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
and what is the requirement document with form 2 how can i get the ecnr stamp in my passport ?in which passport office? i lve in gujarat
@Abdul
You need to apply for re-issue of passport at nearest passport office.
You would also need to submit ECNR eligibility proofs to get ECNR status. Check list of such proofs on this page: http://www.passportindia.gov.in/AppOnlineProject/onlineHtml/NonEcrDocuments.html
Hi Pankaj,
I am going to kuwait on visit purpose with return ticket, My passport contains ECR stamp, can I go to kuwait?
@Murtaza
There won’t be any issue on visiting Kuwait with ECR status on a visit visa and return tickets.
Hi Pankaj,
One more Query, If visit visa is Commercial visit visa, and I have return ticket also, Will there be any problem If I travel with ECR stamp??
@Murtaza
Generally there should not be issue with commercial visit visa.
But it would be good if you can get ECNR status as you never know the mood of emigration officer.
Hi,
i am going to dubai for employment
my passport containt ecnr require
is it necessary to be done it ecnr
how do we come to know that it has been clear
@Ravi
As you are going to Dubai for job, you would require ECNR status on passport before leaving India.
dear sir.Pankaj i have problem on my ECNR(EMMYGRATION CHECK NOT REQUIR)got black pen line on it & i am not comlete sscl but i was in south africa for four years &four month pls help me sir
@Sajid
As you lived outside India for more than three years, you are entitled to get ECNR status.
You can apply for re-issue of passport with ECNR status.
hey pankaj,
i have a similar query like KAKE. My ECNR became invalid once i turned 24. But my passport validity is till 2015. Can i travel to dubai with this passport not for employment though.
Also presently i work in Mumbai, but my passport is issued in Dubai, and my permanent address is that of kerala. How do i get my ecnr renewed in case i want to seek employment in Dubai?
@Roshan
You can travel to any country with ECR passport if you are not going for employment purposes.
You would need to apply for re-issue of passport for getting ECNR status. New address proof (permanent and current) also need to be provided for same.
Sir,I will be completing my UG degree this may..and i am planning to go to malaysia with my cousin in tourist visa this june for one week and i have a ecr in my passport….will it be a problem ? or can i get a temporary ecr clearance from the POE office? please help me………Last time i went to UK on tourist visa …the guys at the immigration in Chennai airport asked “Why you didnt delete the ecr?” and they finally let me to exit the country……thats why i am scared now……will they make a problem at the airport?……please help me
@Ajay
There won’t be any issue for traveling on tourist visa with ECR status.
hi Pankaj,
What about Singapore ?? My friend is travelling to singapore. he is worried that he has to get that ECNR done… could you please suggest..
One more question.. thid ECNR has to be done in the city of issue of passport only or it can be done at any regional passport office.. ??? why because he lives in pune but passport is issued in delhi.. So, for the check he has to travel all along to Delhi ????
thanks,
sriram
@Sriram
For Singapore, ECNR is not required. One may visit Singapore even with ECR status on any kind of visa.
Now passport needs to be re-issued for getting ECNR status. So new passport application can be made at different place than original place of issue. New place address proof would need to be provided and address would also be get changed in new passport.
Hey Pankaj… You are super yaar.. You gave the same reply which i got from the passport office. But only thing was couple of weeks late… Now he is already in singapore.. Anyways thank you so much.. 🙂
@Sriram
We generally reply promptly in 1-2 days, but due to some family work I was unable to respond to queries for 15-20 days. We apologize for same.
Hi, I am B.com Graduate as well as Chartered Accountant…I have applied passport but now it says that i required ECR…so how can i correct this mistake on my passport ?
@Naim
You need to apply for re-issue of passport with ECNR status.
Hi, My passport expired in 2010, am renewing now (am illetrate, but i stayed 4years in Oman)
> i have changed my name.
> i have changed my res address.
> i have to change my Signature.
> i need to cancel ECR.
> i need to edit my spouse name
Please suggest me what documents required ????
Thanks in advance.
