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
hallo pankaj
My name is Rajesh, I am presently working saudi arabia as long as 2 and half year.Presetly i got a job offer from Malaysia.The thiing is , saudi sponser does not give the final exit, i am planning come from here re enrty exit. So any problem to applying malaysian job visa
@Rajesh
We don’t have much idea about Malaysian job visa rules and regulations.
passport issued after 2007 and 2nd page of my passport is blank still i need to get stamp on my passport of ECNR for UAE
is police clearance certificate necessary on airport for employment visa
@Aquib
As 2nd page is already blank, passport is already with ECNR status and no further stamping is required.
We have no idea about UAE employment visa requirements.
Hi Dear Pankaj this is tanveer my question is that i am working in UAE past from 5 years and i have uae employement visa. in 2013 i have to renew my passport my present passport reqried ECNR. after renewing the passport i will get the passporet with ECNR or reqried ECNR..
NOTE.. i did”nt have any education certificate
@Tanveer
As you are working in UAE since last 5 years, you can get ECNR stamp on basis of that.
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) are eligible for ECNR.
Following documents would be required in that case:
1. Passport copy (first two and last two pages, including ECR/Non-ECR page and the page of observation (if any), made by Passport Issuing Authority)
2. Applicant has to submit a written statement detailing all the dates of exit and entry into India and produce the passport for verification. (Format: Sl. No, Date of Exit. Port of Exit, Page Number of passport containing the stamp, Similarly details of corresponding entry. The last column should mention number of days spent outside India. This should be more than three years (1095 days).
Hi. pankaj…
Greetings for the day..
Nice to see the prompt response from you for all kind of questions.
And here i had a query. i have applied for passport a year ego (applied with degree certificate) even though ECR stamp has punched. don’t know where the mistake had happened. i was supposed to travel to Dubai(tourist visa) by last Sunday ( 25th sept). Emigration officer caught me and he found am going to search job and he sent me back to home to get the ECR cleared. Few days back i went to chennai passport office to get it cleared but due to some changes in passport office , i was not able to do that . i.e person should be having an appointment date . Outsourcing guys told me i have to wait for 1 more month to complete the process. so now i have received a NOC certificate from my brother who is there in dubai. Is that certificate is enough to travel ? please advice .
@Nazeer
Sorry to hear about your case.
I won’t suggest you to take another chance at emigration without ECNR stamp. They generally have whole track record of passports and may find that last time you were sent back because of ECNR.
Generally they should not object tourist visa cases. But as your brother is in Dubai, they might have thought that you are also going for job and won’t come back.
There have been some changes now in passport processes and they issue renewed passport rather than an ECNR stamp in most of the offices. You can online appointment for re-issue of passport.
Also, I would like you to raise a complaint with passport office for issuing an ECR stamped passport, even after providing degree certificates.
Hello Pankaj,
I wrote to you few minutes ago. Would you please clarify what to do?
My brother who has recently got a job in Sudan. He is 51 years old. His passport is stamped with ECR. What should he do before flying. As mentioned in previous comment that I have seen in one article like below:
“Remember, persons over 50 are automatically eligable for ECNR and do not need to apply for an ECR suspension”.
Please help us to do the right thing in detals
@S.K.Deb
As far as we know, all people above 50 years become eligible for ECNR stamp. It does not mean that ECNR stamp is not required.
Thank you so much, Pankaj.
Would you please write me in details, how he will process to obtain this and what supporting materials to be submitted to obtain ECNR for a person above 50.
Best regards.
@S.K.Deb
There have been some changes in process and now-a-days renewed passport is being issued rather than ECNR stamping on old passport. I would advice you to visit local passport office and inquire about same.
If older process of ECNR is followed, you would need residential proof (should be of a city which comes under passport office you are visiting) and old passport copies.
Dear Pankaj,
Thank you so much for your prompt response. So, only address proof is enough? Does he have to present his Pan Card? So far I know he just prepared a pan card and has not yet any income tax return done. Will that work? or it is better to be limited within only address proof; e.g. electric bills and that is his wife’s name as his wife is the legal owner of the flat where they live in Kolkata. Please I would request your a further advise regarding this. His wife has income tax reports for several years so far as I know.
Best regards.
@S.K.Deb
As age is above 50 years, no ECNR eligibility proof should be required except an proof which states the date of birth.
batra ji,
passport itself is d the proof of date of birth so why additional proof of date of birth is required…
passport itself carries the date of birth…..
Person aged more than 50 can simply walk to the RPO with the original passport, they will calculate the age and affix the ECNR….if i m not wrong…
Dear Pankaj,
Thank youn so much for clarifying the issue.
