Restricted areaAsiaYourself or an operatorCheck · Sep 2026
India: Sikkim permits
A Restricted Area Permit to enter Sikkim, and a Protected Area Permit for border areas such as Tsomgo Lake, Nathu La, Yumthang and Dzongri.
The permit
- Who issues it
- Sikkim Tourism and Civil Aviation Department, under Ministry of Home Affairs rules
- How to get it
- Yourself or an operator. The entry permit is free and issued online or at the Rangpo and Melli checkposts and Sikkim House offices; the northern and border areas need a registered agent and a group.
- Lead time
- 1 day+ · Same day for the entry permit; 1–3 days for protected areas through an agent in Gangtok.
- Cost (check)
- Entry permit free; protected-area permits usually bundled into agent tours (check).
- Documents
- Passport and Indian visa
- Passport photos
- Copies of both
- Group of 2+ with an agent for protected areas
- If you skip it
- Checkposts turn you back; overstaying or entering closed areas can lead to detention and deportation.
- Official site
- Sikkim Tourism
Check before you pay
Fees, quotas and closed areas change, sometimes with days of notice. These figures were last checked in Sep 2026; confirm on the official site or with a licensed operator before you book flights.