Going abroad for a job, safelyతెAP

Going abroad for a job, safely

You know whether your agent is genuine, whether you need emigration clearance, which insurance to take, and whom to call if you are in trouble abroad.

OnlineAt the office

For whom: People of Andhra Pradesh who want to go abroad for a job (especially to the Gulf), those already working there, and their families.

In an emergency, call at once

18001103090Pravasi Bharatiya Sahayata Kendra (Ministry of External Affairs), 24 hours; free from India08632340678APNRTS 24/7 helpline (Government of Andhra Pradesh)

Tell us your situation first; then the documents and steps open.

1Your situation

A few questions. We show only the documents and steps your answers need.

Which of these are you?
Is "ECR" printed in your passport?
Where is the job?
How did you get this job?

Your answers stay on this phone.

2Documents you need

Tick the ones you have. They are kept in this browser.

    3Your steps

    · Do them in order. Tick each one when it is done.

    1. Do this now

      Before you pay an agent, check on the eMigrate website, under "List of active RA" (or "Find Recruiting Agent"), that the agent is registered with the Ministry of External Affairs.

      A registered agent has a licence number, shown in their office and in their advertisements. Do not trust "agents" who talk only on WhatsApp or Facebook and will not give their address.

      Where
      eMigrate: List of active RA
      Fee
      Free
      Open the official page

      Sources: 5, 2

    2. Do this now

      A registered agent may not take more than ₹30,000 + 18% GST from you as the service charge.

      Ask for a receipt for what you pay.

      Where
      The registered recruiting agent's office
      Fee
      At most ₹30,000 + 18% GST

      Sources: 5

    3. Do this now

      Before you leave, have the employment contract in your hand: signed by the foreign employer, the agent and you, with the job and the salary written in it.

      Go for work only on an employment visa, never on a tourist visa.

      Where
      You do this yourself

      Sources: 5

    4. Do this now

      Before you travel, take Pre-Departure Orientation Training (PDOT), where you learn about the conditions and laws of the country you are going to.

      APNRTS (Andhra Pradesh Non-Resident Telugu Society), the Andhra Pradesh government body, offers this training; ask its 24/7 helpline where and when.

      Where
      APNRTS 24/7 helpline: +91 863 2340678, WhatsApp +91 85000 27678

      Not confirmed: eMigrate's list of centres shows no PDOT centre in Andhra Pradesh. The APNRTS page lists the service but gives no centres, dates or fee.

      Sources: 5, 15, 12

    5. Do this now

      Get a passport first.

      If you passed class 10 or are over 50 (or fall in another Non-ECR category), mark "Non-ECR" as yes in the application and give the proof; otherwise ECR is printed in the passport. Come back to this guide once you have it.

      Where
      Passport Seva
      Open the official page

      Sources: 9

    6. Do this now

      If ECR is printed but you now fall in a Non-ECR category (for example you have passed class 10, or are over 50), you can apply for a re-issue of the passport for "ECR Deletion".

      Once ECR is removed, you do not need emigration clearance for a job.

      Where
      Passport Seva
      Open the official page

      Sources: 9, 2

    7. Do this now

      As ECR is not printed in your passport, you do not need emigration clearance to go for a job.

      If you wish, you can register on eMigrate voluntarily and take PBBY insurance.

      Where
      eMigrate: Self Registration / PBBY
      Open the official page

      Sources: 1, 2

    8. Do this now

      If you are going as a nurse: nurses going to these 18 countries need emigration clearance even with a passport without ECR.

      Where
      eMigrate
      Open the official page

      Not confirmed: This is in eMigrate's instructions to employers; we did not find the order that sets the rule. Ask PBSK (1800 11 3090) or the Protector of Emigrants' office who may recruit nurses and how.

      Sources: 4

    9. Do this now

      Even with ECR in your passport, you do not need emigration clearance for a job outside these 18 countries.

      Check the agent, the contract and the visa as above.

      Where
      You do this yourself

      Sources: 1, 9

    10. Do this now

      Take Pravasi Bharatiya Bima Yojana (PBBY) insurance: it is compulsory for those who need emigration clearance.

      It pays ₹10 lakh for accidental death or permanent disability; hospital costs up to ₹1 lakh (up to ₹50,000 each time); up to ₹45,000 for court costs in a job dispute; and in some cases the fare home. Your nominee also gets a copy of the policy. If you go through a registered agent, the agent must buy it for you.

