ECR vs Non-ECR Passport

ECR or Emigration Clearance Required is a passport issued to an applicant who either has not passed their 10th standard or does not have certificates to prove the same. People with ECR passports have to undertake emigration checks.

The ECR passport is mainly issued to provide people with the freedom to work in countries like Indonesia, UAE, Iran, etc. It is mentioned that people who have lower educational qualifications tend to face domestic violence in some foreign nations. The Indian government has therefore introduced very strict rules and regulations to safeguard the people and ensure that such situations do not arise.

If the applicant for the passport has not passed their 10th standard or they do not have any documents that they have passed 10th, then they will be issued an ECR passport. Also, by default children who are under the age of 15 also get this passport.

And any Indian who plans to travel to another country on a visa that is not a job or employment visa can also opt for an ECR passport by choosing this option at the time of filling out the form for getting an Indian passport.

There are seventeen countries that require clearance for emigration under POE (Protector of Emigrants) operated by the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs. The list of countries is given below:

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

If you have an ECR passport and you plan to go to any of the above-mentioned countries for employment, then you need to undertake the process of emigration so that you can migrate to that country. In the case of any other passport, you do not need to undertake the emigration clearance process.

At the immigration counter, you need to show the tickets and your visa on the ECR passport and you will be allowed to travel without any hassles.

Before we get into ECR vs non-ECR passports, let us understand the documents required for an ECR passport.

The compulsory documents that you need to apply for an ECR passport include proof of your address, emergency proof (if needed), and annexures (if needed). To adhere to all the guidelines issued by the Indian government all these documents are required for the issuance of an ECR passport. The certificates of educational qualifications are not compulsory but if you have them, you can keep them as additional proof.

Non-ECR or Emigration Clearance Not Required (ECNR) is issued to people who have the required educational qualifications and wish to travel to other countries for either travel or business purposes. People who have an ECNR passport are allowed to travel to any country without having to pass emigration clearance.

If you have passed the 10th class, you are eligible to apply for the ECNR passport and you do not have to get emigration clearance. This is the major difference between ECR and Non-ECR. Also, in case you have passed secondary school but do not possess the certificates, you will have to apply for an ECR passport.

All applicants who possess a certificate of passing their SSLC are by default eligible to apply for an ECNR passport. In case you do not require an ECNR passport, there are other options that you can select while you apply for a passport on the government website.

The compulsory documents that you need to apply for an ECNR passport include proof of your address, emergency proof (if needed), and annexures (if needed). To adhere to all the rules and regulations issued by the Indian government all these documents are necessary for the issuance of an ECNR passport. The certificates of educational qualifications are compulsory for the issuance of this passport.

Almost every country worldwide accepts the ECNR passport without requiring an emigration clearance. Moreover, you can go to the immigration counter with any kind of visa like tourist, student, work, etc., and you will be allowed.

Do you wish to know ECR and Non-ECR passport differences and which category your passport comes under? This information can be accessed from the last page of your passport book. In case there is no information mentioned regarding this on the page, your passport by default will come under the ECNR passport category.

Now that you know the Non-ECR and ECR differences, it is essential that you apply for an accurate passport. If, in case, circumstances change and you wish to change your ECR passport to an ECNR passport, you can do that easily.

You can easily apply for the deletion of the ECR status. Then, you will have to go through the process of applying for a new passport. The revised passport will be sent to you if you meet the given requirements. ECR and Non-ECR passports have different sets of requirements and it is important that you carefully evaluate the category that you fit into.

Without a valid passport, you are not allowed to travel to other countries outside India. Also, if your passport is about to expire, renew your passport on time to avoid any issues. Therefore, if you plan to travel the world, you can do so easily with your passport. Just ensure that you secure your travels with the right travel insurance plan from Tata AIG. Have a safe, happy, and hassle-free journey!