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 want to travel qatar on business visa. And my passport was issued in march 13. And I don’t see any ECNR stamp . Can I travel to qatar. Plz reply.
Thank U!
@Srinivas
If there is no ECR stamp, passport is by default with ECNR status. So you need not to worry.
Dear Pankaj,
My passport states ecnr till the dependent minor attains the age of 24 years can you help me what does this means i am now age of 25 i was stopped to travel as emigration said to get poe i wasted my ticket and money please help me
@Dipesh
You need to get ECNR status or emigration clearance from PoE office.
For ECNR status, you need to apply for reissue of passport.
thank you for your reply,
if i go for reissue of passport it will take time so can i get emigration clearance from POE office.
@Dipesh
Yes, you can get emigration clearance from PoE office, but it would be valid for one visit only.
Hi Pankaj
Thank you for the great service that you are providing through your site. Your logo and its message is absolutely amazing.
I have a query for which I have been trying to find some clear answers and hope you will be able to guide.
One of my acquaintance received an employment visa from Dubai but was stopped at the airport in India citing no stamp of ECNR on her passport (issued in 2006). She applied for ECNR the next day only to be informed that her passport information page had slightly faded and therefore she first needs to apply for a new passport, which she did. Now she has received her new passport, without any stamp of ECR or ENCR. She is concerned if she will be stopped at the airport again as she is coming on a new employment visa to Dubai. If I understand correctly, a blank second page of the passport means that it is already ECNR approved? or is there any other additional POE approval/stamp that she would be required to get to travel?
@Kevin
Blank second page (no ECR stamp) means ECNR status by default, as Ministry of external affairs has stopped putting non-ECR stamps on passport.
Dear Pankaj,
I am currently employed in Dubai and I also have the residency visa stamped on my passport. But I also do have the ECR stamp on my passport. I had come to Dubai on a tourist visa and managed to get a job here. I travelled back to India for a vacation and had absolutely no issues exiting the country. How is it that I wasn’t stopped at the airport while returning to Dubai?(I’m thankful to God I wasn’t)
@Crystal
It may be because of emigration officer’s leniency, considering you are already settled in Dubai and came only for vacation.
Hi pankaj
i am going to canada on immigrant visa. I also have ecr stamp on my passport . I have to need ecnr status. On my passport.
@Manjinder
For Canada, ECNR is not required, so you can travel even with a ECR status passport.
sir, i am 8 std pass iihave pan card. so require poe stam or not if
if require please provide of document list and nearest office my resident address of vadodara
@Asfak
If you have any document from the list on this page: http://www.passportindia.gov.in/AppOnlineProject/onlineHtml/NonEcrDocuments.html you can get ECNR status by applying for reissue of passport.
Else you need to get clearance from PoE.
Nearest PoE office would be Mumbai. Below is the address
Protector of Emigrant office Mumbai
Building “E” Khira Nagar, S.V. Road, Santacruz (West),
Mumbai-400 054
Tel No. 022-2614 7393
Document list:
* Passport (valid atleast for six months)
* Valid Employment Visa
* Original Contract Duly Signed by Foreign Employer and attested by concerned indian mission
* Valid Pravasi Bhartiya Bima Policy 2006
* Affidavit from Candidate Declaring Genuineness of Documents
Hi Pankaj,
When we opt for re-issue of passport then, what happens to existing visa stamps on old passport? Do we have to carry both passports? Any idea.
If I apply for POE clearance, then I have problem with below docs
*Original Contract Duly Signed by Foreign Employer and attested by concerned indian mission — I have photo/scanned copy of contract letter from Employer
* Valid Pravasi Bhartiya Bima Policy 2006 — I don’t have any Bima Policy as of now. Need to get one immediately?
Could you suggest what should I do in this case?
Thanks,
Venkat.
Hi Pankajji! I really need some advise urgently. I am from Malaysia and did calling visa approved to hire a maid from Punjab. Working permit for 1 year was approved and endorsed by Malaysia Embassy (Visa Counselor New Dehli). Unfortunately my maid was stop at Dehli Airport for not getting the stamping clearance.I think that is ECR. She was advise to go to Imigrisen Clearance dept but was rejected due to her age was 26yrs old and she is not educated. she is only allowed to leave the country afrer 30yrs. Is this correct. Pls advise as i have waited long time and went thru hassel to get the documents approved.
@Amin
What you need is Approval of the Ministry, as candidates is a female aged 30 years or less and being deployed as housemaid.
my wife have emplayment visa but delhi air port she return now because her passport ecr so emigration person tell him u need ecnr stamp what i can do
@Shakeel
She would either need to get ECNR status on passport by applying for reissue of passport and submitting any of the eligibility proof (as listed on this page: http://www.passportindia.gov.in/AppOnlineProject/onlineHtml/NonEcrDocuments.html), Or get emigration clearance from PoE office.
Hi Pankaj,
My passport has ECR stamp, so to get ECNR what is the procedure exactly, I am confused.
I understand that we have two options,
1. Re-issue passport
2. Get clearance from POE.
I have to get ECNR stamp in 10 days time, what is the best approach that I should go for?
