INDEX
- Introduction
- What is non ecr category?
- Why is ECR introduced?
- Conditions for Non-ECR or ENCR passport.
- Categories in the passport.
- List of Countries that require Emigration Clearance.
- Requirements for changing ECR to ECNR.
- Procedure to change from ECR to Non ECR passport.
- Status change from ECR to Non-ECR.
- FAQ
1. Introduction
Non-ECR category or ECNR is a part of the Indian passport that is given to an Indian Citizen when they have to fly out of the country. As per the Emigration Act 1983, there are specific categories in the Indian passport that need “Emigration Clearance” from the office of Protector of Emigrants (POE) for visiting certain countries in the world.
According to the act, emigration means any Indian citizen that decides to leave the country with the intent of taking employment in a foreign country. Every Indian passport is divided into two categories which are as follows:
- Passports with the endorsement – Emigration Check Required (ECR)
- Passports with endorsement – Emigration Check Not Required (ECNR)
Passports that were issued before January 2007 and no notation on the passport means ECR. For passports that were issued after January 2007, no notation on them means ECNR.
2. What is non ecr category?
Let’s first understand what ECR is.
ECR stands for (Emigration Check Required). If an applicant for a passport hasn’t passed their 10th grade officially in an accepted Indian education system would be subjected to this check. The applicant must get a certificate for emigration in specific countries like Saudi Arabia, UAE, Japan, etc.
The ECR stamp is usually found inside an empty page in the passport of the people who haven’t passed their 10th grade.
3. Why is ECR introduced?
The Government of India introduced the ECR because of the safety of Indian citizens due to the legal conditions of other countries and based on various situations/conditions. This is a check that is required to be done based on education, age, marital status, etc. of an individual. There’s no in-between, and you can either qualify for ECR or Non-ECR category.
Now, as we have information about what ECR is Let’s now understand what NON ECR category is.
Non ecr category or ECNR stands for ‘Emigration check not required.’ Non ecr category means that anyone who has graduated through their 10th grade of school would not be required every time to go through an immigration office check to have their leave registered and verified.
Once a citizen passes 10th grade, they are eligible to earn the ECNR badge on their passport. The ECNR works as the Clearance for leaving the country and needs not to check on with the immigration office.
4. Conditions for Non-ECR or ECNR passport
If you fall under these categories, then your passport would be categorized as Non-ECR or ENCR:
- Official and diplomatic passport holder
- Gazetted Government officers, their spouses, and children
- Individuals above the age of 50 years and up to the age of 18 years
- Income taxpayers, professional degree holder, visas for permanent emigration
- Individuals who hold a diploma in nursing
- people with a diploma in polytechnic from any recognized institute
- People working in the sea with continuous discharge certificate or sea cadets and deck cadets.
5. Categories in the passport.
Non-ECR category or ECR category is the one that is listed on the passport depending on the category under which your passport falls. If your passport falls under the ECR category, then it will be mentioned on the passport with a stamp or notation or “EMIGRATION CHECK REQUIRED” will be written on it.
6. List of Countries that require Emigration Clearance
According to the Indian Bureau of Immigration (BOI), the countries listed below need Emigration Clearance:
- United Arab Emirates (UAE)
- The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
- Qatar
- Yemen
- Jordan
- Afghanistan
- Sudan
- Oman
- Malaysia
- Kuwait
- Oman
- Bahrain
- Libya
- Indonesia
- Syria
- Lebanon
- Thailand
7. Requirements for changing ECR to ECNR.
The minimum educational qualifications required to get an ECNR passport is passing the 10th grade. Anyone who is 10th-grade pass can produce the certificate before the RPO and get its passport changed from ECR to ECNR. Now only the ECR passports are stamped as such when a qualified candidate approaching the RPO for an ECNR passport can cancel the existing ECR stamp and endorse it with ECNR by making all the necessary entry to the effect with new signature and stamp of the RPO.
8. Procedure to change from ECR to Non ECR passport
The process by which you can change the ECR Passport to the Non-ECR passport that is officially obliged by the Indian Government is given below.
