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 pankaj ,I had the ECRS stamp on my passport in 2004 while traveling to Oman .was planning to go again next month on a tourist visa do i need the same … please help.
@Rijesh
If you are going as tourist, ECNR status/stamp is not required for any country.
thanks for u r help……
Hi i plan to gulf country (*oman).I have passport but in that i don have any seal like(ECNR)that passport took on final year college semester my PG.And given my UG degree certificate and PAN,Driving,Voters ID card and family card proofs . What i need to?
*Note-In my passport they mention “TYPE-P”.
@Ashok
If your passport does not have mention of ECR, your passport would already be with ECNR status. So you won’t need any further stamping.
Hi Pankaj,
Thanks for reply.
If they are mention ECR means where they ill mention?And how find they will mention ECR in my passport.?
@Ashok
If they would mention ECR, it would be done on second page itself. It would look like photo shown in article.
Hi pankaj,
Thanks for your valuable suggestion.So i don want to do anything.I can go any gulf countries right ? Thanks , And good helping mind keep it up.
@Ashok
Yes, you can go to any country without need of ECNR stamp.
My passport is issued in 2006 and states ECNR required. I am travelling to Turkmenistan on 1st Sept to join ship. I have valid Panama CDC. please advise, if I have to get ECNR for Turkmenistan. thansk
@Sandeep
For Turkmenistan, ECNR is not required.
thanks Mr. Batra,
my passport mentioned below clause…
“Emigration check required (ECR) except for Bangladesh, Pakistan and all countries in Europe (Excluding commonwealth of Independent states (CIS), North America, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, South Korea, South Africa, Singapore and Thailand”
Please advise, Turkmenistan does not fall in above areas.
Best regard
Sandeep
@Sandeep
Passport stamp does not mention full list.
Check full list of countries for which ECNR is not required here: http://moia.gov.in/services.aspx?ID1=111&id=m7&idp=104&mainid=73
Dear Mr. Batra,
thanks for your co-operation and prompt reply. I am confident no. I really appreciate your this type of social service….. once again thanks for the info.
best regards
Sandeep
hello sir,
my bro got the visa of employee in dubai.. do he have to go through immigration process or not .. his passport issued in 2007.. plz reply soon
@Navi
If his passport has ECR stamp, then he would need to get emigration clearance or ECNR stamping before leaving for Dubai.
Hi Sandeep,
My wife is a staff nurse,has got a work visa stamped in her passport and her travel is already been scheduled on 13th of Sep. Her passport is issued in the year 2003. Please advice as we are running short of time to apply for an ECNR.
@Sumit
If she is going to any of the 17 listed countries for employment and her passport has ECR status, she would need ECNR status or emigration clearance before leaving India.
i have second page blank ,i have to fill a form for job purpose which asks ECNR check ..yes or no. what should i tick?
@Ritu
Your passport is already with ECNR status as it does not contain ECR stamp.
ok thanks it means i have to tick YES option?
@Ritu
Yes, you should check Yes on ECNR status.
I have Dubai emloyment paper visa,(profession-partner) last enter date to dubai 6sep,last week 28 aug I travel to Dubai,but immigration officer stop my travelling becoz my passport ds nthave encr stamp,nxt day I conntect my agent, myagent sent my passport 2 mumbai for temporary encrstamp( sticker)its valid for six mnth, so temporary I leaveindia,and I hve to reach Dubaib4 6 sep, plzguide me creat any problm temporary encr stampsticker ? And requires returnticket proof.?
@Rajveer
There won’t be an issue with temporary ECR suspension until its validity, you may leave without any issue.
Hello Pankaj,
If I am going to Nigeria, do I need to get the ECR stamp removed.
Thanks
@Michelle
For Nigeria, ECNR is not required so no need to get ECR stamp removed.
Thanks for your reply!!!
