Travel Permit to Visit North East India – Essential Guide

Northeast India having borders with Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar and China. It is a protected area due to the sensitivity of its geographical location. While traveling states like Assam, Tripura and Meghalaya normally travelers need not take permission for traveling to these places.

But there may need to arise to register upon arrival and departure.

Apart from the above places in order to visit other places of North-East India normally, Indian Nationals tourists require ILP (Inner Line Permit) and Foreign Nationals require PAP (Protected Area Permits). Manipur is the utmost new state to link others in the Northeast which requires an Inner Line Permit (ILP) from visitors.

The main purpose of the ILP system is to halt other Indian nationals in these states in order to shield the native populace. It is significant to identify that overseas residents may apply for ILP and PAP if they have an E-Visa for India.

Inner Line Permit and Protected Area Permit

Meaning of Inner Line permit

Simply an Inner Line Permit is a travel document that is required by non-residents of northeast India who wish to visit North-eastern states. The document is necessary to allow entry for travel or work. ILP specifies the duration of stay along with the name of the area permissible to be accessed.

Different types of permits are issued based on the purpose of a visit. ILP is issued by the concerned state government may be applied online or offline.

States Which Require Permit

Suggested Tour to Northeast India:

• 6 Days - Meghalaya Honeymoon Package
• 6 Days - Gangtok Lachen Lachung Tour Package
• 7 Days - Darjeeling Gangtok Tour Packages

Meaning of Protected Area permit

All areas falling near the international border of the Indian states are declared to be either Protected Areas or Restricted Areas. Numerous tourist circuits are frequently visited by foreign tourists in groups of four people or more, or as couples or individuals for this purpose, they need permit from the Indian government has been obtained.

Specific requirements may vary from one area to a different. The government has made constant efforts over many decades to control movement to certain sensitive areas thanks to concerns over national security and to make sure the protection of foreign tourists and indigenous cultures alike.

Rules related to both the permits

• The permit is valid for group tourists consisting of two or more persons only.
• The permit is valid for the particular tourist circuit/route and therefore the specific entry / exit point. No area aside from those indicated within the permit shall be visited.
• The permit holder must keep sufficient number of photocopies of the permit as he/she could also be required to deposit a replica at each point of entry/exit.
• The permit holder shall not stay within the restricted/protected area after the expiry of the permit.
• A foreigner must enter/exit the North-Eastern States by air only.
• A foreigner can travel within the North Eastern states through the National Highways or by air. While travelling by road, the tour should be undertaken largely through the National Highways.
• In cases where the places, which are to be visited, aren't on a National Highway, the tour should be undertaken in such some way that the most distance is travelled on a National Highway, restricting the utilisation of other road routes to the minimum.

Permit to Visit Arunachal Pradesh

For Indian Tourists

Indian tourists other than the natives of Arunachal Pradesh require to obtain Inner Line Permits (ILPs) issued by authorized management of any Arunachal Pradesh Government office or may apply online.

ILP can also be applied through an offline process. This can be done from any Government of Arunachal Pradesh office. The government has also opened Inner Line Permit acceleration centres in Guwahati as well.

The offices for a permit for visiting Arunachal Pradesh is in Delhi, Kolkata, Shillong, Guwahati, Tezpur, Dibrugarh, and Jorhat. To file application offline and the applicant may file an application online.

For Immigrants

An immigrant can apply for PAP at Deputy Resident Commissioner’s Office in Kolkata or Guwahati. The overseas residents require protected area permit to enter Arunachal Pradesh. They can obtain the PAP from all Indian missions abroad, all foreigners regional registration officers (FRRO) are posted in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, home ministry of India. The validity for pap is 30 days and can be renewed. The pap costs $30 USD.

Permits to Visit Mizoram

For Indian tourists

Inner Line Pass is required for visit into Mizoram which is granted by the liaison Officer of government of Mizoram and may from theassociated urban communities in Kolkata, Silchar, Shillong, Guwahati and New Delhi.

Government officers are exempted to apply for such permit, they can enter the place without permit. There is additionally an arrangement of on spot award of ILP at the Lenpui Airport, for visitors showing up by flight.

Two types of ILP can be issued

For Immigrants

All overseas residents obligate to register themselves at the office of Superintendent of Police Mizoram who is the nominated Foreigners Registration Officer (FRO) of the State in 24 hours of the entrance of the state.

Residents of China, Afghanistan and Pakistan and overseas residents having their derivation in these countries would remain to need aforementioned sanction of the Ministry of Home Affairs before entering the state.

Permits To Visit Manipur

The Manipur Inner Line Permit (ILP) is an official travel document issued by the state government to allow inward travel of an Indian citizen visiting the beautiful state of Manipur for a specific time period.

The most recent one to join the other three states, an ILP for Manipur can be obtained from the various counters set up by the government.

Members of the Armed Forces, their family members, and other central corporations are exempted to apply for above permit.

Permits To Visit Nagaland

As per the rules prescribed by The Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation 1873 requires both Indian and Foreigner to get an Inner Line Permit (ILP) in such form and with such conditions as may be prescribed by the Government of Nagaland for the limited period.

The permit may be applied through online or offline process. In lieu of obtaining ILP through offline process, an applicant must contact prescribed authorities or the workplace of the Deputy Commissioner of the concerned district in Nagaland.

For Immigrants

An overseas resident is not normally allowed to visit unless they got permission to the approval of the Government. Every single immigrant except a citizen of Bhutan, who wishes to enter the restricted area, is required to obtain a special permit from a proficient expert.

The special permit should be referred to the Ministry of Home Affairs if there is no competent authority for approval at least eight weeks before the date of the expected visit.

Permits to Visit Sikkim

Indians do not require a permit to enter into Sikkim but it is restricted to certain regions of Sikkim. These areas are Chungthang, Tsongo Lake, Yumesamdong, Kupup, Yumthang Valley, Nathu La, Lachung, Lachen, Thangu, Menmecho Lake, Chopta, and Gurudongmar Lake. The permit can be easily obtained and arranged by travel agencies located in Gangtok.

But on the other hand, Immigrantsneed an Inner Line Permit to enter Sikkim which can be readily obtained at the Rangpo border crossing checkpoint. It can be issued sure as shooting definite zones for groups consisting of two or more, habituated by the fact that the trekking package is organized through a registered agency.

Suggested Tour :

• 5 Days - Sikkim Tour Package
• 6 Days - Sikkim Honeymoon Package
• 7 Days - Sikkim Tour Package

The requirements are as follows:-

• One will be required to produce photocopies of passport, Indian visa, and two passport-sized photos and flight tickets to obtain this 30 days permit.
• Foreigners are also required to obtain PAP for visiting North Sikkim and trekking in some interior regions of Sikkim.
• Tour operators usually arrange these permits and are only issued to groups of two or more foreigners traveling together, under a trekking/tour operator that is registered with the Sikkim Tourism Department.
• The area of Gurudongmarlake and Nathula Pass are restricted for overseas residents completely.