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
i have type D visa(one year) but have ecr on my passport ,i m going for employment in italy,please suggest what shld i do.
@Yogesh
For Italy, ECNR is not required.
ARE u sure,and what they do in emmigration check at airport
@Yogesh
At airport they can stop if ECNR status is required and have not been obtained by person.
Dear Mr.Pankaj,
My wife recently renewed the passport and it came with ECR stamping. Since I am already in the process of leaving to UAE on employment visa, as a sponsor I am planning to process my wife & son for a residence visa from UAE, as they will be my dependant. Will she face any problem while leaving the airport with ECR passport. What document she has to carry. My son doesnt have any stamping, hence his case is clear. pl suggest.
@R.Venkatesh
You wife and son won’t need ECNR status as they are not going for employment.
Dear pankaj,
I am going to Qatar till 20th June, on Employment Visa, on my Passport ther is ECR Written, can u please let me know how long time it will take in passport office for ECNR Endoresment, Can u please Eplain,
@Saif
You would need to get your passport reissued for ECNR status.
It may take 30-45 days under normal application.
And how long it will take in under Urgent Application, Suppose If i dont take ECNR Endorsment on my passport, i would be able to fly for qatar or not,?
@Saif
Under Tatkal application, new passport issue would take minimum 7-15 days.
If you don’t get ECNR status or emigration clearance, you won’t be able to fly for Qatar for job.
Sir
I got my Qatar work Visa and there is my old passport details, on which i got cancleed stamp from passprt office after-Submiiting the re-issue application with ECNR Status, As i know on my new passport my old passport information will be there, So now can u please tell me there will be any problem for qatar fly,
@Saif
There won’t be any issue if you carry both old and new passports.
Hi,
I am a Medical Coder (Physiotherapist) and I have a job in Abu Dhabi. My passport does not have an ECR or ECNR stamp. A lot of my friends have traveled before in same situation. However now client is saying I have to have an explicit ECNR stamp in my passport for visa process. I applied for a new passport and just got my new passport under tatkal yesterday. Even this has no ECNR stamp. Pls help! What shd I do??
@Raghav
No ECR stamp on new passports means default ECNR status.
No separate stamp for ECNR would be issued on passport now.
dear pankaj
.
i am going to hong kong on dependant visa ,i have ecr passport ,do i require ecnr for hongkong
@Aziz
For Hong Kong, ECNR is not required.
Hi Pankaj,
I have an ECR status on my passport. Unitil yesterday I did not know what it means. Now i need to cancel the same. The problem is I have my tickets and employment visa issued for 6th June 2012 and hence I have applied for Temporary ECNR suspension form POE office in Santacruz. Is it the right procedure?? I took this decsion as reissuinmg a passport is time consuming. Can I reissue my passport from the passport office in Dubai where I can also apply for ECNR suspension?? Please guide me on this.
@Pruthviraj
Temporary suspension of ECR is a short term solution. I am not really sure if they provide same for long term employment visa.
I believe you are getting emigration clearance from POE office and not a temporary suspension. Two are different things I think.
Once you reach Dubai, You can get passport reissued with ECNR status by providing eligible documents.
@pankaj thnak you very much for the reply but these guys at passort seva told m that i need to reissue for cancellation of ecr .so i would like to ask that do i need or not or i can just directly go to hk with my ecr passport ?its very confusing pankaj or should i do a ecr suspension
@Aziz
HongKong is not in the 18 countries list for which ECNR is required.
You can directly goto HK with you ECR passport without any issue at the airport.
so pankaj there wont b a problem ,you nvr know with indian govermnt.thank you so much may god blss you
Hi Pankaj,
Thanks for your prompt response. This website is of great help.
Yes I plan to get the emigration clearance from POE office, I believe its valid for 2 years. I will reissue or modify the passport for ECNR status once I am in Dubai before POE expiry. Just wanted to know whether this procedure is right. Since I have to travel in a weeks time I opted for this option.
@Pruthviraj
In such a short period, this is only solution left as reissue of Passport from India cannot happen so fast.
@Pankaj. Thank you very much for your views. This has been a great help. God bless!!!
Dear Pankaj,
yesterday I went to passport office, for reissue of my passport,since i have not carried my degree certificate/ 10th pass certificate. They granted by passport application with ECR. in my earlier passport page 2 was blank.
pl. answer for my doubt.
1. How to get it done ECNR clearance. immediately
2. with ECR status I may go to Europe, USA, Australia, for job purpose.
3. can I go official tour to any country with ECR status.
4. Once I get my passport immediately i can apply for ECNR.
5. what is procedure to get in tatkal.
Regards,
B.Kulkarni
@Bhgavant
1. ECNR status can now only be received with re-issue of passport.
2. You may go to any country on non-employment visa with ECR status. Only for listed 18 countries (see list on article), ECNR is required when traveling for employment. Europe, USA, Aus are not in this list so ECNR is not required for these even for job purpose.
