The Police Clearance Certificate (PCC) is issued to Indian citizens looking to move to a foreign country for the purpose of employment, long-term stay or residential stay. People traveling abroad on a tourist visa cannot apply for PCC from Indian authorities.
There are 17 countries which have been designated as Emigration Check Required (ECR) countries due to their relatively lenient rules regarding entry and employment of foreign nationals.
| 1. United Arab Emirates |
| 2. Saudi Arabia |
| 3. Yemen |
| 4. Sudan |
| 5. Qatar |
| 6. Oman |
| 7. Afghanistan |
| 8. Syria |
| 9. Kuwait |
| 10. Bahrain |
| 11. Thailand |
| 12. Lebanon |
| 13. Malaysia |
| 14. Indonesia |
| 15. Iraq |
| 16. Libya |
| 17. Jordan |
Documents Required For PCC Application For Work-Related Travel To ECR Countries
For skilled/semi-skilled individuals
In case of skilled/semi-skilled individuals who have signed a contract directly with a foreign employer and not through Recruiting Agents (RA) recognized by the Protector of Emigrants (POE), the following needs to be submitted for PCC:
- Passport in original plus self-attested copy of first 2 and last 2 pages of the passport which includes the ECR/ECNR page as well as a page of observation (if any).
- Address proof if a change of address from what is given in the passport.
- Self-attested copy of employment contract.
- Copy of visa and translation of the same into English if the original language is something else.
For unskilled individuals/women applicants
In case of unskilled individuals as well as women (30 years or over) applicants who have signed a contract directly with a foreign employer and not through an RA, the following needs to be submitted:
- Passport in original plus self-attested copy of first 2 and last 2 pages of the passport which includes the ECR/ECNR page as well as a page of observation (if any).
- Address proof if the change of address from what is given in the passport.
- Employment contract attested by the relevant Indian Mission or Permission Letter from relevant Indian Mission/Post.
- Copy of visa and translation of the same into English if the original language is something else.
For skilled/semi-skilled individuals (through Recruiting Agents)
In case of skilled/semi-skilled applicants who have signed a contract with a foreign employer through an RA, the following needs to be submitted:
- Passport in original plus self-attested copy of first 2 and last 2 pages of the passport which includes the ECR/ECNR page as well as a page of observation (if any).
- Address proof if a change of address from what is given in the passport.
- Employment contract copies, demand letter and power of attorney from the foreign employer, attested by the concerned RA.
- Registration certificate copy issued by the POE.
For unskilled individuals/women applicants (through Recruiting Agents)
In case of unskilled individuals or women applicants who have signed a contract with a foreign employer through an RA, the following should be submitted:
- Passport in original plus self-attested copy of first 2 and last 2 pages of the passport which includes the ECR/ECNR page as well as a page of observation (if any).
- Address proof if a change of address from what is given in the passport.
- Employment contract copies, demand letter and power of attorney from the foreign employer, attested by the concerned Indian Mission.
- Registration certificate copy issued by the POE.
Documents Required For PCC Application For Emigration-Related Travel To Non-ECR (ECNR) Countries
- Passport in original plus self-attested copy of first 2 and last 2 pages of the passport which includes the ECR/ECNR page as well as a page of observation (if any).
- Address proof if a change of address from what is given in the passport.
- Documentary proof denoting application for a long-term visa, residential status or employment (employment contract copy).
Documents Required For Dependent Family Members Of A Person Emigrating Or Residing In Both ECR And ECNR Countries
- Passport in original plus self-attested copy of first 2 and last 2 pages of the passport which includes the ECR/ECNR page as well as a page of observation (if any).
- Address proof if the change of address from what is given in the passport.
- Declaration of sponsorship by relevant person sponsoring the emigration of said applicant.
How To Apply For PCC Online?
The online PCC application submission is a simple process. The steps to be followed are outlined below:
- Register on the Passport Seva Portal and login to your account.
- Click on the Apply for Police Clearance Certificate link.
- Fill up the form that comes up and submit it.
- Next, browse to View Saved/Submitted Applications option on your screen and click on the option titled Pay and Schedule Appointment.
- You will need to make the payment online as it is mandatory. Payment can be made through any credit/debit cards, internet banking of SBI and associate banks or through SBI bank challan.
- Now, print the application receipt by clicking on the relevant option and make note of the Application Reference Number or Appointment Number,
- Be present on the day of appointment with all the required documents.
Alternatively, the process above can also be done by first downloading an e-form from the website, filling and saving it in XML format. You need to follow the same steps as above, except the part where you fill the application form online. Here, you can directly upload the already filled XML file. Note that both form submissions have to be done online while online payment is also mandatory.
Police Clearance Certificate Application Form
The police clearance certificate application form can be found on the Passport Seva website. The form can be filled out online and submitted through the website. The form contains the following items which have to be filled out:
- Passport number.
- Passport date of issue and date of expiry.
- Country for which the Police Clearance Certificate is required.
- Applicants given name (includes middle name).
- Applicants surname.
- Applicants date of birth.
- Gender.
- Town or city of residence.
- Marital status.
- Indian citizenship type (select from options provided).
- Employment type.
- Educational Qualification.
- Family details (either mother/father/legal guardians details to be mentioned):
- Fathers given name (includes middle name and surname, no initials).
- Mothers given name (includes middle name and surname, no initials).
- Guardians given name (includes middle name and surname, no initials).
- Residential address details:
- Duration of stay at address.
- Street name and house number.
- Village, town or city name.
- State or Union territory.
- District.
- Police station under whose jurisdiction applicant falls under.
- PIN code.
- Applicants mobile number.
- Telephone number (optional).
- Email address (optional).
- If the permanent address is same as a residential address. If not, the section on the permanent address is to be filled out.
- 2 References from the town/ city mentioning the references full name, address, telephone/mobile number.
- Whether any criminal proceedings were conducted against the applicant. If yes, details to be provided.
- Self-declaration to be ticked.
- Place of filling the form as well as a date to be entered.
Police Clearance Certificate Format
Depending on the country for which the Police Certificate Clearance was requested, the document will be printed in a particular format. All formats will contain a photograph of the applicant as well as his/her personal details such as the applicant’s full name, date of birth, passport number as well as a declaration that the individual is cleared for travel to the specified country.
Police Clearance Certificate Status
The status of the Police Clearance Certificate differs from state to state. In some cases, the applicant is notified via SMS regarding the status of the clearance, after which he/she will have to visit the police station along with his/her passport and collect the certificate.
