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What is ECNR in Passport?

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According to the Emigration Act of 1983, certain Indian passport holders need to obtain an Emigration Clearance from the ‘Protector of Emigrants’ office before travelling to certain countries.

What is ECNR in Passport?

ECNR in passport denotes that an Emigration Check is not required for your passport. All passports without notation issued in or after January 2007 are ECNR passports.

Now that you know what an ECNR passport means, let's proceed to its eligibility criteria.

What Is the Eligibility for ECNR in Passport?

Here is the list of applicants eligible for ECNR -

  • Diplomatic/Official passport holders
  • Government employees, spouses and dependent children
  • Income taxpayers, their spouses and dependent children
  • Professional degree holders
  • People with educational qualification of matriculation and above
  • Seamen with Continuous Discharge Certificate (CDC), or Sea Cadets and Deck Cadets
  • People with permanent immigration Visas, such as the UK, USA and Australia Visas
  • Individuals with two or three years diploma from any institute recognized by the National Council for Vocational Training (NCVT) or State Council of Vocational Training (SCVT)
  • Qualified nurses, recognized under the Indian Nursing Council Act, 1947
  • People above the age of 50 years
  • Individuals who have stayed abroad for more than three years (could either be in one stretch or broken) and their spouses
  • Children up to the age of 18 years

When to Apply for ECNR in Passport?

You need to apply for ECNR before travelling to any of the countries stated below -

  • United Arab Emirates (UAE)
  • Jordan
  • The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA)
  • Qatar
  • Iraq
  • Indonesia
  • Bahrain
  • Malaysia
  • Lebanon
  • Sudan
  • Yemen
  • Brunei
  • Afghanistan
  • Kuwait
  • Syria
  • Libya
  • Thailand
  • Oman

How to Apply for ECNR in Passport?

You can apply for ECNR in these simple steps -

  1. Download and fill in the Miscellaneous Application form (EAP-2).
  2. Then, submit the application yourself or through a representative (carrying your signed authority letter) or by registered post.

What Are the Documents Required for ECNR Passport?

 

Different documents are required for different types of applicants to apply for ECNR. 

Here is the complete list of ECNR passport documents for your reference.

Passport Holder Type Documents
Official or Diplomatic passport holders Only diplomatic passport is required
Those with matriculation or any higher qualifications Pass certificates
Those more than 50 years of age Birth certificate, School Leaving Certificate, Date of birth and place according to the specimen provided in Annexure A
All children till 18 years old, For re-issue of passport once they turn 18 years old School Leaving Certificate
Seamen with CDC or Continuous Discharge Certificate, and Sea Cadets Continuous Discharge Certificate
Those with a permanent immigration visa Permanent Resident Card or photocopy of the immigration visa

Here is another list of documentation for passport holders of specific categories and their family members –

Government Employees

Self Spouse Dependent Children
Identity certificate as mentioned in Annexure A, NOC as per Annexure M, PI letter as per Annexure N. Identity as mentioned in Annexure B, Joint affidavit as per Annexure D, Marriage certificate photocopy attested Identity certificate according to Annexure B, Birth certificate Certificate of leaving school, Copy of the passport of the government employee

Income Tax Payers

Self Spouse Dependent Children
Assessment proof for actual income tax payment and income tax in the previous year, IT return statement (in case of the past one year. It must be stamped by IT authorities) and PAN card photocopy Marriage certificate photocopy (attested) Birth certificate, School leaving certificate

Professional Degree Holders

Self Spouse Dependent Children
Certificate of professional degree Photocopy of marriage certificate (attested), Joint affidavit according to Annexure D Birth certificate, Certificate of school leaving

Those Who Were Overseas for Three Years or Longer

Self Spouse
Passport photocopy, including the page with ECR/ECNR Marriage certificate photocopy (attested), Joint affidavit as mentioned in Annexure D

Time Taken to Process the ECNR Application

Typically, the ECNR stamping process takes about three to four days from the date of application.

Documents Required to Check ECNR Status in Passport

To check your ECNR status, you need to submit the following documents.

  • Filled in Form EAP-2
  • A fee of ₹ 300 through Demand Draft or in cash
  • Original passport
  • Address proof
  • Two copies proving any of the eligibility criteria mentioned above. They should be attested.
  • Two copies each of the first four and last four pages of your passport

What is the Procedure to Remove ECR Stamp from Passport?

If you wish to travel abroad for employment, you first need to remove the ECR stamp from your passport. The steps to remove it are listed below.

  1. Log in to the Passport Seva official website and download the application from the miscellaneous service.
  2. Then, mention the Emigration Check Required’s deletion request.
  3. Next, provide two photocopies of the passing certificates of college, standard 12th and standard 10th. These certificates must be attested.
  4. Then, provide an address proof. It can be your Voter ID, electricity bill, phone bill, lease agreement, etc.
  5. Carry your PAN card.
  6. Pay a fee of ₹ 300.
  7. Submit your existing passport, plus two photocopies of the first and last four pages.
  8. Finally, go to the closest passport office and submit your form along with the necessary documents.

Keeping these pointers in mind will help you understand ECNR in your passport better.

FAQs About ENCR

Do you need to get an ECR stamp if you travel abroad for leisure?

No, Indian passport holders travelling abroad for a purpose other than employment don’t need to obtain an ECR stamp, effective from 1st October 2007.

Can You Obtain an Emergency ECNR?

Yes, immigration officers at airports can provide exemption in cases of emergency. You need to provide documents such as attested copies of educational qualifications or your most recent income tax return to the immigration officer.​

What does ECNR mean in a passport?

The ECNR in passport signifies that you don’t need an Emigration Check for your passport.