3. Answer covered in 2nd point.
4. You can apply for ECNR with re-issue of passport immediately.
5. Procedure in Tatkal is same as passport issue. There is no separate process.
Dear Pankaj,
Thanks!
I am an engineer and i have just received my passport nd there is ecr stamp on it so it can be changed or it have to be reissued ?????????
@Rajiv
Passport would need to be reissued for ECNR status.
this is my new passport i received yesterday so by going to regional office nd asking them wont work?????????///
@Rajiv
It should not work.
hi pankaj
i got my passport 2days back but there is no stamp of ECR and ECNR on my passport. I’m graduate what should be there in passport I’m confused plz help me to know.i was applied for ECR not required tell me.
@Anis
Your passport is with ECNR status by default. As you are graduate, you are eligible for ECNR and same has been provided on passport.
thanks pankaj god bless u
hello sir,
i was issued a passport with ECR stamp on june1, 2012.now i am going to Dubai on visit visa. i have a return ticket and a valid visit visa.Do i need to get the ECR stamp cleared. Please suggest.
@Sameena
You don’t need to get ECNR for visit visa. Its required if you are going for job.
Dear pankaj
I got my job in abu dhabi however employer is insisting me to have my passport’s page-2 stamped as ECNR my passport is issued in 2009. I dont know what to do ?
Second page blank means your passport is with ECNR status by default as you have received it after 2007.
Dear Pankaj , i have an offer from UAE, Dubai, i did my BE , i also done my attestation on convocation certificate, now before joining to that company to provide me engineering visa they want my original attestation copy where my agent is saying that you just send attested scanned copy it will also work for giving engineering visa. Kindly help that wheather i should submit my original to them or not ?
@Gaurav
We don’t have much knowledge on UAE/Dubai visa process. Please ask this question on a relevant forum.
hi i have valid passport from 2010 .i am a diploma engineer .i am going to dubai .while visa processing they were asking ECR/ECNR status.but my passport not having that page.now what i have to do please help me
Hi sekar and all guys travelling to UAE on employment visa…now ministry of labor,Uae have been insisting on ECNR stamp on passport for employment visa process.This confusion has been going on as in India all passports issued after 2007 is by default ECNR.So no worries..For indians..the company can process the visa by submitting the blank pages no 2,3,4 & 5 of the passport along with the visa application.Please inform about this.Please share this info with all your friends…
velmurugan
thanks
@Sekar
Your passport is already with ECNR status. No need to get ECNR stamp.
hi pankaj this is dhinesh i got an job in dubai… last month only i got passport whether i need any ecnr stamp in my passport? in ma passport the second page was blank. can i fly to dubai ?
@Dinesh
Your passport is already with ECNR status. No need to get ECNR stamp. You can fly to Dubai.
thanks a lot pankaj for ur valuable replies…u r helping a lot …keep rocking dude……!!!!!!!!!
Hi Pankaj,
I Got an employment Visa For Saudi arabia but i have ECR stamp on my Passport, So i applied for ECNR ,they gave me a new booklet with ECNR , My question is that can i travel with two booklets to Saudi arabia with valid Visa on Old passport?
@Kumar
Visa on old passport would still be valid and you need to carry both old and new passports.
Hi, I recently got an employment visa to work in Saudi Arabia, the second page of my passport is blank, however my agent said i need an ECNR stamp from the passport offfice. I am MBA by qualification. Need to know can i travel without that stamp to Saudi or do i need to get the ECNR stamp.
@Ravi
Your passport is already with ECNR status, no need to get it again.
hi pankaj…in spite of providing all my educational qualification details(matriculation+b.tech) rpo at lucknow has issued me ECR stamped passport on second page..since,this is a fault of rpo office shall i go for rti to know the reason or i shall file a application of reissue of passport with ECNR..i am worried that the whole process is time consuming and i dont want to face the harassment of LIU and others asking for bribe..
@Manzar
You should file a complaint and submit same with regional passport officer. Get a receipt of complaint.
They should ask you for passport and provide ECNR stamp free of cost, if its their mistake (you should have applied for ECNR in passport application).
If they ask for re-application, you should file a RTI and ask for reason of putting ECR stamp on passport.
Hi Pankaj,
I have an employment visa from an employer based in UAE. The second page of my passport is blank. Do I need to get ECNR stamp in this case?
If yes then what is the process and how long will it take?
Thanks for your
@NV
Your passport is already with ECNR status, no need to get it again.
HI PANKAJ,
ISSUED my PASSPORT IN 2005
AND ITS 2ND PAGE IS NOT BLANK MEANS HAVING STAMP OF GOV. AND WRITTEN ENCR.
AND I HAVE TO GO IN KUWAIT FOR JOB AND MY CONSULTANT IS ASKING FOR UR PASSPORT IS STAMPED FOR ECNR OR NOT .
IS THIS STAMP AND SIGN ON 2ND PAGE INDICATES YES OR REQUIRED
@Vishal
For passport issued in 2005, you must check whats written on second page.
If emigration check not required is written, then there is no need to get ECNR again, else you would need it.