@Mohammed
You can check document list on this page: http://passportindia.gov.in/AppOnlineProject/docAdvisor/reissuePassport
Hi Pankaj,
I got a job in Abu Dabi, i require attestation on my academic certificates. Few people said that it can be done only in Delhi…can you please guide me how to go ahead with it and in how many days it will done and are there any other places in India where the certificate attestation is done?
@Vani
We don’t have much idea about certificate attestation. Please ask the question on a relevant forum.
Hi Pankaj,
I had come to Dubai on a visit visa and then got a job visa over here. My passport has ECR stamp please let me know can I travel to India and come back to Dubai or not?
Regards Ipshita
@Ipshita
There would be issue at airport while leaving India with ECR status for Dubai on employment visa.
Please make sure your get ECNR status or emigration clearance before leaving India.
Hi Pankaj,
I am working in Dubai and have issued visa for my wife. But i just got to know that her passport have ECR as shown above in the picture. Can she still come to Dubai?
Thanks
Shabeeb
@Shabeeb
If she is not going to Dubai on employment visa, she can leave India even with ECR status passport.
Thanks Pankaj.
hi
i leave in oman, my father and mother who are senior sitizen, having passport issued in 2005, having ecr
i wanted them to visit oman , for 3 months on visit visa
do they required ecnr stamp, pls advice
@Vir Vijay
They won’t require ECNR status as they are not going for employment.
Pankaj,
On my Mothers Passport ECR, But My father was a Government Servent. If my father Go with my Mother DUbai, Can ECR Stamp mandatory on my Mother Passport or Not?
Please confirm.
ASHISH
@Ashish
If they are not going on employment visa, ECNR status is not mandatory for them.
Hi ,
i am having business visa and working in saudi arabia, my wife applied for passport but she is dint clear her 10th. so i think she will get ECNR stamp on her passport, now i m going to apply visa for her how i can delete this ecnr stamp from her passport if 10th not cleared and does not have IT return filled she got pan card with her old name(i mean her name and her father name but passport will have hername and(husband name) can you help me i am graduate will any way to remove this stamp and hw many days this will take
@Kishor
If she is not going to work in Saudi, she does not require ECNR status.
Hi Pankaj,
I have passport issued in 2011. I have 2nd page blank, which means I’m eligible for ECNR.
But there is no stamp on my passport of “ECNR”..
& i need that stamp at the time of my travel(as per instruction given by company)…
Where do i get it…?
@Max
Blank second page means you already have ECNR status. No need to get any further stamp.
Hi Pankaj,
I’m Gobinath, i have failed in 10th. i did graduation through open university (if u have completed 18years, or you have passed 8th std.) when i went passport seva they said open university graduation is not valid, we consider only ur 10th, in that u failed so we’ll give u ECR status. now my company offering foreign trip(tour) for me,
Is there ECNR required to me?
Is open university graduation not valid?
@Gobinath
Open university graduation is not a valid eligibility criteria for ECNR.
Also, ECNR is not required for traveling to any country on normal visit visa. Its only required if one is going for employment.
Thank U very much bro, really i found this site is very useful to all……
Hi Pankaj… I have my passport ECR stamped and I need to make it ECNR.
How much time it will take in tatkaal seva,,,, and fees?
@Khurshid
You would need to apply for re-issue of passport under Tatkal scheme and it may take 7-15 days in re-issue.
It would cost Rs 2500.
dear pankaj sir,
me ap se ek quetion pushna chahta hu plz help me.mera maleysia ka work visa laga hai or ap mughe je bataye ki ab me delhi me kaha jau k mere passport pe visa ko lagwa saku or kya kharcha ayega …….mere pass ticket ,call later or seeled visa paper hai …meri 15/6/2012 ki flight hai………kirpya ap mughe kharcha or embessy add.btaye.
thanks
sukhwant singh
@Sukhwant
Please contact a visa agent for Malaysia visa. We don’t have much knowledge on this subject.
thanks. pankaj… One more thing.. can i go to Gulf for job with NCR on Passport…please advise as I have urgency .. and presuure from my employer
@Khurshid
You should not leave India with ECR status for job in Gulf.
You may not be allowed to leave India at the airport.
Thanks a lot dude..