For date of birth proof what kind of certificate he should submit. He does not have the Matriculation certificate. Can he make affidavit at a magistrate court to prove his date of birth? or any other way he should do this?
He told me that his wife is doing income tax return regularly. Can he submit this as another option to get ECNR stamp?
Sorry for bothering you over and again.
Best regads
@S.K.Deb
As per govt passport website (http://www.passportindia.gov.in/AppOnlineProject/onlineHtml/NonEcrDocuments.html): following are the documents required for all persons above the age of 50 years to get ECR deletion:
i) Birth Certificate issued by the Municipal Authority or any office authorized to issue Birth and Death Certificate by the Registrar of Births & Deaths
OR
ii) School leaving certificate / Secondary School leaving certificate/ Certificate of Recognized Boards from the school last attended by the applicant or any other recognized educational institution
OR
iii) Affidavit sworn before a Magistrate/Notary stating date/place of birth as per the specimen in Annexure “A” by illiterate or semi-illiterate applicants (Less than 5th class)
For using, wife’s income tax status, following documents would be required:
1. i) Proof of assessment of income tax and actual payment of income tax for last one year
OR
ii) Income Tax return statement (with income tax being paid by the applicant) for last one year that is stamped by income tax authorities and a copy of the PAN card
Note: i) Proof of payment of advance tax is not sufficient. You need to submit additional documents as specified above
ii) Applicants submitting NILL income tax return statement are not eligible.
2. For spouses, certificate signifying relation
i) An attested copy of marriage certificate issued by the Marriage Registrar needs to be submitted. For verification, spouse’s name needs to be endorsed in the applicant’s passport.
OR
ii) Joint Affidavit as per Annexure D
Dear Pankaj,
Very happy to see spontaneous reply from you for all questions. Request a help from you. I have got a job in Bahrain & in my passport ‘Emigration Status’ page has a ‘Deleted’ stamp on it & the next page has the same words (‘Deleted’ page wordings) stamped & signed by Regional Passport Officer. Have attached an image for your reference. (http://img1.imagehousing.com/72/46a2a59a1efdb008c95889d76fa1410f.jpg)
Please let me know if I will have to get an ECNR. If yes,
1) Do I have to get it from the Passport office (Chennai)
2) Will I be able to get it on the same day.
3) I don’t have any residence proof currently, as I had just recently shifted to Mysore. Is it possible to get it done in person & take back the passport in person.
Request your help on the same.
Thanks,
Rakesh
@Rakesh
Your query has been already answered on http://www.socialfinance.in/questions/1730/ecnr-bahrain
Hi,
My name is Soofi. Im currently working in software industry for the past 4 years. I am a B.Tech grad from NIT Durgapur in 2007.
Ok. This is my case.
I got my passport in 2005 with ECR endorsed.
My name in Passport is as below
Surname : Kulavi Seyed Mohamed Buhari
Given: Ziaulhaq Soofi Hussain
My name in my Degree Certificate : K.S.M.B.Z.Soofi Hussain
If i apply for ECNR, will this be a issue?
Also, I dont have a TC from my college as it was never provided to us. I have provisional degree, Convocation degree and marksheets of all semesers.
I also have a valid PAN card with assessmnets for the past 4 years. But IT filing acknowlegement is available only for 2 years.
Please help me in getting some idea. There are no clear details on web and the agents are half minded.
I am in the process of travelling to thailand in december for a job.
Thanks in advance.
– Aizy
@Soofi
There can be an issue because of mismatch in names in degree certificate and passport.
As there are different ECNR eligibility conditions you meet, I would advise you to submit any other document like PAN card copy with last 2 years ITR or 10th class certificate.
You should choose document which has same name mentioned on it as passport.
Hi Pankaj,
The issue is that, for 10th they may ask for TC which i dont have.
For ITR, they may ask acknowledgement. 🙁
I have Form16s for two years. will that be enough?
If nothing works out, whats the way out? i have to leave india by December.
@Soofi
As per passport website: Salaried people may submit income-tax deduction statement in Form16 for three years from their employers, along with copy of returns filed in income tax dept.
If noting works out, I would advice you to submit proofs even with not a full name mentioned and hope they accept it.
Other thing I want to inform you that, some of the passport offices have stopped issuing a separate ECNR stamp and they are only issuing new passports in case ECNR status is required. This may even take more time than expected, so I would advise you to check same with passport office asap to avoid issues later.
@Pankaj,
Yes i got to know that. I think i have to contact the local agents who work closely to the passport office where i should be heading.
Thanks for the help. Will get back if any thing more!
