Political Clearance Certificate

1. Since 2016, political clearance certificate can be applied through the e-Pol Clearance portal (epolclearance.gov.in).

1. No public servant or Government servant can go abroad without this certificate.

1. After inter-Ministerial coordination through a dedicated ‘Coordination Division’, the political clearance certificate is issued.

What is the Process for Obtaining Political Clearance?

Here are the details about the process for obtaining political clearance:

1. The applications for political clearance can be submitted via the e-Pol Clearance portal (epolclearance.gov.in).

1. After inter-ministerial coordination by the dedicated ‘Coordination Division’ the clearance is granted.

1. The decision on political clearance is determined based on the following factors:

1. Nature of the invitation

1. Nature of the event

1. Relationship of India with the host country 

1. Participation level from other countries

1. Based on the above-mentioned factors, the request for political clearance may also be rejected by the MEA.

1. MEA has the right to decide on the desirability, sustainability, and level of participation of Indian officials in engagements abroad.

Who Needs a Political Clearance Certificate?

Here is the list of individuals who need political clearance certificate to travel abroad:

Public Servants:

1. Before traveling abroad, chief ministers and ministers of states or union territories must obtain political clearance from the Centre.

1. For both official and private trips, Political clearance and FCRA clearance (Foreign Contribution Regulation Act) are mandatory.

1. The purpose of the visit must be informed to the Cabinet Secretariat and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

1. The application copy must be sent to the Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs (DEA).

Judges:

1. Political clearance certificate must be obtained by the Supreme Court and High Court judges from the Chief Justice of India (CJI) for all their official travels.

1. The proposal is then sent to the Department of Justice (DoJ) in the Union Ministry of Law and Justice.

1. The DOJ issues approval after securing:

1. Political clearance from the MEA.

1. If applicable, the FCRA clearance is obtained from the Home Ministry.

1. Clearances are not required for personal travel of judges in higher judiciary.

Requirements for Chief Ministers and State Ministers

To obtain political clearance certificate, here are the requirements for chief ministers and state ministers:

1. The Union Cabinet Secretariat and the MEA must be informed by the Chief Ministers of all foreign visits.

1. For foreign trips, the ministers of State Governments and Union Territories also require political clearance and FCRA clearance.

1. A copy of the application must be sent to the Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs (DEA).

Do Government Servants Need any Additional Clearances?

The additional clearances that are required for the government servants are given below:

1. In addition to political clearance from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the union ministers require approval from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) for both official and personal trips.

1. The chief minister, ministers from the state governments and other government officials of the state will also need to obtain clearance from the Department of Economic Affairs.

1. For official trips, the Lok Sabha MPs need clearance from the Speaker.

1. Rajya Sabha MPs need clearance from the Chairperson (Vice President of India) for official trips.

1. Note that for private trips, it is not mandatory for the MPs (Members of Parliament) to inform the Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha secretariat.

1. For all foreign trips, whether official or personal, bureaucrats require approval.

1. For officers up to the rank of Joint Secretary, clearance is granted by the minister concerned, after obtaining the political clearance certificate from the MEA.

1. For officers above Joint Secretary rank, approval is given by a screening committee of secretaries.

1. FCRA clearance from the Union Home Ministry is mandatory if the trip involves visiting organizations other than the UN (United Nation).

1. Rules for clearance depend on the duration of the visit, the destination country, and the size of the delegation.