in Government, India, Travel |

Emigration clearance not required (ECNR)

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 check not required (ECNR)

Emigration clearance required (ECR)

Eligibility for ECNR status:

The following applicants are eligible for Emigration Check Not Required (ECNR) status:

  1. Gazetted Government servants, their spouses and dependent children
  2. Holders of Diplomatic/official Passports
  3. Persons having educational qualifications of matriculation and above
  4. Persons above the age of 50 years
  5. 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)
  6. Income-Tax payers (including Agricultural Income-Tax payees) in their individual capacity, their spouses and dependent children below the age 18 years.
  7. 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
  8. Nurses possessing qualifications recognized under the Indian Nursing Council Act. 1947
  9. 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
  10. 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
  11. 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
  12. 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:

  1. Protector of Emigrant office New Delhi
    Jaisalmar House, Canteen Block, Man Singh Road,
    New Delhi
    Tel No. 011-2338 2472
  2. Protector of Emigrant office Mumbai
    Building “E” Khira Nagar, S.V. Road, Santacruz (West),
    Mumbai-400 054
    Tel No. 022-2614 7393
  3. 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
  4. Protector of Emigrant office Chennai
    Tamil Nadu Housing Board Complex, Ashok Nagar,
    Chennai-600 083
    Tel No. 044-2489 1337
  5. Protector of Emigrant office Hyderabad
    8th Floor, Chandra Vihar Complex, Opp. Exhibition Ground,
    M.J. Road, Hyderabad.
  6. Protector of Emigrant office Trivandrum
    Suganth, 24/846 (I), Thycaud,
    Trivandrum-695 014
    Tel No. 0471-2324835
  7. Protector of Emigrant office Chandigarh
    Kendriya Sadan, 5th Block, Ground Floor,
    Sector-9-A, Chandigarh
    Tel No. 0172-2741790
  8. Protector of Emigrant office Cochin
    3RD Floor Putherickal Building, Market Road, Ernakulam.
    Kerala – 682035
    Tel. No. 0484-2360187
  9. 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:

  1. Passport (valid at least for six months)
  2. Valid Employment Visa
  3. Contract Duly Signed by Foreign Employer
  4. Valid Pravasi Bhartiya Bima Policy 2006
  5. Affidavit from Candidate Declaring Genuineness of Documents
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4,643 Comments

  1. Hi,
    My son is going to CANADA for further studies to do his MS. He has got admission in a Canadian University and also has got his Student VISA on his passport. In his passport there is a stamping that EMIGRATION CHECK REQUIRED 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.

    Since he is going for two years for higher studies to CANADA (NORTH AMERICA) does he require to get Emigration Check Not Required (ECNR)stamped on his passport. I am asking this because I do not want him to face any problems at the counters in Airport. Would appreciate your immediate response so that I can steps to do the needful.

    Regards
    H.M. Nayak

    Reply to Madhukar

  2. Hi Pankaj,
    my wife got ECR in her passport insted ECNR. Is it compulsory require to have ECNR in her passport to travel USA as H4-Dependent. (She already has H-4 Visa).
    Kindly let me know

    Reply to Chandra

  4. Hi Pankaj,

    Can i get ECR removed if i submit my provisional degree certificate ( B.Sc Computer Science )

    Reply to James

  5. hi sir, i want to change day of birth in my passport, can it possible ? if possible which document i will apply
    please help me…

    Reply to babu

  6. hi sir, can i apply pancard for new date of birth proof or which document ? when i had applyed for passport i had applyed pancard, voterid and bank passbook. please inform me sir.

    Reply to babu

    • @Babu
      Following documents would be accepted for date of birth change:
      1. Birth certificate issued by a Municipal Authority or any office authorized to issue Birth and Death Certificate by the Registrar of Births & Deaths
      2. School leaving certificate / Secondary School leaving certificate/ Certificate of Recognized Boards from the school last attended by the applicant or any other recognized educational institution
      3. Affidavit sworn before a Magistrate/Notary stating date/place of birth as per the specimen in Annexure ‘A’ by illiterate or semi-illiterate applicants (Less than 5th class).

