment.
My passport consists ECR and was renewed in 2002.
Jogesh
@Jogesh
For countries other than mentioned 18 ones, there is no need to get ECNR stamp even for employment.
hai iam going to dubai with my husband on a resident visa (3 years). my husband is visa sponsor. my passport has a ECR . should i neeed a POE or ECNR to travel to dubai ????
@Selvi
As you are not going for employment, you don’t need ECNR stamping.
hello sir
for the students who are going to us to do ms is ECNR stamp required. as i n my passport there is a stamp showing ECR stamp required ..do help me out
@Gouri
For USA, ECNR stamping is not required.
Hello
HI i am a student in UK holding indian passport with ecnr and recently got married my wife has got visa as dependent and she has ecr stamp on her passport so does she need ECNR stamp on her passport or she can travel to uk…she’s a graduate so she can go to passport office for ECNR but how many days does it take to deletion of the ECR…
thanks for your help waiting for your reply
@Mayur
For UK, ECNR stamping is not required, so your wife may fly without any tension.
Hi Pankaj,
I am visiting Dubai in september on a vacation (Tourism).
Even though my passport was isued in 2010, it has an ECR stamp.
Do I need to get ECNR done at the regional passport office ?
Thanks,
Neeraj
@Neeraj
For tourism purposes, ECNR is not required for any country.