Consular Services

Protector General of Emigrants

PGE under Ministry of External Affairs is the authority responsible for protecting the interest of Indian workers going abroad. PGE is also the registering authority to issue Registration Certificate to the Recruiting Agents for overseas manpower exporting business. Powers of Protector General of Emigrants are:

  • Power to grant the Registration Certificate (RC) under Section 11 and 12 of the Emigration Act, 1983 and renew the same under Section 13 of the Act.
  • Power to suspend, cancel and revoke the RC under Section 14 of the Act.
  • Power to issue permit to the foreign employer (FE) and Project Exporter (PE) under Chapter IV of the Act.
  • Power to sanction prosecution for offences and penalties under Section 24 and 25 of the Act.
  • Power to search, seize and detain persons/conveyance, etc. conferred to an officer of customs under the Customs Act, 1962.
  • Power to prescribe any return, record or register for the RAs and inspect the same as well at their office under Section 36 of the Act.
  • Power of civil court under Section 37 of the Act.
  • Power to perform all or any of the functions assigned to any POE under Section 3(4) of the Act.

Protector of Emigrants

The Protectors of Emigrants are responsible for granting emigration clearance to the intending emigrants as per the procedure prescribed under the Emigration Act, 1983. The Protectors of Emigrants shall perform the functions assigned to them by this Act under the general superintendence and control of the Protector General of Emigrants. Powers of Protector of Emigrants are:

  • To protect and aid with his advice all intending emigrants and emigrants.
  • Oversee all the provisions of this Act and of the rules made there under to be compiled with.
  • Inspect, to an extent and in a manner as may be prescribed-any emigrant conveyance, or any other conveyance if he has reason to believe that any intending emigrant or emigrants are proceeding from, or returning to, India; to or from a place outside India by such other conveyance
  • Inquire into the treatment received by emigrants during their voyage or journey to, and during the period of their residence in the country to which they emigrated and also during the return voyage or journey to India and report thereon to the Protector General of Emigrants or such other authority as may be prescribed.
  • Aid and advise, so far as he reasonably can, emigrants who have returned to India.

CPIO & Appellate Authority under RTI Act

Central Public Information Officer
Shri Bikash Ranjan Mahato
Under Secretary
Ministry of External Affairs
1021, Akbar Bhavan, Chankyapuri,
New Delhi – 110021
Email : us_emig2[at]mea[dot]gov[dot]in

Appellate Authority
Shri M.C. Luther
Protector General of Emigrants
Ministry of External Affairs
Email:pge[at]mea[dot]gov[dot]in
10th Floor, Akbar Bhavan, Chankyapuri
New Delhi - 110021

Drop Box for Letters/Documents

There is no system of personal delivery of documents to the office of Protector of Emigrants. In most of the cases e.g. submission of application for registration under the Emigration Act, 1983, or for renewal or any other change in an existing registration certificate, papers are to be submitted to the Protector of Emigrants under whose jurisdiction the applicant is covered.

Any letter or document required to be submitted to the Protector of Emigrants should be sent by post or by courier service. Alternatively, letters/documents can be put in the Drop Box kept in the reception area of Akbar Bhavan, Chankyapuri, New Delhi.

Improving of functioning of POE Offices