Entry Permits into North East Bloc States

theyyamdancer · Nov 4th, 2008, 17:55

Thanks for your reply, traveltheunknown. I am getting a lot of help from friends in Kolkata and no longer need to bother people here about it. Will report back after getting the papers in order so that others might benefit from the experience.

Ajana, I have looked in vain for the answer to your question. I hope that your journey will not have to be cancelled.

palerider · Dec 22nd, 2008, 17:26

sorry , I just read this. Iknow it's a month late and all. I tried for a permit in August. I was in Darjeeling. Sikkim is not a problem. You just arrive and get the permit, really a formality. All the other permits, nagaland, south of Guwahati and Darjeeling, the ones south of Shillong, you MUST go to the official office for the respective places in Calcutta. Acouple have offices in Dehli as well. They are easier to obtain, BUT..., there has been a bit of tension in some areas and I was not allowed AT ALL to travel in nagaland and one other place when I tried for a permit.
The permit was for 1 month and it took more than five days. The office wasn't open all the time, and when it was there was a lot of red tape.
I really got the impression that it was not desireable for tourists to visit. The local people I spoke to in Shillong, who come down for the market, were worried that vigilante action, including kidnapping and extortion, were not good, and maybe harmful to tourists. This is what they said.
As much as I think Indian people are a bit over protective of western people, I decided not to take the risk.
There are a lot of places where you can go that don't need a permit, and still give you that "authentic" experience.
I wanted to see the hill people who live in tree houses. This is possible without a permit. The place is easily accessible from Shillong. you just ask at the tourist office at the train station in Jail Road.
The trouble is tha they only live in the tree houses for about six weeks a year. The rest of the time they live in their traditional houses.
It's incredibly rare to see the hill tribes in their real situations. It's also quite dangerous, and getting a permit is virtually impossible. The best you can hope for , most of the time is a glimpse , condensed down , of their lifestyle and rituals, for the tourist. It's well orchestrated and organised.
Hope this helps.

Reemus · Dec 30th, 2008, 16:39

Nagaland was disturbed by violence in the weeks preceeding Christmas. It may start again now that Christmas truce would be over. The situation in Nagaland is grossly under reported in the Media.
However unlike other insurgencies the local militias would not harm foreigners. The people are usually warm to foreigners as, very few come to that part.

palerider · Dec 30th, 2008, 18:02

There is also the situation with authorities. If violence occurs, even minor skirmishes, the local Indian authorities just won't allow tourists to "explore".
Everything is quite controlled, even down to which roads to use, and when and where to get out of vehicles.
It not an easy thing to just wander and find stuff.
Certain villages aren't open to non natives. etc.
Well, this was my experience.
It's what I was told at the office. It maybe different "on the ground", but this is what is told to prospective tourists in Guwahati.
I decided it was just a bit difficult, and stayed in Shillong instead.

theyyamdancer · Jan 1st, 2009, 21:12

Hey Palerider, your advice is perhaps true but I shall try to disregard it nonetheless. I am still planning a trip to AP in a couple of months from now. What is the latest on the ground concerning the granting of permits for Arunachal Pradesh? Hopefully the current posturing on the North West Frontier has not affected tourism in the North East?

machadinha · Jan 2nd, 2009, 10:05

I think AP is really a very different situation Theyyam, and hasn't been high on any alert lists for a long time. (Whereas Nagaland for instance has been for a long time and still is to my knowledge. Violence from the latter is said to sometimes spill over into the former though [in fact its particular rebellion is said to have inspired many others in the region]. I'd be surprised really if it were a very serious issue India would have decided just recently to make Arunachal more accessible to tourism.)

Palerider above also says he applied or enquired in Darjeeling last August. That must have been just after the last upheaval in that particular region, I can imagine the local authorities were not too keen on anyone going anywhere. That's not to make light of the matter (nor to put his on-ground reports in a different light, I wouldn't presume to), just trying to assess the situation.

But keep an ear to the ground and wherever else you can, of course.

Has this link been dropped here yet for local news sources? And remember of course the news like anywhere may be a little heavy on the danger side of it all, so you'll still have to make your own educated guess at how to distill it: http://www.onlinenewspapers.com/india.htm .

ps I don't think nor have seen any indication the NWFP (North-West Frontier Province, in Pakistan) should have anything to do with the NE (North-East states, of India) no. They're also as widely separated as they could be as I think you'll know.

