Protected and restricted areas of India

The Foreigners (Protected Areas) Order, 1958 states that a Protected Area Permit (PAP) is required for non-Indian citizens to visit certain areas in India (mainly in the Northeast India).^[1] Certain requirements have to be fulfilled in order to get this permit. Indian citizens who are not residents in these areas need an Inner Line Permit (ILP) to enter these places. The Inner Line Permit is significantly easier to get.

In addition, the Foreigners (Restricted Areas) Order, 1963 states that a Restricted Area Permit (RAP) is required for non-Indians to visit certain areas in India. As of 2009, RAP are required for visits to parts of the union territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands^[2] and parts of the state of Sikkim. Unlike PAP, RAP are generally available for individual travellers and can be issued by overseas embassies or even, in some cases such as Port Blair's Veer Savarkar International Airport, on the spot. Indian citizens do not need special permission to visit restricted areas.

List of Protected and Restricted Areas

As of 2018:^[3]

Protected Areas

Whole of Arunachal Pradesh
Parts of Himachal Pradesh
Parts of Jammu and Kashmir
Whole of Manipur
Whole of Mizoram
Whole of Nagaland
Parts of Rajasthan
Whole of Sikkim (partly in Protected Area and partly in Restricted Area)
Parts of Uttarakhand

Restricted Areas

Parts of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. 30 inhabited islands no longer need RAP for foreigners since 2018.^[4]
Parts of Sikkim

Formerly Protected or Restricted Areas

All of Lakshadweep
Parts of Ladakh

Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland were formerly excluded from the Protected Area regime between 30 December 2010 and 31 December 2012 by MHA vide MHA ID Note No.13/6/99-NE.II Vol.V dated 23 March 2012.

General Protected Area Permit requirements

Tourists have to travel in groups of at least 2
They have to travel with a registered travel agent
In some areas only certain entry/exit points are allowed. In certain areas non-Indians cannot enter at all
Citizens of Pakistan, Bangladesh, China and Myanmar can get the PAP only with approval of the Ministry of Home Affairs

Normally the PAP has a duration of 10 days, with the option of extending for another 7 days. The PAP is issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs. However, the different authorities of the concerned Indian states can also issue the PAP, and also the Indian missions abroad. Normally the travel agent will take care of getting the PAP for the tourists.

References

^ "Foreigners (Protected Area Order) (1958)" (PDF). Aasc.nic.in. Retrieved 15 July 2015.
^ https://police.andaman.gov.in/index.php/en/public-information/foreigners/for-foreign-tourist.html Archived 19 May 2024 at the Wayback Machine ^{[bare URL]}
^ https://www.mha.gov.in/PDF_Other/AnnexVII_01022018.pdf ^{[bare URL PDF]}
^ https://police.andaman.gov.in/index.php/en/public-information/foreigners/for-foreign-tourist.html Archived 19 May 2024 at the Wayback Machine ^{[bare URL]}

External links

Bureau of Immigration
Foreigners (Restricted Areas) Order 1968 Archived 11 October 2017 at the Wayback Machine
Himachal Pradesh government page on PAP
Manipur government page on PAP
Sikkim government page on PAP
Assam government page with relevant laws Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine

[1] "Foreigners (Protected Area Order) (1958)" (PDF). Aasc.nic.in. Retrieved 15 July 2015.

[2] ttps://police.andaman.gov.in/index.php/en/public-information/foreigners/for-foreign-tourist.html Archived 19 May 2024 at the Wayback Machine ^{[bare URL]}

[3] ttps://www.mha.gov.in/PDF_Other/AnnexVII_01022018.pdf ^{[bare URL PDF]}

[4] ttps://police.andaman.gov.in/index.php/en/public-information/foreigners/for-foreign-tourist.html Archived 19 May 2024 at the Wayback Machine ^{[bare URL]}

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