Only ECR passport holders and nurses travelling to 18 countries need to obtain emigration clearance

The government on Friday said only ECR passport holders and nurses travelling to 18 designated countries for work are required to obtain emigration clearance through the emigrate system.

The External Affairs Ministry described as incorrect media reports suggesting that the Indian government had made it mandatory for registration of all emigrants (both ECR and Non-ECR passport holders) to register at the emigrate.gov.in website before undertaking travel to work in any of the 18 designated countries.

"There is no change in the existing policy. Only ECR passport holders and nurses travelling to these designated 18 countries for work are required to obtain Emigration clearance through Emigrate system," the statement said.

Non-ECR passport holders travelling to other countries for work may register voluntarily in the Emigrate system, it said.

The statement further said the 18 countries for which emigration clearance is required for ECR passport holders and nurses travelling for work are: Afghanistan, Bahrain, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Oman, Qatar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Sudan, South Sudan, Syria, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.