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 am living in Abu dhabi and I would like to take my mom here. My mom has already been in kuwait for 7 years, and she renewed her passport in the year of 2009. Still we did not attach her old passport and new one. If i take my mom by Visit visa, Is ECNR clearance is required? Please reply ASAP
@Sadam
On Visit visa, ECNR or emigration clearance is not needed.
thanks a lot pankaj batra. I have another question… My brother would like to take his wife to Abu Dhabi under family visa. Is ECNR required for her?
@Sadam
No, ECNR won’t be required for family visa. Its only needed for employment visa.
i came to dubai on 7th september 2013. My passport needs ECR. I did not know this but the passport authorities were kind enuf in Mumbai and let me fly out. I do not have POE clearance also.
Now i need to go back to India for work and i am nt sure how to get the ECR removed. Please help.
@Deb
You can get ECR removed from passport by applying for reissue of passport along with submitting an eligibility proof.
You can see all eligible documents from here: http://www.passportindia.gov.in/AppOnlineProject/onlineHtml/NonEcrDocuments.html
can i apply for reissue in dubai?
@Deb
Yes, you can apply for passport reissue in Dubai.
Dear ji
I got an offer from qatar and my pp is ecr one,now i have the opption of getting temporary suspendiofrom poe office as i have to fly in 10 days..my query is my pp issued in tamilnadu but can i approach trivandrum (kerala)poe office to get ths?
Also how long it takes to get the temporary suspension?
@Sreenath
You can approach nearest PoE office with required documents.
It should not take more than 2-3 days in emigration clearance from PoE.
Hi Pankaj,
I got visa for Oman as Beautician job, unfortunately my Passport has ECR stamp on last page.I don’t have metric(10th class) certificate or above,now how can i go to Oman with out ECNR clearance can you help on this issue.. can you please tell me the process for getting ECNR or POE..
@Laxmi
You should get emigration clearance from PoE office. You can apply online here: http://poeonline.gov.in/
I have checked the POE Site it is asking for PRAVASI BHARTIYA BIMA YOJANA what is this is it mandatory for POE and which category does Beautician comes
@Laxmi
Yes, pravasi bhartiya bima is required for emigration clearance.
Beautician should come under Skilled worker.
Hi Pankaj
Thanks for the information and also can you please tell me how much this pravasi bhartiya bima policy cost and for how many years i can apply for this policy.
@Laxmi
You can check premium here: https://portal.uiic.in/polclaim/ntb/secondPBBYAction.web
It can be availed for max 3 years, 3 years premium would be around Rs 420.
hi Mr Batra, I have oman employment visa, but on my travelling day on 16th Dec 2013 I was sent back for having ecr status. I will be getting the new passport with ecnr status in day or twomy question is that my oman employment visa has old passport details, wil I need to get new employment visa with new passport details? or can I travel with both the passports
@Pradeep
Visa on old passport would still be valid. You need to carry both passports.
my son has ECR stamp and also he is under 18 so can travel in Germany for three months
@Surendra
For Germany, ECNR is not required, so anybody can travel on any visa with or without ECR status.
hi I HAVE A MISSION VISA FOR ABUDHABI.This time Its required ECNR. Pls HElp me
@Azarutheen
As its a short term visa, ECNR may not be required for it. But I am not sure for same and to be on safer side, I would advise you to get ECNR status on passport or get emigration clearance from PoE office.
But I already have a visa.. Now I apply Ecnr in passport office we will give new passport. THEN any prm about new passport.already entered in pld passport in visa..
@Azarutheen
Visa on old passport would remain valid and you need to carry both old and new passports.
Hii.pankaj I am working at Oman 1 years.but my passport is ECR .I need ECNR.but I am 10 th failed.suppose. I here hold continue 3 years.this is possible to the ECNR ? Please tell me.thank u
@Raj
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) would be eligible for ECNR.
Dear Pankaj
I have a doubt if a person leaves abroad more than 3 yrs then after completing his 3yrs he is eligible for ECNR, if he comes back to his home country again if he need to go back to abroad with different visa does he need to remove the ECR status before he leaves the country I mean, does he need to go for ECNR clearance again or in airport does the emigration officer will allow him to go normally??