But... who am I to say really, don't take my word for it.

Check also http://www.alertnet.org/db/crisisprofiles/IN_CLA.htm for some of the backgrounds; the same will apply again as to how news will be presented, but I find it not bad for a brief overview. Note its different tabs to scroll around.

palerider · Jan 2nd, 2009, 11:19

It is a bit of a strange situation
One one hand , the authorities err on the side of caution, the one thing they don't want is a dead tourist on the news, and the local people say..."oh, it's fine. You just have to be on your toes and prepared to get out of the way quite quickly if anything happens"
One thing they both seem to agree on is that the sporadic violence is happening in Nagaland/Manipur/Mizoram, but it's not in any way, aimed at the few tourists who go there.
To my way of thinking, and thinking about what the locals were saying, I would just be prepared to change itineraries at a moments notice.
I'm sure there's a lot more violent and less beautiful and interesting places in the world.
In hindsight, I wish I had trusted my feelings and just gone and seen the places.

klulu · Jan 21st, 2009, 15:51

Sorry if this is on the wrong thread, but I couldn't decide whether to put it on the OCI one or this or both!

And the question is: If you hold an OCI (which I'm thinking of applying for) do you still need to get an entry permit for Manipur?

The answer seems to be yes, as the info supplied here seems to be that you need to be an Indian passport holder to get in without permits. I just wanted to be sure.

machadinha · Jan 21st, 2009, 21:29

I don't know; if you follow the "travel links" link in my signature above (sigs show up just once every page), you should find links on to state tourist boards. These should hopefully tell you more. They may of course not be fully up-to-date either; one could drop them an e-mail and hope they reply.

(Or what the heck, doing that for you, Manipur is here: http://manipur.nic.in/ .)

Dec 22nd, 2008, 17:26	#17
palerider this is Brad. He's cute Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Armidale, N.S.W., Australia Posts: 2,226	sorry , I just read this. Iknow it's a month late and all. I tried for a permit in August. I was in Darjeeling. Sikkim is not a problem. You just arrive and get the permit, really a formality. All the other permits, nagaland, south of Guwahati and Darjeeling, the ones south of Shillong, you MUST go to the official office for the respective places in Calcutta. Acouple have offices in Dehli as well. They are easier to obtain, BUT..., there has been a bit of tension in some areas and I was not allowed AT ALL to travel in nagaland and one other place when I tried for a permit. The permit was for 1 month and it took more than five days. The office wasn't open all the time, and when it was there was a lot of red tape. I really got the impression that it was not desireable for tourists to visit. The local people I spoke to in Shillong, who come down for the market, were worried that vigilante action, including kidnapping and extortion, were not good, and maybe harmful to tourists. This is what they said. As much as I think Indian people are a bit over protective of western people, I decided not to take the risk. There are a lot of places where you can go that don't need a permit, and still give you that "authentic" experience. I wanted to see the hill people who live in tree houses. This is possible without a permit. The place is easily accessible from Shillong. you just ask at the tourist office at the train station in Jail Road. The trouble is tha they only live in the tree houses for about six weeks a year. The rest of the time they live in their traditional houses. It's incredibly rare to see the hill tribes in their real situations. It's also quite dangerous, and getting a permit is virtually impossible. The best you can hope for , most of the time is a glimpse , condensed down , of their lifestyle and rituals, for the tourist. It's well orchestrated and organised. Hope this helps. __________________ I always wanted to be someone when I grew up, I realise now that I should have been more specific.

Dec 30th, 2008, 16:39	#18
Reemus Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: lost Posts: 41	Nagaland was disturbed by violence in the weeks preceeding Christmas. It may start again now that Christmas truce would be over. The situation in Nagaland is grossly under reported in the Media. However unlike other insurgencies the local militias would not harm foreigners. The people are usually warm to foreigners as, very few come to that part. Last edited by Reemus : Dec 30th, 2008 at 16:40. Reason: spelling

