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,
my passport has no page for ecr & ecnr stamp, im a b.com graduate.in my passport there is a spelling mistake in my mother’s sername.i m planning 2 go 2 dubai in a employment visa. is it possible to get a poe stamp and go there without any issue. my passport was issued on 13/06/07 from bareily office.
@Dharamendra
Its better that you get ECNR stamping if you are going for employment to Dubai.
i have ECNR stamp in my passport and that passport got expired while working in Dubai and i renewed the passport from dubai.and they attached the both the passport. Now i have do the ECNR stamp on the renewal passport. please tell me. thanks
@Jis
As you got passport renewed, existing ECNR stamp should continue to be valid.
i am science graduate and i want to go to duai but my passport is very old i have my passport since 2000 so from where i can apply for ecnr stamp i am staying in gujarat kutchchh
@Rishi
You can visit your nearest passport office to get your passport stamped with ECNR.
In Gujarat, Surat and Ahmadabad has regional passport offices.
Hi Pankaj , My passport has an ECR . The ECNR is striked off. It was issued from Chennai in 2002 . I am in Mumbai now since 3 years. I have planned to visit Thailand on Oct 25th for 3 days . Will I require the ECNR stamp ? if yes , can it be done from Mumbai ? Also my address has changed as the passport was issued on a Chennai address. Does it impact ? I don’t have much time in hand. Just 5 days ahead. Whats the best I can do ?
@Punit
For Thailand, ECNR is not required.
Enjoy your trip.
Thank you Pankaj. So quick. Appreciate the help . One more question I missed to ask you and can’t resist to ask from a konwlledge bank like you . My passport is expiring in an year. And it was issued on a Hostel Address in Chennai whcih doesn’t exist any more. I am residing in Mumbai but keep shifting. I wish to renew my passport with the permanent address. Where do I apply for renewal ? I mean , will I have to get back to Chennai for the same , or can I apply through my permanenet address city ( bhopal ) or can i apply in Mumbai ? Also I would like my wife’s name to be added in it at the time of reneal. Will a marrige certificate do ? Thanks again for clearing confusions .
And for Thailand , its a business trip. Hope it doesn’t matter and I won’t need an ECNR !!! ?
@Punit
Ideally you should provide your current address (and all addresses in which you have lived in last one year) and apply in your current city.
In case you want to use permanent address in both current and permanent addresses, you will have to apply in your home city only (Bhopal). But make sure somebody is there at that address to verify in case somebody comes in for police verification.
For adding wife’s name, marriage certificate is enough. Make sure to get it amended to your wife’s passport as well, in case its not there already.
For Thailand, ECNR is not required in any case.
HI Pankaj. Sorry to bother you again . I thought my queries solved and woudn’t have to bother you again . But issues. Even after reading your posts , I went to passport office today to have ECNR stamp . just in case. It was very easy at the counter and they accepted my application within minutes and said there is no problem in getting the ECNR as I had valid documents. However , they said they will keep the passport and send it back through speedpost only after 4 days . Which was problematic. I am flying to Thailand after 4 days 🙂 . So coudn’t take the risk. I requested them to give the passport back and with great difficulty they cancelled my application and gave the passport back. But they also said that I won’t be able to fly without having ECNR stamp . Its required for Thailand and its 1 of those 18 countries. Not sure , but i coudn’t take the risk of leaving the passport with them so I took it back. And while returning , the lady at teh counter warned me again that i would be sent back from the Airport. Do you have any views ? the only option I have in hand now is to go to the Airport after 4 days and try my luck and see if they allow me ? its only a 4 days visit .. !!! Any documents I need to carry to airprot ? does ECNR happen at Airport just in case ? I undesrtand your comments but I am confused with what that lady on the counter said to me .
@Punit
First of all, Extremely Sorry for mis-information. I read between the lines in hurry and did not realized that you were leaving for business related work.
ECNR cannot be done at airport and they can send back travelers from Airport.
Passport office can return the passport same day, if you pickup passport yourself there. To do that, You will have to go early morning and apply and they return back on same evening. If this also does not work out and to play safe, You can get temporary suspension of ECR (for one week) through any visa agent. They will take one day and you also need not to go anywhere.
Once again sorry for misguiding.
Hi Pankaj
Previously you clarified my doubts regarding ECNR stamping…
This time i’m here with a new query… My uncle who is a senior citizen(70+) has applied for his passport on 19.April.2010 We come under Hyderabad Regional Office division. Till date we have not received his passport. If we are checking it online then the status message is Delay in despatch will be done in one week. This message is being displayed from a very long time. Now, I’m clueless what to do next.. He is old and cannot go about places looking for it and i’m out of india. I want them to be with me while they are able to travel.. but without a passport i cannot do anything.. I’m totally helpless..
Can you suggest me a way out..? Please
With Regards
Ashwini
@Ashwini
Please contact Sh. A.T.Murthy, Deputy Passport Officer, Phone No. : 040 – 27806657, Email : [email protected]
Hi Pankaj,
I got my passport with ECR check while doing my graduation and its been 5 years. Now am working in a software company since last 4 years and recently got one onsite opportunity of Saudi but as per your article Saudi is one among listed 20 countries where emigration clearance is required. My doubt is am not going there for any employment it will just be a business trip because my company has got some business interest in Saudi and as far as my knowledge goes for any Business Trip ’emigration clearance’ is not required.
Now the new rule says if I want ENCR then I need to apply for a fresh passport with latest address proof and again it will take long time 15 to 20 working days which I don’t have. If I go for ’emigration clearance’ which and all documents are required and do we have any office in Bangalore to get this clearance.
@Amit
For official and work related trip, its better to get ECNR stamping as you may never know how emigration officer treats you on airport.
