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
Respected sir,
I am in a huge problem
Am a educated person but i have lost my class 10 admit card or any document proof, and i have appeared a passport by showing my class 9 result card and now am planning for doing a course on usa or uk
@Mohit
For USA/UK, ECNR is not required. So you can travel even on ECR status passport.
I’m traveling to UAE n than to Saudi on spouse visa,I have ecr passport,do I have to get ecr clearance done? Plus if I ‘re issue my pp to ecnr,do I hv to get my document attested n submitted at UAE?
@Zainab
As you not going on employment visa, you won’t need ECNR status.
Sir, my wife renewed old passport at chennai, the passport mentioned ECR required. but oldpassport hava valid visa, she can travel to UAE. or she needs to get clearance ECR? Please advice
@Jafar
If she is travelling on employment visa, she won’t be allowed to travel with ECR status passport.
Else, there won’t be any issue.
sir mera passport ban gaya hai aur maine usme anghuthe lagaye hai aur main chahta hu signatyre karn please advice me
Sir I have a problem for immigration check required …I have visa for oman ..but in my marksheet surname is karia and in my passport surname is thakkar…so how to solved this problem..its possible to poe? ..please give me my answer sir…
@Karan
You can get emigration clearance from PoE office.
Good day sir, one of my friend does not have qualifications to get ECNR stamp. Now if he have to travel on business visa what is the process to get clearance from POE. If the candidate is in Hyderabad where to apply.
Thanks in advance,
Regards
@Naseer
Protector of Emigrant office Hyderabad
8th Floor, Chandra Vihar Complex, Opp. Exhibition Ground,
M.J. Road, Hyderabad.
Dear sir
I am on tourist visa to dubai.I am an Indian citizen.now I got a job offer in dubai.ecr is required in my pp.if I go to bahrain and come back to dubai to change my visa status. Am I eligible for ecnr.please advice
@Sunil
Travelling to Bahrain does not make you eligible for ECNR status.
Check here: http://passportindia.gov.in/AppOnlineProject/onlineHtml/NonEcrDocuments.html
dear pankaj sir mera passport Jun 2015 ko issue hua hai dubai se mere bhai ne visa bheja hai mai Dubai Jana chahtahun mera passport ECR HAI ABB MAI KYA KARUN BATAYIYE PLEASE SIR
Hi sir,
I am planning to go Dubai next month.
In my passport I don’t have ECR or ECNR stamped. Am I eligible to go.
@Lalu
No ECR stamp means ECNR by default. So you can go without any issue.
My wife a house wife (no qualification) is granted VISITOR (Class FA) VISITOR (Subclass 600) visa to Australia to look after my daughter-inlaw during her pregnancy period. My son is settled in Australia. The second page of her passport stamped with ECR required. She is leaving Hyderabad on 15.10.15. Please suggest any formalities to be completed for deletion of ECR in the Passport.
@Ravi
Sorry for delay.
For visiting Australia, ECNR is not required so one can travel even on ECR status passport.
my passport have immigration cheaked required now i want to go for saudi arabia for employment purpose. so what should i do. passport applied in bangalore in lalbagh passport office please help
@Mohamed
If you eligible, get passport reissued for ECNR status.
http://passportindia.gov.in/AppOnlineProject/onlineHtml/NonEcrDocuments.html
Dear Pankaj sir
I need urgently your help, Actually I got an employment offer in UAE, i am chemical engineer. My passport issued in 2007 and have ECR stamp.
Actually my VISA is already processed and date of travel is fixed.
Earlier my HR stated that in case of ECR passport, there are some formality to be done in indian embassy. But when they applied to said formality, indian embassy reverts that as per new rule the candidate should clear ECR status in INDIA only.
when I enquired here some agents told me that your Passport will be reissued, If my PP will be reissued then VISA become invalid, and I have to go again same VISA process.
One agent said it can be done by temporary deletion.
Can you please suggest what to do in such case.
Please help me……………..
Thanks in advance
@Anoop
Visa on old passport would still be valid and you need to carry both passports.
Else if you don’t have time for passport reissue, you can get emigration clearance from PoE office.
Dear Pankaj sir i need ur help regarding ecr and ecnr .sir mera problem ye hai k mera passport ecr tha or us pe visa stamp ho chuka hai emigration nhi hone wajah se mai ne new ecnr passport issue karwaya hai kya mai is new passport k through saudi arab ja sakta hu airport pe to koi problem create to nhi hoga flight k time .mera purana passport cancle hone se visa validity ka problem to nhi hoga
@Zawed
Visa on old passport would remain valid. You need to carry both passports.
Dear Mr.pankaj, hello sir today travel uae country problem is my passport ecr stamp mention Not travel today. How to remove the ecr stamp
Hi.. I m holding passport without ECR or ECNR Stamp and my new employer from Qatar is requesting me to get an ECNR stamp in my passport . whether it is possible to get ECNR Stamp.. Please advice..
@Balaji
Your passport is already with ECNR status, you need not to get ECNR stamp now.
I want to bring my wife in visit visa and wife need ecnr what should I do ??
@Pukar
She won’t need ECNR as she is not going on employment visa.
Sir mera file no GU1069040298815 Mene apply kia tha 5 / 8 / 2015 tarikh ko lekin Abhi tak passport nahi mila mereko please help me
Dear sir,I studied 10th class but in my passport I have a ecr stamp.my agent applyed my passport, at that time he did a big mistake,he is submitted notary,then he tells I am uneducated,therefore now I have ecr stamp,I have 10th certificate now but this date of birth is 6 years less than the passport date of birth, I already apply reissue and done the payment.now passport seva care operators told me submit these documents:
1,Civil court order,
2,Affidavit,
3,Original D.O.B,
4,10th marks list.
Now I have only 10th marks list,
I already trying to get these documents, but I can’t already I spend more money for this,but no use lawyer cheated me.
Now I have some original documents.
Voter card,
Ration card,
Adhar card,
Pan card,
Driving licence,
These documents are have same year in date of birth..
Now tell me how can I apply reissue without need of Civil court order and date of birth..please tell me sir,
I hope you are giving me a best suggestion.
[email protected]
Hi, i am travellin to thailand as a tourist, will i be able to avail visa on arival on an ECR passport.
Thanks
Manu
@Manu
Yes, you would be able to get visa on arrival.
Hi Sir, I am planning to go In middle east country for employment, but my passport havant any ECR or ECNR stamp. my passport issued from 2013 so, i m eligible for to go there(UAE, QTAR, OMAN,) etc
@Makarand
As your passport does not have ECR stamp, its by default with ECNR status.
Dear Mr.Pankaj,
On my old passport i was having Ecr stamp on it, and i got the visa on this passport when i went for POE said its closed now, however they advised me for reissue of my passport with ECNR i have done that, please advise if there will be any challenges here at airport and at Dubai airport, i will carry both the passports along with me. Your advise will be very helpful
@Syed
Visa on old passport would still valid and you need to carry both passports.