Status Check ECR/ECNR Passport

ECR expands to Emigration Check Required. Emigration here refers to Indians leaving the country for pursuing employment in another country. ECR Passports are required by Indian citizens who wish to seek employment in certain countries. According to the Emigration Act of 1983, certain passport holders must obtain an Emigration Clearance from the office of POE (Protector of Emigrants) before traveling to certain countries. ECR passports ensure protection for Indians who are employed abroad, in certain countries. 

For those passports issued before Jan 2007, the lack of a notation in the passport signifies that it is an ECR passport. These passports require an emigration check from the Protector of Emigration office. For the passports issued after Jan 2007, the lack of notation means that the passport is an ECNR (Emigration Certificate Not Required) Passport. 

Countries that require ECR passports

• Yemen,
• Saudi Arab,
• Thailand,
• UAE,
• Syria,
• Sudan,
• Qatar,
• Malaysia,
• Lebanon,
• Jordan,
• Iraq,
• Indonesia,
• Brunei,
• Bahrain,
• Afghanistan,
• Oman,
• Kuwait,
• Libya. 

People Who Don't Need Emigration Check

The following categories of people do not require Emigration Check even if they travel to the countries mentioned above:

• Diplomatic/Official passport holders,
• Gazetted officers,
• Income taxpayers,
• Individuals holding professional degrees,
• Spouses and dependent children of professional degree holders,
• Individuals who have passed 10th standard examination,
• Individuals holding a degree or a diploma in Polytechnic,
• Individuals holding a diploma in nursing (under the Indian Nursing Council Act of 1947),
• Individuals holding a 2 years diploma from NCVT or SCVT,
• Individuals with permanent immigration visas for Australia, the US and the UK.,
• Individuals above 50 years of age,
• Sea cadets and seamen with CDS and have passed the finals of the 3 years Nautical Sciences course from any of these institutes:
  • Rehman
  • Chanakya
  • Jawahar
  • NIPM, Chennai
  • MTI, Chennai

ECR Stamp on Passport

These stamps are put on the passports by the Protectors of Emigration (POE) office. An individual with an ECR passport might face quite a lot of difficulty if they wish to go abroad with their ECR Passport. The ECR passport holder is subject to being questioned upon entering a foreign nation and might even land in trouble. It is important to remove the ECR stamp from a passport and get the ECNR seal on it the moment an individual qualifies for an ECNR passport. 

How to Change ECNR Status

The applicant must log in to passport.gov.in and navigate to 'miscellaneous services' to download the application form.

• Then the applicant has to select the deletion request of ECR.
• The application form has to be duly filled up.
• A fee of Rs 300 has to be paid(cash or Demand Draft).
• The applicant must visit the PSK with the following documents:
  • Original passport.
  • PAN card.
  • Address proof (Voter ID, Aadhaar card, employer ID, Ration card, electricity bill, phone bill, lease agreement, etc.).
  • Form EAP-2, duly filled up.
  • Two attested photocopies of any document qualifying the eligibility criteria as mentioned above (college passing certificate, 12th and 10th passing certificates).
  • Two copies each of first and last four pages of the existing passport.

Emigration Clearance for ECR Passports

Individuals who do not have ECNR passports need to get the Emigration Check Stamp before visiting any of the specified countries for employment purposes. Such a passport has to be stamped with a special adhesive stamp and then duly signed by the Protector of Emigrants. Mostly, emigration clearances are granted for a period of six months to workers who are applying for a job through recognized recruiting agencies provided that they have a valid work visa. This is just a temporary clearance; it will no longer be in effect after the first journey. 

Individuals may also apply for suspension of the ECR status in case they are traveling to one of the specified countries for purposes other than employment. In that case, the following must be submitted:

• Application form, duly filled
• A fee of Rs.400
• The copy of the Visa
• Original passport along with one copy
• Copies of return tickets
• Sponsorship declaration from the Indian Consulate/Mission, duly attested
• Address proof
• FTS 

Emergency Clearance for ECR Passports

The Indian government also allows emergency clearance for ECR passports in certain international airports. The emergency clearance can avoid the process of suspension of ECR, but is applicable only for the following cases: 

• Individuals traveling abroad for the sudden death of family members.
• Individuals traveling abroad for medical treatment of self or relatives.
• Sportspersons traveling abroad to represent India in some international training or coaching or competitions (approved by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports).
• Students traveling abroad for higher studies (after submitting admission proof from a recognized university).
• VIPs and accompanying family members (ministers of central/state government, MPs, MLAs, etc.)
• Officers of the central/state government and accompanying family members who have official or diplomatic passports. 

Documentation Required for ECNR Passports

ECNR category	Documentation
Diplomatic/official passport holders	Only the diplomatic passport
Gazetted government employees, their dependent spouses and children	For Gazetted Government employees: o    NOC as per Annexure M, or o    Identity Certificate as per Annexure A, or o    Prior Intimation letter as per Annexure N Their dependent children: o    Identity Certificate as per Annexure B o    Birth certificate o    School leaving certificate or certificate from the last attended institution, or o    Copy of the concerned employee’s (parent) passport Their spouses: o    Identity Certificate as per Annexure B, or o    Joint Affidavit as per Annexure D, or o    Photocopy(attested) of marriage registration certificate
All Indians with matriculation or higher qualification	Pass certificates of matriculation and/or higher education
All Indians above the age of 50 years	o    Valid and recognized birth certificate o    School leaving certificate containing the date of birth o    Affidavit is sworn in front of a Notary or Magistrate stating the place and date of birth as per Annexure A (semi-illiterate or illiterate applicants)
Children up to the age of 18 years.	o    School leaving Certificate or Certificate from the last attended institution o    For re-issue after turning 18 years, an additional document proving ECNR status has to be submitted
Income Tax Payers, their spouses and children below 18 years of age.	For income taxpayers: o    Assessment proof of income tax for the past one year o    IT returns statement for the past one year duly stamped by the IT authorities o    A photocopy of the PAN card.
All the professional degree holders, their spouses and their dependent children.	Certificate of the professional degree
All Indians who have stayed overseas for at least three years along with their spouses.	o    Photocopy of the passport: first and last two pages, ECR / ECNR page o    A statement with all the details of the dates of entry and exit along with the proof in the passport for verification
Seamen, Deck Cadets and Sea Cadets	Continuous Discharge Certificate
People with a permanent immigration visa.	Photocopy of the visa or Permanent Resident card issued by the country where the individual stays at present

 

Protector Of Emigrants Offices in India

Address	City	Phone number
Jaisalmer House, Canteen Block, Man Singh Road	New Delhi	011 2338 2472
Building ' Khira Nagar, S.V. Road, SantaCruz (West)	Mumbai	022 26147393
Room No.116 A Wing, 3rd MSO Building, DF Block, Salt Lake	Kolkata	033 2334 3407
Tamil Nadu Housing Board Complex, Ashok Nagar	Chennai	044 2489 1337
Chandra Vihar Complex, M.J. Road.	Hyderabad	040 2465 2557
Putherickal Buildings, Market Road	Cochin	0484 236 0187
Suganth, 24/846 (I), Thycaud	Trivandrum	0471 232 4835
Kendriya Sadan, 5th Block, Sector 9-A.	Chandigarh	0172 274 1790
Hall no.3, RIICO CFC Building, Sitapura Industrial Area.	Jaipur	0141 277 1529
Rudra Plaza, Hospital Road.	Rae Bareilly	0535 221 1122/1123