In case, you don’t have time to get ECNR stamping, You can get temporary suspension of ECR. Any visa agent should be able to get this done.
Hi PANKAJ
My passport has ECR endorsement . i got emigration clearnce from poe. i went to oman . i worked there 5 years. now i cancelled that visa. now i hav to go with new employement visa. shouild i need ecnr stamping ……
@Roshan
Yes, you should get your passport stamped with permanent ECNR stamping before leaving for job to Oman.
Hi Pankaj,
Have a pre 2007 passport where it has been marked ECR.
Am supposed to go to Dubai for a business visit for a couple of days only. Am I supposed to get a ECNR stamp from the POE…
@Pradeep
To be on safe side, you should get ECNR stamping done.
Hi my name is shabaz
iam going to oman on job visa. is ECR recq or not i have no stamp on my passport. and my passport issued on oct 2007
plz help me this
@Shabaz
For Oman, ECNR is required for a employment visit.
As you have no stamp on your passport, your passport is ECNR by default. All new passports are being issued are mostly with ECNR if you fulfill the criteria.
Hai pankaj..
Thanks for your gr8 posting and guidance..I have applied 2 labour visa’s for my company..Both are from tamilnadu trichy zone and both have ECR stamp on that. Just when i asked them to apply for ECNR thru travel agents, dey have told like nowadays ECNR is not issued by govt while travelleing with Labour or cleaner visa..is that so?
Both studied till 10th grade and got failed too… Got their passport thru bank statement,voter id and licence as proof.
How can i sort out of this issue? i dont have option of retaking visa with profession change too//coz i have to spend the same amount again to get it..
Any suggestion will be of gr8 help.. if Any option available,wat r the documnets required to sort out and get the same in india…
Thanks,
Mufarak.
@Mufarak
Minimum requirement for ECNR stamp is 10th class certificate. It can also be issued if traveler is a tax payer or has PAN card.
On basis of bank statement, voter id and license, ECNR cannot be issued.
If they are travelling for a short period of time, you can get temporary suspension of emigration clearance through travel agent.
Hi Pankaj,
Am planning for Dubai trip in mid December. It is purely a fun tour in and around Dubai.
I don’t have ECNR stamping on my passport, which i got issues in Chennai. Now I’m in Hyderabad for past 8 months.
Advise me if I need to get ECNR stamping for this?
If so can i get that done at Hyderabad itself?
Thanks
alan
@Alan
For tourist purposes, ECNR is not required.
Hey Pankaj,
i want to do ECNR stamped on my passport within 2-3 days . is it possible becas my ticket is already booked on friday for UAE form my company.
right now i m in mumbai so it is possible if i go tomorrow at mumbai office early in the morning?
please give me details of documents required for ECNR stamed and fee.
waiting for ur reply….
@Sona
You may go early in morning and get token for the same.
Request them for evening pickup with your case.
Fees is Rs 300 and you have to fill Misc form (http://passport.gov.in/cpv/miscell.pdf)
Along with that go with originals and 2 attested photocopies of following documents: All educational qualification certificates (starting 10th class), Passport (with photocopies of all non-blank pages), Proof of current residence (Ration card, Voter Id, Lease agreement), Proof of permanent address, PAN card and Employer Id.
Hi Sona,
If you are Staying in Hyderabad then they will take minimum 5 working days. If u want within two days then make thru POE.
thanks pankaj 4 ur help…
i will go there early in the morning.
hello i am madhu staying in India and want to work abroad…i have got an offer from a firm for the position of refrigeration engineer. i dont have an equivalent degree to get the ecnr from the regional passport of india..please suggest me the way to get ecnr.
hai pankaj
is it possible to work in Tanzania(East africa) to work as an expatriate without a equivalent degree i mean is it possible to get an ECNR from regional passport authourity of india..pls suggest iam in deep trouble………awaiting for ur reply
@Madhu
ECNR stamp is not required to work in Tanzania.
Also for getting ECNR, even a 10th class certificate or PAN card is sufficient now-a-days.
hey pankaj…
today i went for ECNr stamped but they said it is nt possible here because i m from MP ,
so it can be done in Bhopal??
but i dont have much time because my ticket is already booked ,so for this situation can i apply for ECR right now and next time for ECNR when i will be back..
is it ok or nt??
pls suggest….
@Sona
You can get temporary suspension of ECR. Please contact any travel agent for the same.
yes , i m going their only
he said it can be possible n he will have some commission.
so it is ok or not??
@Sona
Yes, thats all-right for now.
When you will be back, get a full ECNR stamp.
okk
thank u pankaj…..
n next time i will have ECNR stamped.
I m planning to go to Sudan for business trip.
Is ECNR stamp necessary
@Pratap
Yes, for Sudan, ECNR is required for business and employment trips.
Dear Pankaj Ji,
That was a Vaulable, Information for people like me who are Desperate…
My passport is with ECR. I happend to know it only a day before, I was leaving India. Through some source, I was told not to panic just leave, since I had a return Ticket for duabi.
I got a Job in Bahrain, I left India on a Visit Visa to Dubai for training. From Dubai I left to Baharain on Job Visa. Everything went Ok.
But now, I cant come to India, and leave for Bahrain unless I get a ECNR Stamp, I have a very close friend marriage in last week of Nov, 2010. Can you please guide me how to obtain ECR stamp or some clearence within 2 days Max. from Hyderabad. Because at the most I can get 1 week leave from my employer.
thank you,
Regards
Vishal N
@Vishal
As per Dorababu in previous comment: If you are Staying in Hyderabad then they will take minimum 5 working days. If u want within two days then make thru POE.