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
Hi,
I am travelling to Dubai for job purpose, The company is providing the visa and ticket.. I got my passport on 16-oct-2007 , In my pasport there is no ECR or ECNR stamp, all pages are empty.. So i am i eligable to fly dubai??
@Niranjan
As your passport does not have any endorsement of ECR/ECNR, Its by default with ECNR stamping.
So you may fly without any issue to Dubai.
If your passport does not have any stamp that means it is ECR, a new rule came in 2007 from govt of india that all the passport issued from 2007 onwards will have no stamp they will be only ECR, if you need ecnr you have to apply for that
bye
@Ansari
Its actually the reverse. 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.
HI, DO I NED TO HAVE A VISA TO APPLY FOR ECNR..IS IT MANADATORY FOR ME TO HOLD VISA FOR UAE FOR ECNR STAMP…KINDLY ADVISE..
@Khadija
Visa is not required for getting ECNR stamping.
Hi
I AM PLANING TO VISIT MALYSIA AND SINGPORE FOR HOLIDAYS . I HAVE ECR STAMP ON MY PASSPORT. SHALL I HAVE TO GET IT CANCELED OR I CAN TRAVEL WITHOUT ECNR. I AM GOING IN PACKAGE TOUR
As far as you are going for any reason except employment then you donot need ECNR stamp,
however even if you are going singapore for employment still you do not need ECNR
but if you are going to malaysia for employment then you do need ECNR stamp
but since you do not fall in employment category then you can goooooo (sin and malay)without having ECNR stamp
Hi,
l am planning to ghi im going on a visiting visa to dubai my passport is issued aftr 2007 and the seond page is blank do i have to get ECNR stamp
@Abbas
1st, ECNR is not required for visit visa.
2nd, your passport already has ECNR stamp by default as second page is blank.
hey,
I’m traveling to Dubai On visit visa for the job purpose, my passport is issued after October 2007 and all pages of passport are empty do i need a ECNR STAMP? plz reply…
If your passport does not have any stamp that means it is ECR, a new rule came in 2007 from govt of india that all the passport issued from 2007 onwards will have no stamp they will be only ECR, if you need ecnr you have to apply for that
KEEP THAT I MIND ECNR STAMP IS ONLY REQUIRED FOR EMPLOYMENT PURPOSE
Hi
My passport has a stamp of ECR but I want a temporary ECNR stamp as i’ll be traveling to UAE. How can I do this and from where can I get this done?
@Ipshita
You can contact travel agents, they should be able to get temporary suspension of ECNR.
My employer also got it done for me through some agent in 2006 for Malaysia.
Hi Pankaj,
Can u plz suggest few travel agents name or if u know anyone in Bangalore It will be a grt help for me…
Thanx
Regards
Ipshita
@Ipshita
Sorry, I don’t know any travel agent in bangalore.
If your passport does not have any stamp that means it is ECR, a new rule came in 2007 from govt of india that all the passport issued from 2007 onwards will have no stamp they will be only ECR, if you need ecnr you have to apply for that
KEEP THAT I MIND ECNR STAMP IS ONLY REQUIRED FOR EMPLOYMENT PURPOSE
U CAN GO TO NEAREST PASSPORT OFFICE AND GIVE YOUR INTERMEDIATE AD HIGH SCHOOL MARK SHEET AND 300RS FEES
YOU LL GET YOUR PASSPORT IN 3DAZ
Housewife intends to go burdubai on residence visa & she is nonmatric as her husband is working overthere since 6yrs kindly suggest us whether she is required ECNR check
@Mohdyahya
She won’t require ECNR stamping as she is not going for job or business.
Hi,
Am going to Malaysia in the month of June and i have ECR stamp on my passport.
So how to get a ECNR status and how much time will it take to get it done?
@Vidya
If you are going for business or job, then you should get ECNR stamp.
You will have to goto your local passport office and fill Misc form along with residence, ID and ECNR eligibility proofs.
It may take upto 3-15 days to get passport back.
I have got the visa one month before, but in my passport ECNR stamp needs to be done. The agents are saying the ECNR office is closed. I am facing a lot of problems just because of ECNR. I canceled my flight ticket just because of that.