This change can be done by applying for a re-issue of the passport and selecting “YES” for the question which asks- “Are you eligible for Non-ECR Category?” in the application form and submits relevant proofs for the eligibility.
9. Status change from ECR to Non-ECR
In case there is any change in the life of a person depending on their age, education, or marital status, etc. which makes them qualified to change their passport category from ECR to Non-ECR, then it can be done.
10.FAQs
1. non-ecr category meaning?
Non-ECR known as ECNR means Emigration check not required.
2. What is the disadvantage of an ECR passport?
There are no disadvantages of having an ECR passport. The ECR passport holder has to go through the Emigration check every time before traveling.
3. Can I remove the Emigration Check Required
Firstly you need to check that if you have an Emigration Check Required stamp there on your passport. If you have the stamp and are eligible for removing it, then you need to apply for a fresh passport by selecting change in particulars – > Removal of ECR stamp.
4. In the Indian Passport Application Form, what to select for ECR Question?
- If you’ve not completed 10th Grade / Grade (Matriculation or Highschool Pass Diploma) and do not follow any of Non-ECR Level Criteria, then you need to select NO.
- Alternatively, if you have completed 10th grade/class or above, or if you fall within any of the Non-ECR category requirements mentioned above, then you’d pick YES.
5. How to know if the passport is ECR or Non-ECR?
Unless your passport falls within the class ECR, it will be correctly identified with either a stamp/notation or clear text ‘EMIGRATION CHECK REQUIRED.’ It used to be a stamp for passports before Jan 2007, and you can find the details written/endorsed in the passport’s address page for the latest passports.
Generally, for passports approved after January 2007, if you locate no printed text/notation in the passport that says “EMIGRATION CHECK REQUIRED,” then the passport falls under the Non-ECR category. Putting Non-ECR (previously ECNR) stamps has been abandoned, and you can only see Printed Text notation in the passport.
6. How does ECR Passport Look like?
ECR Endorsement/Notation is on the address page, which is the last page of every Indian passport. The notation is provided on the Top if the passport is ECR.
7. What is OK to Board?
Ere traveling to UAE (Dubai/Sharjah/Abu Dhabi), Bahrain, Kuwait, Muscat, Oman, and Qatar, Indian citizens need more than just a visa.
It is the “OK to Board” – an airline requirement without which any passenger is not allowed to travel to the destinations mentioned above.
If you request a valid visa to the countries mentioned above, you must give your copy of your visa to the airline with which you booked your flight ticket. The airline will accept your ticket after rechecking your visa and will mark your flight PNR as OK to Board. Please note that if your PNR doesn’t reflect OK to Board, you can not board a flight.
The message “OK To Board” is compulsory for the categories below:
- All customers holding ECR (Immigration Check Required) passport
- All customers flying with a print-out of Labour & Work e-visa
8. Am I eligible for the NON-ERC category?
When you have graduated from 10th grade (Matriculation or Higher Educational Pass Certificate) or have a higher degree, your passport comes within the Non-ECR category.
So, if you have qualified above given criteria, then, yes, you are eligible. Otherwise, you are not.
9. What if my passport is ECR?
ECR stands for Emigration Search Required passports. This type of passport was released before 2007. If you don’t pass the 10th level, your category would be Emigration Check Required. If you are on this list, you will find the ECR stamp on your tab. And any time you travel beyond India, you need to get clearance from the immigration office.
10. Which are ECR countries?
- Brunei
- Yemen
- Indonesia
- Saudi Arab
- Iraq
- Thailand
- Jordan
- UAE
- Lebanon
- Syria
- Malaysia
- Sudan
- Libya
- Bahrain
- Kuwait
- Afghanistan
- Oman
- Qatar
11. What are the disadvantages of an ECR passport?
There are certain pitfalls if you have an ECR passport. Under the Emigration Act, 1983, the Emigration Check Required (ECR) groups of Indian passport holders require to receive an “Emigration Clearance” from the Office of the Protector of Emigrants (POE), Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, for travel to 18 nations that are mentioned previously.
