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 am working in dubai in a bank and I wish to sponser my wife for residence visa. She has a ecr stamped passport. Would she be stopped at the airport if he has my sponsorship visa?
@Saurav
As she would not be going for employment, she won’t need ECNR status.
Hi Pankaj,
I am a Chartered Accountant and I am planning to go to China on a short 15 day business visit sponsored by my employer. I have an ECR stamp on page 2 of my passport. I am aware China is not one of the 18 ECR countries. However, given my educational qualifications, is there any chance I will denied check in because I don’t have an ECNR stamp?
Regds,
Kshiteesh
@Kshiteesh
ECNR not required for China.
Mr. Pakaj.
On basis of Income tax return , will ecr stamp be removed from passport.
@Ankit
You would need following documents:
i) Proof of assessment of income tax and actual payment of income tax for last one year
OR
ii) Income Tax return statement (with income tax being paid by the applicant) for last one year that is stamped by income tax authorities and a copy of the PAN card
Note: i) Proof of payment of advance tax is not sufficient. You need to submit additional documents as specified above.
ii) Applicants submitting NILL income tax return statement are not eligible.
Dear sir,
I got offer from dubai and have sent my visa nd air ticket. But they have told me to do government clearance before coming to dubai. I have my passport issued on oct 2012, but I don’t have any stamps of ecr or ecnr on it. So what I have to do? Should I bored the flight directly or the stamping will be done in the airport or I need to go peo office for that please suggest I have only 18 days remaining m tensed now. Please help.
Thanks
@Ashish
Your passport is already with ECNR status, you don’t need any further stamping.
Hi… Sir I have applied for a passport in a normal procedure.. But now I need it to be done in tatkal.. As I need passport very urgent… Is there any procedure to get in tatkal… My verification has not yet done.. And my appointment date is on 4th October at passport office.. Please suggest me fast
@Sayed
If you have already applied under normal application, you would not be able to re-apply under tatkal.
you can apply by paying tatkal at Regional Passport Office
I got job in Dubai but I m not matrix passed so how can I clear my ecr
@Zubair
If you file income tax return and have paid taxes, you can also apply on that base.
Otherwise you can get emigration clearance from PoE office.
I am a Professor in a management school and I need to travel to Oman for two days to take some classes. Unfortunately I have ECR stamped on my passport. The organisation there has arranged an express visa which I need to collect from Muscat airport. Do I need ECNR? If so how much time does it take as I need to fly on 7th October 2013?
@Partha
As you are not going for employment, you won’t need ECNR status.
Hi i need to remove the ECR status from my passport. I have completed my Graduation and expecting a work visa to Dubai in 7 days so can i go to the passport office with my graduation certificate address proof pan card ecr suspension form duly filled photographs and photocopies of the passport. Please guide me thanks
@Leander
For ECR removal, you would need to get passport reissued.
Hi I have got my work visa can i go in for a temporary suspension since i need to travel in two weeks can i just get temporary suspension from protector of emigrant office and travel since removal of ecr i have to reissue a new passport please guide its urgent
@Leander
Yes, you can get emigration clearance from PoE office which would be valid for one time.
Hi sir,
I am travelling to Kuwait on visit visa for a month but i have ECR on my passport so shall i go for ECR clearance ?
@Shahid
ECNR is not needed for visit visa.
Hi Sir,
I have a passport issued in the year 2005 with ECR stamp. I have to go to US (North Canton , Ohio State). And I am aware that ECNR is not reqd. for North America.
Looks like my office travel dept. are going to issue flight tickets via Middle east (most probably via Dubai). During this break journey at middle east do I face any problems with this ECR stamp? Do i need to get the ECNR stamp for this situation? Please advise.
@Sandeep
As you are not going to Dubai for employment, you won’t need ECNR status.
Hi Pankaj,
Good Morning. I came to know about this portal from a colleague. I sincerly appreciate the good work you are doing here.
My query is:-
I am an employee of Infosys Ltd. working in Hyderabad. I have to travel US (from Infosys) on H1-B visa for employment in US. But when checked my passport, happened to see ECR stamp on it. Please advise if this ECR stamp will cause any problems. Do i need to go for ECNR in this regard?
