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 have got my passport in 2000. n dont have ecnr. n am going to singapore on holiday. so do i require to get ecnr before going or can just go ahead with my plans.
thanks prashant.
Hi Prashant,
for singapore, ECNR is not required. You may go ahead to singapore without any worry.
Happy holidays !
-Pankaj
dear Pankaj,
i am working in uae. i would like to bring my wife and two kids here in family visa.It is stamped ECR in my wife’s passport and not in kids passport.Is ECNR required to come here. If ECNR is required what are the document i have to sent to get ECNR stamp. my wife is SSLC Failed.pls reply to my Email.
thanks and regards
lenin
hi pankaj,
thanks for ur help. n keep up the good work. very few people are like you yaar.
take care n god bles.
Hi Lenin,
As your wife is not going to UAE for employment. She may go without ECNR stamping.
dear pankaj,im working in uae ,in LLCcompanies , if iwant to change the job within a year ,willi get a ban ,or whether any other rule to lift the ban ,orwhether the new rule is in enforcement ,i heard that uae is removing the ban ,if so when .
Hi,
Dear Batra,
I was told by my employer to go for a visit to yemen for some site inspection for about 4 to 5 days. on submission of my site report they may quote for a construction project.
I have ECR passport. Do i require to get stamped as ECNR or suspension of ECR ?
Please clarify at the earliest.
Dear sir,
can you make it convenient to clarify today as i may have to decide on my trip today itself.
Hi Prayag,
I don’t have idea about UAE rules. Please consult any UAE emigration website.
Yes Mr Rao,
As you are going to yemen for business work, you must get ECR suspended.
-Pankaj
Sir,
I am a employee on monthly salary for this company. still it is considered as busines work ?
If so please advise me where to get this ECR suspended and time frame .
Hi Mr. Rao,
Yes its a business trip. You can get temporary ECR suspension using any agent as well. Your company should get it done.
otherwise, you may also get it done yourself by visiting nearest passport office with required documents. It will be done on same day and you will get the passport back same evening.
Thankyou sir
hi pankaj,
I am kiran and i got my passport on june 2008.on my passport 2nd page i had a stamp as ECNR required for sum countries actually what is ECNR ? and why i have dat stamp in my passport port, i am planning to study abroad (U.S.A). One of my frnd say to get cancel that ECNR stamp i cant get what he say…..
Did i do anything to go for abroad (U.S.A) ………….. plz help me i am very much confused about this what to do and allllllllllllll plz help me…………
Hi Kiran,
ECNR means Emigration Check/clearance not required. ECNR stamp is required on your passport if you are traveling to any of the below country for employment.
These countries are 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.
You should not worry if you are not going to any of the above countries.
I also do not have ECNR and have visited US, China, Hong Kong, Mauritus multiple times.
If you need any help regarding study abroad, I can help you in that case as well. I am working in Studyplaces.com which is a excellent source of information for students seeking information about institutes in India and abroad.
All the best for your studies.
-Pankaj
ha sir,
I am very thankful for ur valuable suggestion though it seems to small for u but it is a very BIG solution for me … once again i am very thankful to u..
Actually i have the ENDORSEMENT ECR not ECNR which i specified wrong unknowingly and what d Endorsement is actually
“Emigration check required (ECR) except for Bangladesh, Pakistan and all countries in Europe (excluding common wealth of independent states (CIS), North America, Japan, new Zealand, Australia, S.Korea, S.Africa, Singapore)”.
So i again confused what it actually mean can u help sir plz…………
and
if i want to get ECNR what should i do yaar……
Will u guide me in admission process sir?
ha sir,
I am very thankful for ur valuable suggestion though it is small for u but it is a very BIG solution for me … once again i am very thankful to u..
Actually i have the ENDORSEMENT ECR not ECNR which i specified wrong unknowingly and what d Endorsement is actually
“Emigration check required (ECR) except for Bangladesh, Pakistan and all countries in Europe (excluding common wealth of independent states (CIS), North America, Japan, new Zealand, Australia, S.Korea, S.Africa, Singapore)”.
So i again confused what it actually mean can u help sir plz…………
and
if i want to get ECNR what should i do yaar……
Will u guide me in admission process sir?
ha sir,
I am very thankful for ur valuable suggestion though it is small for u but it is a very BIG solution for me … once again i am very thankful to u..
if i want to get ECNR Endorsement what should i do yaar……
Will u guide me in admission process sir?
Hi Kiran,
The statement means that you don’t need Emigration check for the listed countries and for other countries you need ECNR stamping.
You may get ECNR stamping done yourself by visiting nearest passport office with required documents. It will be done on same day and you will get the passport back same evening.
If you need any help in admission to US universities, feel free to contact me.
-Pankaj
Hi Pankaj,
First of all, I will say you are a great human being, by seeing the way you answer to the people.
I will feel assured, If i get response from a person, who have visited USA, like you.
I have got my passport issued(4th Feb 2008) from PATNA, which says
“Emigration check required (ECR) except for Bangladesh, Pakistan and all countries in Europe (excluding common wealth of independent states (CIS), North America, Japan, new Zealand, Australia, S.Korea, S.Africa, Singapore)”.
I am working with a IT company and have got my Short term L1 visa for US.(for employment over there)
I am about to fly on 24th of this month. Please suggest me, If i need to do anything regarding that “ECR” stamp on my passport.
I am in a big confusion. Please respond me as soon as possible.