@Ismail
He would need to get ECNR status on passport or get emigration clearance from PoE office before leaving India.
Hi! Pankaj
I have travelled to dubai with passport of post police verification. I am in Dubai right now and the police verification has came now in India, Now what should I do to clear it because I will be going back after 2 years. How can I clear the police verification ?
@Altaf
You should not have traveled before police verification.
Now you can ask your family/relative to get verification done by visiting police station.
But…I was not having time to wait for 1 month to clear the police verification. The police over there are not ready to clear it by my parents. DoI have any other options ?
@Altaf
Only option would be to request police station to clear the file.
If they send negative report, passport may be cancelled.
Is there any option to clear it from Dubai ?
@Altaf
In my knowledge, it cannot be done from outside India.
Hi, I have got the B1 visa for North America but in my passport there is ECR stamp. So is ECNR mandatory for travelling to North America on B1 visa ?
@Gud
For USA/North America, ECNR is not required, so you can travel with ECR status also.
Hi I am azar, I Got a Entry mission 90 days visa. Now proublem is I hav a passort in Ecr stamp.but I ll go to poe office chennai.but he asking contracter document. But I dont have a that document. Please help me sir.Dont have a time.I book the ticket 18th Night.
@Azarutheen
For emigration clearance, employer offer letter etc is a must.
Only other option is to get passport reissue for ECNR, but you also don’t have time for that.
As its not a employment visa, you can take a risk of travelling with ECR, It would now be dependent on emigration officer to allow you to leave or not.
i got selected in saudi airlines and submitted my passport to the agent. but after one month i call to the agent about the visa but they saying that my offer has not come and now 2 1/2 month is completed there is no response ,then i call them they answer me they have no reply from recuiter i have to wait or i can take my passport and the passort is in india. my passport is in india.pls help me to take out this solution wheather it is fraud or not the processing of passport is done india or saudi
@Ajit
We don’t have much knowledge on this subject.
Sir, how many days to take ecr to ecnr after application submit, and police verification required for ecnr(re issue) passport?
@Azharudeen
Under normal application, passport reissue would take 30-40 days. Under tatkal it may be issued in 7-10 days.
Police verification would be done in case address on passport is changed.
If I have Attestation from UAE embassy , consulate and ministry of external affairs in my post graduation certificate ( engineering ) can I travel with out ECNR . ECNR is not stamp in my passport . But in 2008 I have visited to UAE for visiting visa
@Amaldas
There is as such no rule of attestation for ECNR.
Either ECNR status on passport or emigration clearance from PoE office is needed.
Hi i have a query regarding ECNR. My passport was issued before year 2007. I do not have ECNR stamp attested on my passport. If i have been called to countries like dubai, oman or qatar for an interview, do i still require the stamp on the passport. If required then what is the procedure to acquire the endorsement for a smooth travel to these countries for job purpose?
@Vipin
Does you passport has ECR stamp? If no, your passport does not need further processing for ECNR.
If yes, you would need ECNR status (done by passport renewal) or emigration clearance (can be taken from PoE office), before leaving India for any of the mentioned countries for employment.
Hi Pankaj, appreciate you taking time and replying. Thank you..
My Emmigration page shows on top ECR and below ECNR printed. The ECNR is crossed with a black pen mark and below that is a stamp Regional passport Office. I am unsure if this indicates ECNR or ECR status. Please assist.
@Vipin
As ECNR is crossed, passport is with ECR status.
Ok so the best way for ECNR stamp is to reapply for a fresh passport ?? Please note my passport expires only in mid 2015. Is there any other option to get it done on my current passport?
@Vipin
Yes, only way to get ECNR status is passport reissue now.
If you don’t want ECNR, you can get emigration clearance from PoE office, that would be valid for one time.
how long it take to change ecr to ecnr
@Priyanka
You would need to apply for reissue of passport and it would take 30-45 days for normal application.
Can i apply reissue and ecnr cancel in dubai
@Azhar
Yes, I think you can do it from Dubai.