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
Dear Sir,
I have a question regarding ECNR stamp. I am living in UAE since last 6 years and now i am planing to bring my wife also to UAE. Her Passport is almost ready and there is one question i want to ask you for ECNR. She is 8th passed and Do she need ECNR stamp on her passport ? I will bring in Resident Visa so for that she need Emigration Clearance ? Let me know as soon as possible
Thanks in advance and Regards
@Manoj
As she would be traveling on resident visa (dependent), she won’t need ECNR status or emigration clearance.
Dear Sir,
kya ek uneducated person dubai or gulf countries ja sakta hai ya nahi,
gumne ke liye.
@Sandeep
Yes, he can go without any issue on a travel visa.
sir i have wrongly choosen ecr status but belong to non ecr what should i do now
@Sravani
If your passport is already issued, nothing can be done now and you will have to apply for reissue for ECNR.
no sir my appointment date is tomorrow what should i do now
@Sravani
At the time of appointment, you can get it changed to non-ECR. There won’t be any issue. You just need to submit non-ECR eligibility proof.
Sir, 3 sept 2014 I have dubai tour, and I don’t have passport, so how can I apply for temprary passport…
Rply fast plz.
@Mahendra
There is no temporary passport.
You can apply in tatkal scheme and you would get passport faster.
Hi ,
Another question , do i need ECNR stamping (or a re-issued one) to travel on business Visa to Dubai.
Thanks
@Rahul
No, you won’t need ECNR when traveling on business visa.
I want to apply for Passport of My Wife & My child (5 Months Old).
(Q1) I had my passport with my native permanent address
I want to know while applying passport for my wife & child with same address, Police verification will come or applicable for these both passport.
My police verification was done recently in last 1 month for my passport
My Wife’s name printed/included on my passport
(Q2) My Passport can be a address proof doc. for my wife & child passport application????
Regards,
A.P.
@A.P.
1. Police verification would be done separately for your wife’s passport.
2. Yes, your passport copy can act as address proof for wife and child passport application.
Dear Sir,
As stated above, I want to apply for Passport of My Wife & My child (5 Months Old) I am able to submit application for my wife’s passport However, for my child passport application; website not allowing anymore application stating you have submitted/reached max. no. application.
I had submitted two self application in current year outof which 1 time appointment taken for one application only. and 3rd application for my wife’s passport.
Is there any other way to apply for my child’s passport or i had to wait for next year??
Regards,
A.P.
@A.P
You can create another account/login to apply for child passport.
Sir jst want to know one thing that i have a visa of dubai, and my passport is issued to me in 2010 and my passport second page is blank so that means my passport is ecnr.
Do i again have to go to POE office for the stamp.
@Bharat
Your passport does not have ECR stamp that means you don’t need ECNR now and your passport is by default with ECNR status.
Dear Sir,
For applying passport for my Wife, do I required “Affidavit for Lady applicant for change of name after Marriage – Anenxure “D”???
I am having;
– Marriage Certificate
– My Passport with My Wife’s Name Printed
Also suggest what to select against following in passport application :
– Have you ever changed your name?
– Have you ever been known by other names (aliases)?
Regards,
A.P.
@A.P.
As you have marriage certificate, you won’t need Annex D.
Have you ever changed your name? – Should be No, if first name is not changed ever.
Have you ever been known by other names? – Should be No, if all of your documents carry same first name.
I am going to China by Business visa. But my passport is ECR.
Is china need ECNR Passport?
How many days it will take to Change the ECR passport to ECNR.
@Kumar
For visiting China, ECR/ECNR does not matter.
hi
I have offer of job in malyeshiya encr is requird for same and how i can clear encr without applying new passport.
@Sushil
You can get emigration clearance from PoE office.
Sir how much time it will take if i go to Emigration Clearance POE office…There is office in Delhi
Protector of Emigrant office New Delhi
Jaisalmar House, Canteen Block, Man Singh Road,
New Delhi
SHall i go directly over here Plz help me sir what to do Now ….I am Stuck right now !!!
@Anand
As you won’t have time, only way would be to get emigration clearance from PoE office.
You can also apply online here: http://poeonline.gov.in/
Process may take 2-3 days.
Thanku So much Sir for ur help i will apply ..Thanx alot 🙂
Sir i am going to Qatar on 21st September because i got a job in Qatar but i made my passport in 2005 and i have ECR stamp on it but i need to have ECNR stamp so is there any procedure i can get this stamp as early as convenient . If i go to Emigration clearance POE Office in Delhi can i get a temporary ECNR stamp Because might be if i go directly to passport seva office they will take too much time for it …So whats the resolution how can i get this ECNR ???? Please Sir Can u help me out !!!
Thanx
Regards,
Anand Kumar
Sir,
My passport was renewed in 2005 with ecnr stamp. The ecnr stamp has it written as ‘up to 24th sept, 2014’. I need to travel to Qatar on a visit visa this October. Am I allowed to travel or do I need to get any changes done?
@Jenifer
As its only a visit visa and not employment one, you won’t be stopped due to ECR status.
Thank you sir.
I have an ecr passport. I m travelling to Bangkok next month on tourist visa. So do I require ecnr to be done
I have booked my return tickets also
@Dr Rushabh
ECNR is not required when traveling on tourist visa.
Enjoy your time in Bangkok!
Dear sir,
I have got my free zone employment visa to dubai which does not have a contract.I do not have ecnr in my passport as I was a minor that time.what is the proceedure to apply for ecnr now and what will be the duration for me to get the clearance sir as i need to start to dubai in a week?
@Rizu
For ECNR status, you would need to get passport reissued and it may take 30-45 days under normal application.
For quick work, you can only get emigration clearance from PoE office.
Sir I am planing to apply for PP but before that I want to clear some doubts I have my all documents like PRC,voter I’d,pan card,adhar card ,bank pass book from bihar which is my native place and I have did my education from nagaland up to 12 and engineering from haryana so for ecnr educational document required so what should I do?
@Rais
Education qualification would only be used for ECNR eligibility and it does not matter from where you got this education.
Dear Sir,
My dad had applied for a passport with Non-ECR category. He has completed his matriculation & the same certificate was used as a proof. But he has received the passport with Emigration Check Required. Pls suggest what has to be done now??
@Devendra
You should raise a complaint with passport office and ask them to reprint passport with correct status.
Hi,
I have applied for ECR deletion. Do I get police verification once again? I have not changed my address. Plz rely as soon as possible.
@Gun
If passport was issued recently in last 1-2 years, them police verification may not be done again.