I am going to Dubai for employement and passport is issued in 2003 and I am a charted accountant and I need ecnr stamp how do I get it…I got my passport when I was 16 years old and I am using the same passport…please help me
@Devansh
You should apply for reissue of passport for ECNR status.
You may apply online on http://passportindia.gov.in
IS ECNR STAMP NOT REQUIRED FOR PASSPORT ISSUIED AFTER JANUARY2007 WHICH WAS ISSUED BY ATTACHED BY SSC CERTIFICATE KINDLY ,REPLY URGENTLY THAKING YOU
@Afzal
In case your passport does not have ECR stamp, you don’t need ECNR as passport is by default with ECNR status.
dear pankaj,
i am going to abudhabi uae i need ecnr stamp how i get i had ecr stamp on my passport i had rejected on immigration in airport i had labour working visa my education is s.y.b.com please help me
@Navin
Please get your passport reissued with ECNR status.
hi sir ,
i m navdeep my passport issue date is :- 12/09/2008
i will go to kuwait as engineer in a company
Is ECNR stamp is required for me
and there is no ECR stamp in my passport
@Navdeep
As there is no ECR stamp in your passport, you won’t need ECNR stamp.
thks sir
and what about medical test
@Navdeep
This article is about ECNR/ECR only and we don’t have much knowledge on visa requirements and medical tests etc.
and is the medical test is required to me
Mr.Pankaj
hi i’m vijay i got a job on singapore now on my passport i have a ECR stamp if any problem to travel us,, pls reply me. Thanks.
@Vijay
For Singapore, ECNR is not required, so issues with ECR stamp.
My passport was issued in 2010. I have got an offer letter in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. I have ECR stamp on my passport. My ticket has come for next week. WIll there be any problems..
@Rohit
You may not be allowed to leave India for Saudi Arabia on employment visa with ECR stamp.
You should either get ECNR status on passport or emigration clearance from PoE office before leaving.
Hi,
Yes but I have visiting visa.. Can I travel saying that “I am on a business visit”
@Rohit
ECNR is not requited for visit visa to any country. Its only required on employment visa for selected 17 countries.
Hi Pankaj,
Really thanks for a quick response… So I will be cleared if I say I am on business visit. and yes my visa is visiting visa with ECR stamp on passport
Hi Pankaj,
My passport is issued from Chennai. At present I am in Gujarat. so can i apply for ecnr in Gujarat passport office or do I have to go all the way to Chennai passport office for the same.
@Rohit
For ECNR status, you would need to get your passport reissued. It can also be done in Gujarat too but you would need to get your address also changed to Gujarat.
Dear pankaj,
Does ECNR passport required to go Switzerland for a company sponsored vacation…. as I hold a ECR passport!!!
Srikanth
@Srikanth
ECNR not required for Switzerland.
I am planning go to uk via dubai for a visit and not employment visa ,now since i may have to change flights while traveling via dubai do i require the ECNR stamp?
@Anil
ECNR is not required for traveling through any of the listed 17 countries.
hi sir,
whr i got temporary ecnr stamp and how many day it takes ? which document i subbmit for it ?
@D.Maharana
You can contact any travel agent for getting temporary suspension of ECR. It may take 1-2 days and you would need visa as proof.
Dear pankaj , my passport issued in 2003. i hav already visited to dubai on tourist visa last year in september, but now i m going to dubai for job, my company is asking regarding my ECNR status,my second page is already printed and my ticket is on 27 sep 2012 from new delhi to dubai.
plz guide me what should i do?
plz reply very soon.
@Uvaid
In case your passport is with ECR status, you would need to get ECNR status or emigration clearance before leaving India.
For get ECNR status, you would need to get your passport reissued which may take even 30-45 days.
Emigration clearance can be taken from PoE office and you can apply online here: http://poeonline.gov.in/
i applied my vist visa to uae but it still din came my visa but i applied before one month what’s problem its going on there pls help me
@Ibrahim
We have no idea why UAE visa is not processed.
This article is about ECNR/ECR and have no information on visa processing.