| New Delhi:
Indians going on a visit abroad can soon stop bothering
about the 'emigration check required' clause on their
passports, Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi
said here on Thursday. They will not have to run around
seeking suspension of that clause.
"The government is soon going to do away with the system
of giving suspension to ECR status to people going abroad on
visit visas," Ravi said at a function to launch a digital
integrated media platform for persons of Indian origin (PIOs).
Under the Indian Emigration Act, 1983, anybody whose
passport is endorsed with the ECR clause has to obtain
emigration clearance (in case of employment visa) or
suspension of emigration check requirement (in case of visit
visa) from the office of the Protector of Emigrants (PoE)
under the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA).
Ravi said a high-level committee was working on this
policy change and an official announcement to the effect
would be made soon.
"Last year, around half a million people from India went
abroad on visit visas," the minister added.
According to a policy change formulated in January this
year, emigration clearance or suspension of ECR is necessary
only in 18 countries in the world, including Malaysia,
Libya, Jordan, Yemen, Sudan, Brunei, Afghanistan, Indonesia,
Syria, Lebanon, Thailand and Iraq (where emigration is
banned).
Now, only those who have not cleared Class 10 are issued
ECR passports in India.
An MOIA official later told IANS that the new
policy change is being planned so that people going abroad
on visit visas need not be bothered with the trouble of
approaching the PoE for ECR suspension (ECRS).
"The process of issuing ECRS usually takes around two to
four days," he said.
"Doing away with this system will also eliminate
irregularities like travel agents or illegal recruiting
agents making money from ECR passport holders while getting
the suspension issued from the PoE," the official said. |