Dear Pankaj ji
Heartly Thanks for valuable replies and clarification
In My Daughter Pasport Father Name is Mentioned As Arun Joshi where as in her 12th certificate Father’s name is Arun Krishna Joshi.
and her Passport having ECNR Stamp and She is Leaving for China for further study, is ECNR is Required or are there any complication ?
@AK Joshi
For China, ECNR is not required so there won’t be any issue regarding ECR/ECNR status.
hey pankaj batra is a pleasure to have someone who is helping people whom in trouble out here.. well i fall in the same category ..actually i applied for my passport when i was like in a end term of my class 10th and i got my passport in the begining of class 11th but till then no marksheet was being given.. hence i have my passport now. with the ecr stamp n m really worried wht to do n how to get rid of the ecnr permission n all.. please help me. wht to do. i have my marksheet ab.. so can i just get my ecr cancel interm of ecrn. … and how many days it take to get an ecrn stamp for forever.. ?? please help me n guide me what to do .. !!!
@Kunal
If you need to travel to any of the specified country (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) for job or business, then only you would need ECNR stamp. Else it does not matter.
In case you still want to get it, now a days, instead of ECNR stamping (ECR deletion) , new passports are being issued, so you would need to apply for change in passport details.
hi Pankaj myself z Shaikh Erem i want to ask dat i hav a passport of 2007 n my 2nd page z blank nothing z der on second page n im applying 4 a job in dubai so ECNR stamp z reqired or nt plz gve me rly in detail thanking u
@Shaikh
Your passport is already with ECNR status as second page is blank. You would not need to get ECNR stamp now to work in Dubai.
hello
Ramya here from chennai. i hav my passport wit ECR stamp. though i submitted my college bonafide i got dis stamp. next week we have a plan to visit Dubai just for a vacation. but today suddendly only i saw dis stamp. i enquired in passport office and in travels they told old procedures have changed now u gotta apply for new passport. kindly help me out what shall i do. i hav nly a weel time. got visa too.
@Ramya
For tourist visa, ECNR is not required for any country.
There should not be any issue on airport for this.
thanks for ur info pankaj
really ECR is not required for tourist visa…?? if i caught in airport what shud i do.?
my mom is hasnt studied till matric ..should she write “no” in ecnr column..
@Ankit
If she does not have any intent to goto specified countries for job, she can live happily with non-ECNR status, for that she can choose to write “no” in ecnr field.
If your mom is above 50 years of age, she can still get ECNR status by submitting a date of birth proof.
Hi Pankaj
I am an indian holding a Uk residence permit . In my passport, the ECNR stamp is valid until oct 2011. I am visiting india in dec and returning to Uk in jan. Will there be any prob with the ECNR stamp, should I need it? PLease advice me.
Thanks
M Jose
@M Jose
ECNR is not required for traveling to UK, so there won’t be any issue even if you have ECR status passport.
Hi Pankaj,
Me and my wife would like to travel to Thailand for a holiday and she does not have ECNR in her passport.The problem is since we are going to Thailand and the Visa is on arrival, We will not have any Visa stamped on the passport. Will she be able to travel?
@Suraj
As you are going to Thailand for travel purposes, ECNR stamp won’t be needed.
Hi i am planning a vacation to bangkok i have ECR stamp on my passport i can i travel with same status, will i have any problem in airport for travelling, pls advice
@Merwyn
Traveling for tourism purpose does not require ECNR stamp, so you may travel to bangkok without any issue.
Pankaj,
Is there a way to bypass ECNR requirement if i want to travel to Thailand on Work Visa!? If in case i dont get the clearance.
P.s.
I have an appointment with the TATA guys (outsourced for misc. categories) and will try to get the ECNR stamp by showing my degree certificate.
@Soffi
Earlier there was a system of temporary removal of ECR, I am not sure if that’s still available. Please consult a visa agents regarding this
@Pankaj,
You have any knowledge on the new process. Since this has been outsourced, even the agents are clueless. Is providing ECNR requires more verification of proofs and Issual of new passport. The entire process shouldnt take much more than a month, if so, Im in a soup.
@Soofi
As per new process, new passports are being issued in-spite of an ECNR stamp. You may call passport call center at 1800-258-1800 to know more details.
You can check documents required for ECNR on this link: http://www.passportindia.gov.in/AppOnlineProject/onlineHtml/NonEcrDocuments.html
@pankaj,
You are a saviour. I spoke to the customer care and they cleared most of my concenrs. Thanks for providing me the number.
Now, Initials in my mark sheet is not a problem and for address proof i need banks statement. Both of which i have it with me.
Now, fingers crossed for Thursday!
@Soofi
Thanks for sharing your feedback.
Do update this space once you are back after Thursday.
