Gangtok: The Sikkim government has decided to stop issuing physical permits to foreign nationals for visits to the state’s protected and restricted areas, making online clearance mandatory.
The state’s tourism and civil aviation department said that, in line with directions from the Union Home Ministry, all Protected Area Permits (PAPs) and Restricted Area Permits (RAPs) for foreign nationals will now be issued digitally.
In an official order, the state government said authorities will no longer issue Protected Area Permits (PAP) or Restricted Area Permits (RAP) in physical form to foreign tourists.
Under the revised guidelines, foreign nationals may visit select locations such as Tsomgo Lake in East Sikkim and Yumthang Valley and Zero Point in North Sikkim, provided they obtain prior approval through the designated online permit system.
“Foreign tourists are permitted to visit Tsomgo (Chhangu) Lake in east Sikkim and Yumthang Valley and Zero Point in north Sikkim after obtaining the requisite permits. According to the recent directive, such permits will be issued online,” said an official.
The move aims to strengthen compliance with national security protocols, while streamlining the permit process through a more efficient digital system.
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Thousands of foreign tourists visit every year. According to official data, the state received 17.12 lakh tourists in 2025. Of them, over 71,000 were foreign nationals.
For foreign tourists, this system will ease the process of obtaining RAP and PAP when they visit Sikkim,” the official added.