Thanks in advance,
Br,
Narasimha Rao.
@Narasimha
ECNR status is not required for travelling to USA. So you need not to do anything regarding ECR/ECNR.
Already my passport issued from hyderabad passport office, but get ecr stamp on the passport 2nd page. I need ecnr status from kolkata passport office.
So please help me & give office address in kolkata.
@Debdas
You need to get passport reissued for ECNR status.
Check Kolkata passport office details here: http://passportindia.gov.in/AppOnlineProject/online/fetchRpoDetails?rpoName=Kolkata#office
Hi my name is Nikhil I hv a passport issued in 2013 I am to tavel to bahrain to work my passport does not have any stamp ecr or ecbr . I checked wikipedia it says if ur passport is ecnr the second page will be blank but I dint have a blank second page the page numbering starts wit 1 which is the passport logo and on the 2nd page it is my information but this page is NT numbered 2 and next is page 3 which is blank . So I am confused . Is there any procedure I need to follow
@Nikhil
If you don’t have ECR stamp on passport, its already with ECNR status. So you don’t need any further processing.
hi pankaj,
i am rajesh, in my passport ecr status stamping is done. it will be any problem if i go f1 visa interview for usa.
does it affect my visa chances
@Rajesh
ECNR/ECR does not matter for US visa. US visa has no relation with ECR/ECNR stamp.
Hi I live in Qatar n had a ECR stamp on it,I got a stamp before I came to Doha for work,my question is now if I go back to India for holidays do I need to go through the same process again?
@Rahul
If you go back to India, you would need to get emigration clearance again before leaving India. Or you can get ECNR status on passport by getting it reissued.
HI, I am Siby. I want to bring my mother to UAE for visit visa. In Her passport, 2nd page no stamp either ECR or ECNR. Any problem in her journey?
@Siby
First, she won’t need ECNR status as she is not travelling for employment.
Second, she already has ECNR status by virtue of not having an ECR stamp on second page.
Sir my sister have passport Indian she applied in 2010 but he not pass matrix if he come Dubai she need ecnr stamp please guide me
@Rakesh
If she is going for employment, she would need ECNR, else not.
Hi Pankaj,
I am flying to Dubai with my family (wife & kids) for a one week vacation. My kids (6 years and 1 year) got their new passports and they don’t have ECNR stamp on their passports. And my wife passport got renewed in 2006 (she is post graduate) and there is no ECNR stamp on her passport as well. Can you guide us, if we need to have the stamp attained on their passports or not required.
@Deepak
As you are not going for employment, you won’t need ECNR status.
Hi sir,
I am travelling to UAE in visit visa for 90days and i got the one way ticket from my company so plz suggest me can i travel in visit visa with one way ticket or have to book the round trip ticket ?
@Saheed
As its visit visa, there should not be an issue in regards to ECNR status.
Hi pankaj ,
I am travelling to bangkok next month 7th and just checked have ECR stamp on my passport. What do i need to do. Do i need to get the stamp cancelled before travelling or do i travel with it. And also ECR stamping has got to do with indian custom authorities or bangkok custom authorities.
Prompt reply would be appreciated.
@Arjun
In case you are not going for employment, there is no issue in travelling with ECR stamp.
ECR/ECNR is checked only while leaving India and other countries has nothing to do with this.
but incase i want to get it removed what is the procedure
@Arjun
You would need to apply for reissue of passport. Submit any eligibility proof mentioned on this page: http://www.passportindia.gov.in/AppOnlineProject/onlineHtml/NonEcrDocuments.html
My daughter is studying in India she is visiting me in Kenya on 27th and when she applied for renewal of passport, the new passport has ECR stamped. She has dependent pass and her mother is traveling with her. Will there be a problem at the airport in India?
@Vejay
ECR stamp won’t create any issue for non-employment visa.
Thanks for the reply, the issue which was coming to my mind is that valid visa is required for travel for ECR stamped passport and Kenya has system of visa on arrival. She is holding dependent pass but will be stamped in her passport on her arrival in Kenya. Will this be a problem? She has valid return ticket.
@Vejay
For Kenya, ECNR is not required, so it does not matter if visa is on arrival or not.