If your passport does not have any stamp that means it is ECR, a new rule came in 2007 from govt of india that all the passport issued from 2007 onwards will have no stamp they will be only ECR, if you need ecnr you have to apply for that
KEEP THAT I MIND ECNR STAMP IS ONLY REQUIRED FOR EMPLOYMENT PURPOSE
SO IF YOU ARE GOING FOR VISIT OR TOURIST NO NEED FOR ECNR
SIMPLE JUST GO NEAREST PASS OFFICE AND SUBMIT UR HIGH SCHOOL AND INTER MARKSHEET AND 300RS FEES
GET UR PASSPORT STAMPED IN 3DAZ
my passport issue by dubai . ecnr stamp comply. please replay
@Ashok
You can get ECNR stamp from passport office in India.
how many day will take to get ECNR stamp
S DAYS THROUGH PSSPORT OFFICE
3 DAZ
@Kamal
It may take 2-15 days depending on your and passport office location.
Hi pankaj..
Pls help me out. Last may 2010 i took my passport using tatkal service. Nd immediately after getting the visa i went to dubai for a visit. During this time police came to my house for police
clearance. Unfortunately no one was der. After my return i went to the local police station. They said they had returned it, stating that i wasnt available at the time of police clearance.
Till now i didnt get any notice or anything from the passport authority. Now i’m planning for another visit. Will there be any problem at the airport regarding this. Can i make the visit…
Pls do reply. My mail id is [email protected]
@Raj
There can be problem in going outside India as your passport may have been marked invalid or suspended in records.
Please contact passport office before going out.
Hi Panakaj. Iam planning to bring my wife to dubai ona visit visa. MAy i required Attested Marriage Certifiacte for Immigration. Kindly note Both us passport have names in the place of Spouse and Husband. Please adivce me at the earliest.
@Ali
In case your passports have spouse name mentioned, there is no need of marriage certificate while traveling.
Hi,
If a person is not High school pass and he has got a labor visa from UAE, his Passport issued in 2009. Can you please let me know how to get ECNR on his Passport. The candidate is Class 6 pass only.
Waiting for your reply.
@Asim
He can visit Protector of Emigrant office to get emigration clearance.
i am travelling to malaysia as a tourist but my passport have ECR stamp can i travel to malaysia.
No, you do not need ECNR stamp as long as u r going to malaysia on tourist visa
hi,
I m planning to go to Dubai, but in passport the ECNR status which is shown had been cut off by pen mark…. so what does it mean???? Am I eligible to Fly to Dubai with that status……
waiting for reply……
@Madhavan
Your passport is currently with ECR status.
If you are going to Dubai for job or business purpose then you will need to get ECNR stamp on passport before leaving India.
dear pankaj.my distant relative has got her passport issued in may 2011,she has got an ecr stamp in her passport,since she has not passed sslc(10th STD).can she travel to uae on a visit visa for 2 months or can you kindly guide us to temporary suspend the ecr status.
@Delight
ECNR stamp is not required in case a person is traveling on visit visa, so she may travel without any issue.
Hi, i do not have educational certificates is it possible to cancel ECR if yes what documents should i give
@Merwyn
You can show PAN card copy for getting ECNR stamp.
Hi Panaj
To vist Dubai I dont need ECNR is it so??? Then What all docs i need??? Plz reply
@Ipshita
To visit Dubai for business and employment purposes, ECNR is required.
In all other cases, normal return tickets and valid visa would be sufficient.
Hello, My passport was issued in 2006. It has an ECR stamp on the 2nd page, although it shouldn’t have been there, as I already was pursuing bachelor’s degree at that time.However, it was missed. Now, I have to travel to Hong Kong, for a 3 days company arranged Business tour (for training) , and to Singapore, for a week of company arranged Business tour (for training). Visa to Hong Kong is on arrival, while, I will be issued a business VISA to Siangapore.
Do I require a ECNR, to travel to any of these two countries?
@Sheetanshu
For HongKong and Singapore, ECNR is not required. You may travel without any issue.
Hi Pankaj,
I have ECR in my passport and i am travelling after 4 days to Central Africa on employment visa. Do i need to get ECNR stamp in my passport. pls reply urgent.
@Diptesh
ECNR is only required if are traveling to any of these counties: United Arab Emirates (UAE), The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Malaysia, Libya, Jordan, Yemen, Sudan, Brunei, Afghanistan, Indonesia, Syria, Lebanon, Thailand and Iraq.