      Where
      eMigrate: buy a PBBY policy
      Fee
      Premium: ₹275 for 2 years, ₹375 for 3 years
      Open the official page

      Sources: 7, 1, 5

    11. Do this now

      You can also take the Andhra Pradesh government's "Pravasandhra Bharosa Bima" (PBB): for people aged 18 to 60 working abroad on a work visa (in ECR and non-ECR countries alike).

      ₹590 for 3 years (with GST). ₹10 lakh for accidental death or permanent disability, medical costs up to ₹1 lakh, legal costs up to ₹45,000 in job disputes. It does not cover natural death. Register on the APNRTS website, or with the help of its 24/7 helpline; family members can give the details too. The policy bond comes within 15 working days; cover starts from the bond date.

      Where
      APNRTS: Pravasandhra Bharosa Bima
      Fee
      ₹590 · For 3 years, with GST
      Open the official page

      Not confirmed: The insurance page gives the WhatsApp number as +91 85005 27678; the home and FAQ pages give +91 85000 27678, which most pages use. The page does not say whether you can join before you have the work visa; ask the helpline.

      Sources: 16, 17

    12. Do this now

      Your agent registers your details on eMigrate (Emigrant Registration) and applies for emigration clearance (EC).

      The Protector of Emigrants (PoE) grants the clearance online through eMigrate. Get the application number (ARN) from the agent and check the status yourself on eMigrate.

      Where
      eMigrate: EC status
      Open the official page

      Not confirmed: eMigrate says a fee is paid online for the clearance, but the pages we read do not give the amount. See it on eMigrate when paying, or ask PBSK.

      Sources: 2, 1

    13. Do this now

      Apply yourself on eMigrate: Emigrant → "Apply for Registration for ECR Countries".

      If the employer is registered on eMigrate, fill in the form with the Job ID, Job Code and contract; if not, with the demand letter attested by the Indian Mission, the contract and a copy of the visa, and upload them. Track the status with the ARN you get.

      Where
      eMigrate
      Open the official page

      Not confirmed: The pages we read do not give the clearance fee; see it on eMigrate when paying. The FAQ says the full list of required documents is in the "Online Kit for Emigrants" on eMigrate, which we did not read.

      Sources: 2, 1

    14. Do this now

      Women with ECR passports may be recruited for these countries only by state government recruiting agencies.

      If you are a woman, check on eMigrate whether the agent is a government agency.

      Where
      eMigrate: list of state recruiting agents
      Open the official page

      Not confirmed: This is only in an instruction to agents on eMigrate; we did not find the order that sets the rule, or other conditions such as age. Ask PBSK (1800 11 3090) or the Protector of Emigrants' office.

      Sources: 4

    15. Do this now

      At the immigration counter in the airport, your clearance is checked online.

      Without it, an ECR passport holder is stopped from leaving for a job in these countries.

      Where
      The immigration counter at the airport

      Sources: 1, 9

    16. Do this now

      If you hold an employment visa and are going back after a short visit to India, you do not need clearance from the Protector of Emigrants again.

      Where
      You do this yourself

      Not confirmed: This is from the passport application booklet. If your job or employer changes, ask PBSK (1800 11 3090) whether you need a new clearance.

      Sources: 9

    17. Do this now

      Before you leave, save these numbers in your phone and give them to your family: the Pravasi Bharatiya Sahayata Kendra (PBSK) 1800 11 3090 (free from India, 24 hours), +91-11-2688-5021 (from abroad, charged), WhatsApp +91 74283 21144, e-mail helpline@mea.gov.in; and the number of the Indian Embassy in the country you are going to.

      Where
      You do this yourself

      Sources: 3, 1, 2, 5

    18. Do this now

      If you have trouble abroad with the job, the pay, the agent or the employer, you or your family can phone, WhatsApp or e-mail PBSK.

      It works 24 hours, in 11 Indian languages. They register the complaint, give you a number and send it to the Protector of Emigrants or the Embassy.

      Where
      PBSK: 1800 11 3090 (from India), +91-11-2688-5021 (from abroad)
      Fee
      Free · Toll-free from India; calls from abroad are charged

      Sources: 3, 1, 2

    19. Do this now

      Contact the Indian Embassy or Consulate in the country where you are.

      Its Community Welfare Wing can also tell you about conditions in that country.

      Where
      Indian Embassy / Consulate

      Sources: 5, 3

    20. Do this now

      You can register a complaint about the consular services of an Indian Embassy on the MADAD portal and follow it there.

      Where
      MADAD
      Open the official page

      Sources: 11

    21. Do this now

      You can complain about an agent or a foreign employer yourself on eMigrate (Emigrant → Submit Grievance), or phone PBSK and they register it.

      Track it with the number you get.

