Foreigners (Protected Areas) Order 1958 (India)
Encyclopedia
The Foreigners Order 1958 states that a Protected Area Permit (PAP) is required for non-Indian citizens to visit certain areas in India (mainly in the North-East
). Certain requirements have to be fulfilled in order to get this permit. Indian citizens, who are not resident in these areas need a Inner Line Permit
(ILP) to enter these places. The Inner Line Permit
is significantly easier to get.
In addition, the Foreigners (Restricted Areas) Order 1968 states that a Restricted Area Permit (RAP) is required for non-Indians to visit certain areas in India. As of 2009, RAPs are required for all visits to the Union Territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and parts of the state of Sikkim
. Unlike PAPs, RAPs are generally available for individual travellers and can be issued by overseas embassies or even, in some cases such as Port Blair's Vir Savarkar Airport
, on the spot. Indian citizens do not need special permission to visit Restricted Areas.
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 provinces 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.
One of the intended purposes of this policy was to protect the culture of the native people living there from the influence of outsiders. However, since it is quite easy for Indians to get an Inner Line Permit many Indians from other regions of India are moving to these regions. It is doubtful whether a large number of permanently residing Indians (from a significant different cultural background compared to the tribals) are having a lesser impact on the culture of the tribals than temporary visiting tourists.
Technically Indians with NRI status (i.e. Indians who are staying abroad for more than 6 months) are not eligible for the Inner Line Permit and therefore have to apply for a Protected Area Permit if they wish to visit the concerned areas. Of course this means that even native people of these areas have to apply for a Protected Area Permit once they become NRI. The same applies for PIO Card holders
and Overseas Citizens of India.
Furthermore, there are no border controls at the protected areas' land borders, so if someone "looks native," he/she can travel undetected in the protected area even if he/she does not have proper documentation.
North-East India
Northeast India refers to the easternmost region of India consisting of the contiguous Seven Sister States, Sikkim, and parts of North Bengal...
). Certain requirements have to be fulfilled in order to get this permit. Indian citizens, who are not resident in these areas need a Inner Line Permit
Inner Line Permit
Inner Line Permit is an official travel document issued by the Government of India to allow inward travel of an Indian citizen into a protected/restricted area for a limited period. It is obligatory for Indian citizens from outside those states to obtain permit for entering into the protected state...
(ILP) to enter these places. The Inner Line Permit
Inner Line Permit
Inner Line Permit is an official travel document issued by the Government of India to allow inward travel of an Indian citizen into a protected/restricted area for a limited period. It is obligatory for Indian citizens from outside those states to obtain permit for entering into the protected state...
is significantly easier to get.
In addition, the Foreigners (Restricted Areas) Order 1968 states that a Restricted Area Permit (RAP) is required for non-Indians to visit certain areas in India. As of 2009, RAPs are required for all visits to the Union Territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and parts of the state of Sikkim
Sikkim
Sikkim is a landlocked Indian state nestled in the Himalayan mountains...
. Unlike PAPs, RAPs are generally available for individual travellers and can be issued by overseas embassies or even, in some cases such as Port Blair's Vir Savarkar Airport
Vir Savarkar Airport
Veer Savarkar International Airport, commonly known as Port Blair Airport , is an airport located south of Port Blair and is the main airport of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands of India...
, on the spot. Indian citizens do not need special permission to visit Restricted Areas.
General Protected Area Permit requirements
- Tourists have to travel in groups of at least 4
- 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 provinces 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.
Areas for which a PAP is required
- Parts of Jammu and KashmirJammu and KashmirJammu and Kashmir is the northernmost state of India. It is situated mostly in the Himalayan mountains. Jammu and Kashmir shares a border with the states of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab to the south and internationally with the People's Republic of China to the north and east and the...
- Parts of Himachal PradeshHimachal PradeshHimachal Pradesh is a state in Northern India. It is spread over , and is bordered by the Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir on the north, Punjab on the west and south-west, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh on the south, Uttarakhand on the south-east and by the Tibet Autonomous Region on the east...
- Parts of Uttar PradeshUttar PradeshUttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
- All of Arunachal PradeshArunachal PradeshArunachal Pradesh is a state of India, located in the far northeast. It borders the states of Assam and Nagaland to the south, and shares international borders with Burma in the east, Bhutan in the west, and the People's Republic of China in the north. The majority of the territory is claimed by...
- All of NagalandNagalandNagaland is a state in the far north-eastern part of India. It borders the state of Assam to the west, Arunachal Pradesh and part of Assam to the north, Burma to the east and Manipur to the south. The state capital is Kohima, and the largest city is Dimapur...
- All of ManipurManipurManipur is a state in northeastern India, with the city of Imphal as its capital. Manipur is bounded by the Indian states of Nagaland to the north, Mizoram to the south and Assam to the west; it also borders Burma to the east. It covers an area of...
- All of MizoramMizoramMizoram is one of the Seven Sister States in North Eastern India, sharing borders with the states of Tripura, Assam, Manipur and with the neighbouring countries of Bangladesh and Burma. Mizoram became the 23rd state of India on 20 February 1987. Its capital is Aizawl. Mizoram is located in the...
Problems
At the moment only a touristic visit is a widely accepted purpose for a non-Indian's visit to a protected area. However, there are also other legitimate reasons why a non-Indian would want to visit these areas, for example if such a person is married to a native person of this area to visit his in-laws. For this purpose much more time than 10 days is required. As a consequence native people from the concerned areas who are married to a non-Indian or having children of a different nationality cannot settle permanently in their native area with their family because it is not possible to get a permanent permit for their non-Indian family-members.One of the intended purposes of this policy was to protect the culture of the native people living there from the influence of outsiders. However, since it is quite easy for Indians to get an Inner Line Permit many Indians from other regions of India are moving to these regions. It is doubtful whether a large number of permanently residing Indians (from a significant different cultural background compared to the tribals) are having a lesser impact on the culture of the tribals than temporary visiting tourists.
Technically Indians with NRI status (i.e. Indians who are staying abroad for more than 6 months) are not eligible for the Inner Line Permit and therefore have to apply for a Protected Area Permit if they wish to visit the concerned areas. Of course this means that even native people of these areas have to apply for a Protected Area Permit once they become NRI. The same applies for PIO Card holders
Person of Indian Origin Card
Persons of Indian Origin Card is a form of identification issued to a Person of Indian Origin who holds a passport in another country other than Pakistan and Bangladesh.Other conditions are:...
and Overseas Citizens of India.
Furthermore, there are no border controls at the protected areas' land borders, so if someone "looks native," he/she can travel undetected in the protected area even if he/she does not have proper documentation.