Aizawl: The Mizoram government is in the process of implementing the Protected Area Permit (PAP) system. This system, also known as a Restricted Area Permit (RAP), requires foreigners to secure prior permission before visiting certain sensitive areas.
The Central Government has recently decided to reintroduce the PAP system in the three North Eastern states–Mizoram, Manipur and Nagaland–bordering Myanmar. This was due to rising security concerns and the influx of individuals from neighbouring countries using Mizoram as a transit route to Myanmar, fomenting terrorism.
The Central Government had earlier relaxed Protected Area Permit requirements in Mizoram, Manipur and Nagaland in 2011 to promote tourism, exempting all foreigners except those from Afghanistan, Pakistan and China. This relaxation was subsequently periodically extended and was set to remain valid till December 2027.
As per Central Government instructions, the Mizoram Government is setting up a designated holding area at Lengpui Airport. It has also requested the Center to establish a Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) in Aizawl as currently, the nearest FRRO is in Kolkata.
The PAP system applies to specific regions of India, including Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Mizoram, Nagaland, Manipur and parts of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, as well as Uttarakhand.