      Where
      eMigrate: grievance
      Fee
      Free
      Open the official page

      Sources: 2, 1

    22. Do this now

      For people of Andhra Pradesh: you or your family can tell the APNRTS 24/7 helpline (+91 863 2340678, WhatsApp +91 85000 27678).

      It helps with bringing stranded people home, out-passes (emergency certificates) during amnesties, job disputes, recruitment-fraud complaints (MRC grievances) and dealing with the Embassy.

      Where
      APNRTS 24/7 helpline: +91 863 2340678, WhatsApp +91 85000 27678
      Fee
      Free

      Not confirmed: Its page says membership is needed for APNRTS benefits, with proof of living abroad. Ask the helpline which services you get if you are not a member.

      Sources: 15, 14, 12, 13

    23. Do this now

      If someone with PBBY insurance has an accident: tell the insurance company within 30 days; file the claim within 90 days of the death or permanent disability.

      The claim can be registered on eMigrate under "PBBY Policy". The insurer must accept the certificate given by the Indian Embassy.

      Where
      eMigrate: PBBY claim
      Time limit
      Report the accident within 30 days; claim within 90 days of the death or disability
      Open the official page

      Not confirmed: How to register a claim on eMigrate is from a 2016 instruction; the option's name may have changed. The insurer's toll-free number is on the policy.

      Sources: 7, 8

    24. Do this now

      APNRTS provides a free ambulance from the airport to the home town or village for the mortal remains of someone who died abroad, or for a stretcher-bound patient.

      Family members can apply too: you need the hospital discharge summary or death certificate, the Indian Embassy's certificate, the air ticket and the passport.

      Where
      APNRTS: ambulance request
      Fee
      Free
      Open the official page

      Sources: 18, 15

    If something goes wrong

    If you are asked for more money

    If an agent asks for more than ₹30,000 + GST, or gives no receipt, complain on eMigrate or tell PBSK. You can also write to the office of the Protector General of Emigrants at pge@mea.gov.in.

    18001103090

    Also

    If an unregistered "agent" takes your money and cheats you, tell PBSK and complain on eMigrate; you can also file a police complaint (see the "File an FIR" guide). Recruiting for jobs abroad without a licence is an offence under the Emigration Act, 1983. If you paid online, see the "Report a cyber fraud" guide. People of Andhra Pradesh living abroad can also complain to the AP Police NRI Cell (CID): +91 94407 00830.

    18001103090

    If it is rejected

    If the clearance application is refused or sent back, see the reason in eMigrate's e-mail. Contact the office of the Protector of Emigrants, Hyderabad: 2nd Floor, Regional Passport Office Building, 73 Red Cross Road, Secunderabad 500003; phone 040-27772557; e-mail poehyd@mea.gov.in.

    04027772557

    If it is late

    If the clearance or a complaint is delayed, check the status on eMigrate with the ARN or the complaint number, and phone PBSK.

    18001103090

    Also

    If a PBBY claim is stuck: claims registered on eMigrate are handled by the office of the Protector of Emigrants, Mumbai (phone 022-26520060, poemumbai@mea.gov.in). Tell PBSK too.

    02226520060

    The 19 official pages and papers this guide is written from
    1. eMigrate: home page (About eMigrate; ECR countries/regions; Pravasi Bharatiya Bima Yojana; PBSK and KPSK; Protector of Emigrants; voluntary registration for ECNR passport holders; offices by state)
    2. eMigrate: Frequently Asked Questions
    3. About PBSK (Pravasi Bharatiya Sahayata Kendra)
    4. eMigrate portal instructions (the portal's English language pack)
    5. Advisory on overcharging by agents for overseas recruitment, offering fake overseas jobs and illegal recruitment
    6. Address and Jurisdiction of PoE offices in India (as on 01 August 2024)
    7. Pravasi Bharatiya Bima Yojana, 2017 (G.S.R. 864(E))
    8. Instruction for PBBY claim submission (office memorandum No. 13019/34/2015 of 15.01.2016)
    9. Instructions for filling of passport application form and supplementary form (booklet V3.0)
    10. Notification S.O. 1050(E): rights of Overseas Citizens of India cardholders
    11. MADAD: Consular Services Management System
    12. APNRTS: Member FAQ
    13. About APNRTS
    14. APNRTS: home page
    15. MRC/MERC Services (APNRTS 24/7 Helpline)
    16. Pravasandhra Bharosa Bima (PBB): Insurance Scheme for Telugu Diaspora
    17. Pravasandhra Bharosa Bima Scheme: FAQs
    18. Ambulance Requests
    19. AP Investment Safety & NRI Grievance Cell (AP Police NRI Cell)

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