Passport Issued at : Visakhapatnam
My Present Address: Mumbai
Best Regards,
Venkat.
I got answers by reading old comments here. Thanks.
Sir,
I am 27 years old, Female. My passport was Issue date is Jan 29, 2008. There is no stamp (ECR or ECNR) on page 2. I will be travelling to Dubai – UAE for employment purpose. Will I have a problem at the immigration? Do I Need to get any Stamp? I was told I need to go to the Passport office and ask them regarding this. Please advise
Thanks
ED
@ED
As ECR stamp is not present, your passport is already with ECNR status. You need not to do anything regarding ECNR before traveling.
Dear Pankaj,
I have a renewed passport with ECR by mistake.I had earlier visa with ECR camcelled.Now I got Dubai employment visa and has the current passport no. I was supposed to go to Dubai and after getting there the visa was supposed to be stamped on my passport but I was not allowed to board the flight due to ECR status even if I had all degree certificates with me.Now passport office says that I will get a new visa without ECR.Now my question is whether this is valid and will not be objected since the new passport no. will be different than that mentioned on the current visa?(I know that the new passport will have the earlier passport no. mentioned on the last page).
Dear Pankaj,
I understood that I have to carry all the passports new(will be issued with ecnr) and old with ECR status.
My employment visa has been employee emailed to me and I have a xerox copy of the same.My passport does not have it stamped.When I get a new visa with ECNR it will have new no. and visa is given for the earlier passport.
Now at the airport will it be allowed if I have all the passports with me.On which passport the visa will be stamped?on the new one or on the one whose no. is mentioned on the visa (it gets canceled after new visa is issues right?)
Will it be a case that they will say visa is given for the passport which is canceled so it can not be stamped there also it will not be stamped on the new passport since its not mentioned on the visa?( I am confused because my visa is not stamped and is just sent to me through email and it will be stamped after I reach dubai)
Please help me with the info. I have not been allowed at the airport because of ECR on the current passport.
Thanks in advance
Milind
@Millind
You need to carry older passport along with new passport with ECNR status.
As new passport carry older passport number and you would be carrying both passports, Visa would be stamped on new passport.
Hi!
I want to call my wife and kid from India to Dubai on residence visa through husband sponsor. My wife is having ‘ECR’ stamp on her passport. She can travel with that passport to Dubai on residence visa or what would be the documents or procedures required ?
Please help me
Thanks
@Rehan
As she won’t be travelling on employment visa, she won’t need ECNR status and thus can travel with ECR status passport as well.
Hi Pankaj,
My passport has ECR stamp, so to get ECNR what is the procedure exactly, I am confused.
I understand that we have two options,
1. Re-issue passport
2. Get clearance from POE.
What documents will req. for clearance from POE
I have to get ECNR stamp in 10 days time, what is the best approach that I should go for?
@Firoz
In 10 days time, you can only get clearance from PoE office.
Documents required:
* Passport (valid atleast 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 ,
Please can any one help me regarding ECNR i have issued my Passport in 2012 there is no ECNR stamp in the last 2 pages i got Oman employment visa,i have issued my passport without ECNR status so can i go to Oman or in the immigration they will ask for ECNR clearance how can i know whether i have ECNR clearance as i dint submit my 10th certificates for making my passport please suggest if they ask what can i do please suggest
@Ismail
Passport without ECR stamp would be considered with ECNR status by default.
ECR stamp is generally put on first 2-3 pages and not in last, please check it again.
Hello Pankaj,
Thank for your service.I have few questions.
My Husband passport have ECR stamped. We ( me and my husband) will be travelling to Hongkong and Macau for 15 days.
1. Is prior Visa required for 15 days travel to hong kong ? As per website it will be issued on arrival
2. My husband passport have ECR stamped, As per website he need to submit passport, return ticket and valid visa for immigration clearance.. Valid visa is not available with us. What should we do ?
@Ruthika
1. For tourism purposes, visa on arrival is provided by HongKong, so you can go without any visa.
2. For HongKong and Macau, ECNR is not required for any kind of visa (or visa on arrival). So you should not worry about it.
Hi Pankaj,
I have a Passport issued in the year 2012 and its valid till next 10 years. But on the last page it states ECR. Now I might have to travel to Philipines for business and multiple entries required, for which my company will get all the necessary documents. Do i need to go through POE process or I will be allowed to travel in-spite having the ECR stamped?
Looking forward for your kind assistance in this.
Thanks,
Abhrojit
hallo pankaj,
i have face the one problem my passport is ECR than i have work visa and travel to qatar how i can travel pls help .which document required that is also mention .
@Siraj
You either need to get emigration clearance from PoE office or get passport reissue for ECNR status.
Hii pankaj
I am 10th fail but i was able to get diploma cert from open univercity so can i get ecr status changed
@Rahul
You can submit any other eligibility document, if you have, from list mentioned on this page: http://www.passportindia.gov.in/AppOnlineProject/onlineHtml/NonEcrDocuments.html
In case you don’t have any such proof, you would need to get emigration clearance from PoE as you won’t be eligible for ECNR.