According to the Indian government’s rules and regulation for the tourism in Sikkim state, the entire region of the Sikkim is a restricted/protected area. As per the rules, no any Non-Indian can enter or stay in the Sikkim state without acquiring the required permits from the designated authority. The permit to enter in the state of Sikkim for the foreigners is known as Inner Line Permits or Restricted/Protected Area Permits.
There are many designated authorities and competent officials from where the Inner Line Permits can be obtained. Among many such authorities, few are All Indian Missions abroad, Ministry of Home Affairs, All Foreigners Registration Officers, Deputy Commissioner of Darjeeling, Home Ministry of West Bengal, Government of Sikkim, Tourism Officers of West Bengal and Sikkim, etc.
If you are a foreigner and looking for the permit for Sikkim Tour then it is thebest option to obtain the permission to visit Sikkim in advance from the Indian Missions at the time of applying for the tour Visa for India. However, it is not very tough to get the permit while you are in India. Just keep in the mind that most of the government offices are closed on the weekends, so obtain the permit well in advance on weekdays. You can directly visit the relevant offices or get the assistance of the tourism operators or guides to obtain the tour permit.
For the tourism purposes, the Inner Line Permit is issued for the duration of fifteen days. However, the duration can be extended for the maximum of 30 days in the two stretches of 15 days. The extension can be obtained only from the Home Department of Sikkim. So, a foreign tourist can stay in Sikkim for amaximum of 45 days for the tour and travel purpose. In order to extend the duration more than 45 days for any other purpose, one needs to apply and get the permission directly from the Ministry of Home Affairs, New Delhi.
Some Exceptions for the Tourists of Pakistan, Bangladesh, China and Myanmar
According to the existing rules, the tourists who are the nationals of any of the countries of Pakistan, Bangladesh, China and Myanmar can be given the Inner Line Permits for the Sikkim tour only after getting the permission from the Ministry of Home Affairs, New Delhi. So, it is best for the tourists from any of these four countries to obtain the permit at New Delhi from the Ministry of Home Affairs before visiting the Sikkim.
