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
Thanks for your response, Pankaj.
hai pankaj,
i got my pasport by dec,2007. there is no ECNR stamp, though i applied with my degree certificates.new passports issued at that time for my friends also does nt have any stamping. i am ging qatar by jul, 2008. i need not worry or i should do something.
please reply me. travel date is nearing
siva
Hi Siva,
No stamp on new passports means default ECNR. So your passport is already stamped as ECNR. For employment in Qatar, however, you need to confirm from passport office.
Hi Pankaj. I got my passport on 27th june 2008 but therez no stamping on the second page. I have already read that its by default ECNR if its blank. So i should not worry abt the same. I need to renew my U.S. visa and hope that there would be no probs regarding this. Reply soon and thanx for ur patience.
Regards
Pujan
Hi Pujan,
You need not to worry. For US, ECNR does not matter. All the best for your Visa appointment.
Thanx a lot Pankaj
Hi pankaj,
Kindly clear my doubt.I have applied for my passport in april 2006.And on 2 page of my passport there is no stamp for ECNR and it is blank.Also I have travelled to QATAR without this ECNR stamp recently( currently I am in qatar) and I was not aware of this stamp required.
Can u please tell me whether this will be really a problem and unsafe to stay here without this ECNR stamp.
waiting for ur ans asap………
Hi Archana,
You may stay in Qatar without any worry.
First of all let me make it clear that ECNR is a requirement imposed by Indian emigration department and not by other countries. So After you leave Indian airport, ECNR does not matter.
Dear Pankaj,
Exellent Blog. It’s really useful.
My side i have a query, Please clear it.
After 2 months, i have to move to USA for onsite, Since i’m working in a software company.
That means i’m the indian employee of the US company, i’m moving there for company visit and work. I will return within 1 or 2 months.
Now ECNR is not reqd for USA, i know. But what about my case ? Whether i will come under “Employment category” or not ? for me ECNR is reqd or what ?
I am a Diploma holder with 6 yrs experience,
and my passport is with ECR stamp.
Please suggest me…
ECNR is not required fot US in any case whether its employment, travel or business. So don’t worry. Be Happy
Thanks a ton Mr.Pankaj 🙂
Hi Pankaj,
I thanks in advance for your prompt answer.
I am staying in UAE with my family from last one & half year on residence visa at presently my family at india on vacation they require ECNR again to come back to UAE. 1st time we did ECNR suspension from bombay POE office.My son is 4 year old so i think he didn’t require ECNR.
I request to answer on my email id [email protected] will be more appreciated.
Hi Jagdish,
In best of my knowledge, I don’t think that your family require ECNR now as Its not required for non-employers.
Moreover, I would like to confirm it from authorities as I don’t want your family to suffer at airport at last minute due to my suggestion.
-Pankaj
Pankaj,
Thanks a lot for your answer.
I am eagerly waiting for your next reply.
dear sir
i am working in UAE. I want to bring my wife to UAE on residence visa( family visa). she is house wife.she have ECR required stamp on her passport. i got visa to her. Is ECR clearance is reuired from POE office before travelling to UAE.pls give the details
As UAE is out of those countries for which ECNR is required, I suggest to get the passport stamped before leaving for airport.
Pankaj,
But my family is in UAE from last 1.5 years on 1st visit we suspended ECNR now again we need stamp ?
my son is 4 years old he also require stamp?
Was it a temporary suspension of ECR or permanent.
If it was permanent then no need to go again.
I don’t think that 4 years old will require stamping.
Hi Pankaj, just going through your post and responses, have to congratulate you on your patience and the help you have been providing countless number of people. I have been issued a new passport recently and it says that i have to get ECNR done.. there is a ECR stamp on it, this despite the fact that the passport i had cancelled while applying for the new one was also issued by Mumbai passport office and had default ECNR (blank page) since I am an engineer and had provided docs along with original passport application. Now which office will i have to go to for getting ECNR done in Mumbai. The Old passport office or the new one (bengal chemical bhavan)?? thanks for your time. regards.
Hi Roshan,
You may go to Counter No. 21 & 22, Hall II , Bengal Chemical Bhavan, Prabhadevi Mumbai between 10.00 AM TO 01.30 PM.
You will get the passport back on same day between 04.30 PM TO 05.30 PM at Hall No. 2, RPO(Annex), Bengal Chemical Bhavan, Prabhadevi.
You may call 022-24965555 for any enquiry.
Cheers,
Pankaj Batra
hello pankaj garu hai iam from dubai my father was waiting for emigration stamp i listen now have strike in the office so when the office re opening pls give me information
@Paul
I am not associated with passport office or emigration services, So I won’t be able to provide you information regarding the strike.