Indians Who Are Holding ECNR Passport to Register Before Flying

The Ministry of External Affairs has recently issued an advisory note on Registration of ECNR Passport holders for Indians who are travelling on employment | work in 18 ECR Countries from India. From 1^st January 2019, for all Indians who are holding ECNR passport, can register before flying through an Indian government portal This initiative has been adopted to defend and protect Indians going to work in 18 ECR countries. Which are the 18 ECR Countries with falls under this advisory note? The 18 ECR Countries which falls under this advisory note are Afghanistan, Bahrain, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Oman, Qatar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, South Sudan, Syria, Thailand, United Arab Emirates & Yemen. What is this advisory note? If a ECNR Indian passport holder is travelling to ECR countries on Employment Visa, can Register in eMigrate system, at least 24 hours prior to their departure. Their registration confirmation will be verified by Bureau of Immigration (BoI) at emigration counters before they are departing from India. In case there are more details required they might go through Advisory. How to register and what are details that you will need? Registration can be done through an Indian government portal The registration form is a simple and basic one and would just have to furnish personal, visa, travel details, email id, Adhar card number, emergency contact details in India and destination country and contact details of foreign employer/sponsor in the destination country. What happens after registering? After successfully completing the registration process, the applicant will be receiving an SMS or an email. Once registered they are only required to re-register after their work visa has been changed. When to register? The registration can be done between 21 days to one day before your departure from India. Does the registration incur any charges? This initiative proposed by the Ministry of External Affairs is made free of cost to everyone and doesn’t involve any fee for registration. Why you should register and what is the main objective to bring this advisory rule to ECNR passport holders? The main objective of this advisory note issued to all Indian ECNR passport holders is to get all the necessary details when they are migrating to another country so that it is easier to track without any delay in case there are any issues raised. Is it applicable to Investor Visa holders? No, investor visa holders are not required to register on the online portal. It is only applicable to the ones who are travelling on employment visa. Does this apply to those Indians who are already working in these 18 ECR Countries? Yes, it is applicable to those who are already working in these 18 ECR countries, but they do not have to register during they stay abroad. However, if they come for their vacations and are again returning back with the same employment visa they will have to register before they fly back. What happens when they go for vacations? In case they are coming for vacations after having initially registered in the e-portal mentioning the duration of his employment and if the vacation is within that employment time frame, they are not required to register. But in case one has not registered initially before their departure, then they are required to register when they return from their vacation. Does this bother the employers who have employed you? The registration for ECNR Indian passport holders doesn’t bother the employers who have employed you. There is no impact at all to the employment contract between you and your employer. There is absolutely no reason for the Foreign Employers to be concerned about the process or its objective.  What should the ECR category passport holders do when they get ECNR passport after working overseas for three years? The ECR category passport holders who have got their ECNR passport after working overseas for three years can register like all other ECNR passport holders going for employment to any ECR countries and they will not be required to obtain EC. Further, Job seekers who are having any queries and seeking for clarification can contact Pravasi Bharatiya Sahayata Kendra (PBSK) in India on toll free number 1800113090 or 01140503090 (charges apply) or by email at helpline@mea.gov.in. Infact, this registration procedure for all Indian workers falling in ECR category was prevalent since past three years, 2015 in order to protect them against human trafficking, illegal recruitment and exploitation. The safely for all Indians traveling for work has now been extended to ECNR passport holders as well. 5 Simple and Quick Steps for ECNR Indian passport holders to register: Step 1: Log in to https://emigrate.gov.in/ext/ and click ECNR Registration. Step 2:  Insert your Indian mobile number where you will be receiving one-time password for verification. Please note it has to be a valid working number. Step 3: Submit your OTP. Step 4: You will finally be directed to the registration form. Where you will have to fill the details and submit your registration form with correct details. Step 5: Track your application by going back to home website and clicking on Track Application Status. Emirates Chartered Accountants Group & Its Associate Professional Firms (Emirates Chartered Accountants Group) are ISO 9001-2008 Certified International Chartered Accountants Firms head quartered in Dubai.