      Reply to Pankaj

  8. Dear Sir,

    i did mba,i applied passport when i am doing MBA at that time i put my 10th ,inter and degree certificates xerox and i got a passport through broker, i don’t have any stamp on 2 page on my passport it was issued in 2010, now i am going to Oman(muscat) for employment, is it required ECNR stamp,Please suggest me

    Reply to Anvesh

  9. Hi, Im travelling to Doha in the next two weeks. Its is only during the last moment i came across ECNR process. However i have already received the visa and its a Tourist Single entry , Purpose of visit – Tourist, Duration – 1 month and i have also booked return flight.. I know this is not for any Job/Business purpose, but still have couple of question that needs to be answered.

    – Do i still require a new passport since mine is issued before 2007 ?
    – I am boarding from Calicut (Koazhikode) now do i have to go through some screening process just because i don’t have ECNR.
    – Will i be able to request an exemption once if anything goes wrong. Which for god sake i am expecting least
    – Do i have to carry any documents/Pan/Matriculartion/Degree Certification handy.

    OR

    Can i just board the bloody flight without any issues !!

    Many thanks

    Reply to Vaishak

  10. Dear sir,
    Am working in UAE since 8 years ,now i got Job offer letter from U.S. .Employer will provide me a H1B visa in very soon. So kindly let me know that my passport doesn’t have ECNR due to passport issued to me in 2005.Now can i cancel my UAE visa and can travel to US after exit from UAE to India. or any problem will arrise at Emigration in HYD? with the ECNR status????? please confirm me.

    Thanks
    KKK

    Reply to Kiran

  11. HI PANKAJ DEAR I AM APPLYING FOR BEAUTICIAN JOB IN SAUDI aRABIA ,SO I WANT TO CONVERT MY ECR STAMP WHICH IS MADE IN 2009 INTO ECNR SO CAN U PLZZ GUIDE ME WHICH OFFICE SHALL I GO TO DO THIS PASSPORT OFFC OR EMIGRATION OFFICE RPLY ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE

    Reply to BUSHRA

    • @Bushra
      If you are eligible for ECNR status (have matriculation certificate), then you can apply for reissue of passport to get ECNR status at passport office.
      Else, you can get emigration clearance from PoE office.

      Reply to Pankaj

  12. Dear Pankaj

    I want to make an ECNR Passport. PSK ask me to submit graduation Marksheet although I have submitted class 10 Admit Card, whether it is necessary to submit the same.
    Moreover Class 10 admit Card is sufficient for proof of Date of Birth (Although I have PAN card and Aadhar Card)

    Pls let me know I have to submit the documents asap.

    Sandeep

    Reply to Sandeep

  13. HELLO SIR I AM MANISH NEXT MONTH I AM GOING TO MUSCAT FOR JOB . I AM A GRADUATE SO PLEASE TELL ME THEIR IS A NEED ECNR OR (IMMIGRATION) STAMP PASSPORT ISSUED IN YR 2013 PLEASE TELL ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE…??? ,MAIL
    [email protected]

    Reply to manish

  14. Sir, I am assisting a company for MOU signing for construction & building Material Production line purchase and global agency agreement this month in to china. I have ECR status. Does i have to get ECNR status for the said travel?

    Reply to Debrato.

  17. IAM WORKING IN UAE,IAM PLANNING TO BRING MY WIFE IN RESIDENCE VISA.MY WIFE IS HAVING ECR STAMP IN PASSPORT.IS SHE REQUIRED TO GET ECNR STAMP TO COME UAE?I WANT TO INFORM YOU THAT SHE IS NOT IN EMPLOYMENT VISA.SHE WILL BE IN RESIDENCE VISA AS I WILL BE SPONSER FOR HER.PLESE MAKE ME CLARIFY THIS.

    THANKS..
    FROM JANI..

    Reply to JANI

  18. Hello Pankaj Sir, my friend worked in Dubai 4 years after visa expire he went to India, and he return back to Dubai very short with new visa and new employment, his passport is ECR Deleted, he is starting to Dubai very short, is there any problem sir, please sir need your valuable answer

    Reply to Minhaj

  19. my passport has been stamped”This passport is extended by the issue of a fresh booklet” during the renewal of the passport -passport has a validity of one year with valid visas- can i continue to travel till such time new booklet is received?

    Reply to Vibhu