Entry to Restricted/Protected Areas
Foreigners are not normally allowed to visit a Protected/Restricted Area in India until unless there are extraordinary reasons to justify such a visit. Foreigners who intend to visit the following places in India are required to obtain a Restricted/Protected Area Permit
- Whole of Arunachal Pradesh
- Parts of Himachal Pradesh
- Parts of Jammu & 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
- Entire Union Territory of Andaman & Nicobar Islands
*RAP/PAP shall be required for all such places as notified by the Government of India from time to time.
How to obtain a RAP/PAP?
If the foreigner is residing outside India, he/she has to apply for the RAP/PAP permit through the concerned Indian mission at least 30 days in advance.
If the foreigner is residing/entered India, he/she has to apply for the RAP/PAP permit to the jurisdictional FRRO at least 15 days in advance.
Keep in mind!
- Obtaining RAP/PAP permit does not give the foreigner full right-/-access to that Restricted/Protected area, if it requires special permission from the additional in-charge of that particular establishment / installation / national park / island.
- If any foreigner is found visiting a Restricted/Protected area without the Restricted/Protected Area Permit, action shall be taken under the relevant provisions of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025.
Entry to Prohibited Places
No foreigner shall, without the permission of the jurisdictional civil authority or the Registration officer, visit or reside in any prohibited place. Areas related to Defence Forces, vital installations and places of sensitive nature are categorised as prohibited places in addition to those defined or specified by the Central Govt from time to time.
How to obtain a Prohibited Area Permit?
Every foreigner intending to visit or reside in any prohibited place may submit an application for Prohibited Place permit electronically in the web portal.
- If any foreigner is found visiting a Prohibited area without Permit, action shall be taken under the relevant provisions of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025.
- The civil authority or the Registration Officer on the military officer in command, in case of a cantonment, may direct any foreigner to remove himself from the prohibited area/cantonment within such time as specified in such order.