Protector of Emigrants (PoE) offices in India: what they do and where they are

A Protector of Emigrants (PoE) office is the Ministry of External Affairs office that grants emigration clearance to people with ECR passports going to one of the 17 ECR countries for employment, and handles complaints about recruitment. Ministry documentation lists PoE offices in cities such as Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chandigarh, Hyderabad, Kochi and Bengaluru.

What is a Protector of Emigrants office?

What the PoE does

Applications for clearance are made online through eMigrate, so most steps do not need a visit.

Grants emigration clearance to people holding ECR passports who are going to any of the designated countries for employment, after checking the particulars of the application.
Receives complaints about recruiting agents and overseas employment problems. The Ministry of External Affairs names the office of the Protector General of Emigrants as a place to complain.

Where the offices are

Recent Ministry of External Affairs documentation describes a network of around 16 PoE offices, in these cities: Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chandigarh, Hyderabad, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Jaipur, Lucknow, Patna, Bengaluru, Guwahati, Ranchi, Bhubaneswar and Agartala. Earlier documents list Raebareli in place of some of these. Offices open and move, so confirm the current list and your office on the eMigrate portal or the Ministry's website before you travel.

Complaints about recruitment

The Ministry of External Affairs names the office of the Protector General of Emigrants as a place to lodge a complaint about a recruiting agent, alongside the Indian mission abroad, the MADAD portal and the Overseas Workers Resource Centre on 1800 11 3090. Complaints can also be lodged through the eMigrate system. Keep your receipts, contract and messages as evidence, and see our guide to overseas job scams for the warning signs.

Before you go

Check whether you need clearance at all: ECR passport rules.
Gather your passport (valid for at least six months), the employment contract, the insurance policy and the fee challan, as the Ministry lists them.
Use the eMigrate application first. Keep your application number.
Verify any agent before you pay: how to check an agent.

Official sources

Last reviewed 2026-10-06. Information only, not legal advice.

Frequently asked questions

What does the Protector of Emigrants do?

Grants emigration clearance to ECR passport holders going to the 17 ECR countries for employment, and receives complaints about overseas recruitment.

How many PoE offices are there?

Recent Ministry of External Affairs documentation describes around 16 offices. The network changes, so confirm the current list on eMigrate or the Ministry's website.

Do I have to visit a PoE office?

Applications are made on the eMigrate portal. Check the portal for what, if anything, requires a visit in your case.