Hello,
Pls advise whether an indian passport holder can travel through ktm(nepal) airport on a valid uae visit visa ?
@Reg
Visa is not required for Indians to visit Nepal.
Hi. I am travelling to hong kong for a trade show temporarily only for 5 days. I have a ECR stamp on my passport. Do i need to get this fixed before leaving ?
@Dimpy
For Hong-Kong, ECNR is not required, so you may travel without any issue.
M sorry m Q is … To visit UAE whether Indain national can depart from Nepal to UAE on a valid tourist visa ?
@Reg
We don’t have knowledge on this subject.
Hi,
I have been issued a passport recently, where the 2nd page is not blank. I am a graduate and have a pan card too. All my documents were submitted during the time of making my passport. However, I am still not sure that why don’t i have ECNR clearance. I will be travelling to Thailand in the month of December. How am i supposed to get the ECNR stamp deleted. How long will this entire process require? Please help.
@Agni
If you are visiting Thailand for job or business, then you would need ECNR stamp before leaving India.
As of now, to get ECNR, application for change in passport has to be applied and they will issue a new passport. It may take a month.
Check out more details on New passport website: http://www.passportindia.gov.in
Thanks for your reply Pankaj.
I am going to Thailand on a holiday, would I still require the ECNR stamp? Also, my passport was re-issued a month back, would I have to re-apply for a new passport so as to get the ECNR stamp? I am really confused because my passport work was done by an agent. He is telling me to go to the passport office and fill up an form and submit it at the miscellaneous counter along with some documents after which the ECNR stamp will be put on my passport. He said that I would get the passport immediately. Is it true? Can you please guide me? Thanks.
@Agni
For tourism purposes, ECNR stamp is not required.
Whatever your agent told you was an earlier process to get ECNR but now-a-days its not being followed.
Thanks for your help Pankaj.
@pankaj
Remember me?! Well i went to a PSK today and the process got over within an hour!
This is what i submitted for ECNR – and my request was approved without questions.
1. Old passport
2. Address Proof (Bank covering letter)
3. ECNR Proof (10th 12th Degree certificate)
Now, i have provided my present and permanent address. Do u have any idea how much time it will take for the police verification to be completed?
They said, they will dispatch the passport within a week on receipt of police verification. I am worried about how many days the police thing will take. I need to leave the country by december 10th 2011.
My present address is in Chennai and am sure the verification will be done within two/three weeks. but the permanent is in rural area and thats gonna stall the process?
Also, is there a way to push for a quick process? I applied in normal (should have taken tatkal). If the police verification of my rural address takes time, can i go in person to the particular police station in person and get it cleared.
Please advice
@Soofi
Not really sure but police verification would atleast take 2-3 weeks.
If it has to be done at two places, it may take longer specially as one is a rural address.
You should keep tracking your passport application and when it shows sent for police verification, try visiting police station for faster processing. But it may raise their “clearance rates” seeing your urgency.
@pankaj
Clearnace rates are not a issue since its emergency.
So you mean, when the status shows “Sent for police verification”, i can visit the police station directly? and i heard that these days its done online. no more sending details thru courier to resp police stations. Just gimme a ballpark idea. Will I be having my new passport at the end of november?!
@Soofi
As such there is no process of visiting police station, but you can go there and inquire about status. It may expedite somebody visiting your address.
I am not really sure if whole process has been made online, considering not all police stations are connected to internet.
I can’t really comment whether passport work will be done by Nov end. I am also an individual like you and an outsider for passport process.
@pankaj
i absolutely understand what you said. just wanted to hear some positive words! 🙂
well, to my knowledge the district headquarters are connected online and from where the rural police stations are informed.
whatsoever, i am praying things go smooth and soon.
Hi, My wife & childrens are going to come UAE on Husband VISA (Resident visa) do they reqd ECNR on my Wife PP there is ECR.
@Ali
They don’t require ECNR stamp as they would not be coming for job or business purpose.
Thanks for your reply, I hope you are sure they does not reqd any ECNR on there passport nor Return Tickets.
pankaj I have submitted my pan card and applied for ECNR. but the second page of my passport has a stamp from Indian ministry..what does it mean?
@Karthik
As per new norms, submitting just PAN card is not sufficient and you need to submit following documents too along with passport application:
i) Proof of assessment of income tax and actual payment of income tax for last one year
OR
ii) Income Tax return statement (with income tax being paid by the applicant) for last one year that is stamped by income tax authorities and a copy of the PAN card.
Note: i) Proof of payment of advance tax is not sufficient. You need to submit additional documents as specified above
ii) Applicants submitting NILL income tax return statement are not eligible.