Jan 2nd, 2009, 10:05	#21
machadinha brother my cup is empty member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: yörp Posts: 14,378	I think AP is really a very different situation Theyyam, and hasn't been high on any alert lists for a long time. (Whereas Nagaland for instance has been for a long time and still is to my knowledge. Violence from the latter is said to sometimes spill over into the former though [in fact its particular rebellion is said to have inspired many others in the region]. I'd be surprised really if it were a very serious issue India would have decided just recently to make Arunachal more accessible to tourism.) Palerider above also says he applied or enquired in Darjeeling last August. That must have been just after the last upheaval in that particular region, I can imagine the local authorities were not too keen on anyone going anywhere. That's not to make light of the matter (nor to put his on-ground reports in a different light, I wouldn't presume to), just trying to assess the situation. But keep an ear to the ground and wherever else you can, of course. Has this link been dropped here yet for local news sources? And remember of course the news like anywhere may be a little heavy on the danger side of it all, so you'll still have to make your own educated guess at how to distill it: http://www.onlinenewspapers.com/india.htm . ps I don't think nor have seen any indication the NWFP (North-West Frontier Province, in Pakistan) should have anything to do with the NE (North-East states, of India) no. They're also as widely separated as they could be as I think you'll know. But... who am I to say really, don't take my word for it. Check also http://www.alertnet.org/db/crisisprofiles/IN_CLA.htm for some of the backgrounds; the same will apply again as to how news will be presented, but I find it not bad for a brief overview. Note its different tabs to scroll around. __________________ Reading tips, all picked up at IndiaMike : INDAX's A Comprehensive Guide To India / Dinoj Surendran's Desi Humor / ITHVC on Culture Shock & Travel Health / JetLag Travel Guides For the Undiscerning Traveller / India Travel Links

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Nov 4th, 2008, 17:55	#16
theyyamdancer lost in Mechuka member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Crete Posts: 4,426	Thanks for your reply, traveltheunknown. I am getting a lot of help from friends in Kolkata and no longer need to bother people here about it. Will report back after getting the papers in order so that others might benefit from the experience. Ajana, I have looked in vain for the answer to your question. I hope that your journey will not have to be cancelled.

Dec 30th, 2008, 18:02	#19
palerider this is Brad. He's cute Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Armidale, N.S.W., Australia Posts: 2,226	There is also the situation with authorities. If violence occurs, even minor skirmishes, the local Indian authorities just won't allow tourists to "explore". Everything is quite controlled, even down to which roads to use, and when and where to get out of vehicles. It not an easy thing to just wander and find stuff. Certain villages aren't open to non natives. etc. Well, this was my experience. It's what I was told at the office. It maybe different "on the ground", but this is what is told to prospective tourists in Guwahati. I decided it was just a bit difficult, and stayed in Shillong instead.

Jan 1st, 2009, 21:12	#20
theyyamdancer lost in Mechuka member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Crete Posts: 4,426	Hey Palerider, your advice is perhaps true but I shall try to disregard it nonetheless. I am still planning a trip to AP in a couple of months from now. What is the latest on the ground concerning the granting of permits for Arunachal Pradesh? Hopefully the current posturing on the North West Frontier has not affected tourism in the North East?

Jan 2nd, 2009, 11:19	#22
palerider this is Brad. He's cute Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Armidale, N.S.W., Australia Posts: 2,226	It is a bit of a strange situation One one hand , the authorities err on the side of caution, the one thing they don't want is a dead tourist on the news, and the local people say..."oh, it's fine. You just have to be on your toes and prepared to get out of the way quite quickly if anything happens" One thing they both seem to agree on is that the sporadic violence is happening in Nagaland/Manipur/Mizoram, but it's not in any way, aimed at the few tourists who go there. To my way of thinking, and thinking about what the locals were saying, I would just be prepared to change itineraries at a moments notice. I'm sure there's a lot more violent and less beautiful and interesting places in the world. In hindsight, I wish I had trusted my feelings and just gone and seen the places.

Jan 21st, 2009, 15:51	#23
klulu Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: uk Posts: 1	Sorry if this is on the wrong thread, but I couldn't decide whether to put it on the OCI one or this or both! And the question is: If you hold an OCI (which I'm thinking of applying for) do you still need to get an entry permit for Manipur? The answer seems to be yes, as the info supplied here seems to be that you need to be an Indian passport holder to get in without permits. I just wanted to be sure.

Jan 21st, 2009, 21:29	#24
machadinha brother my cup is empty member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: yörp Posts: 14,378	I don't know; if you follow the "travel links" link in my signature above (sigs show up just once every page), you should find links on to state tourist boards. These should hopefully tell you more. They may of course not be fully up-to-date either; one could drop them an e-mail and hope they reply. (Or what the heck, doing that for you, Manipur is here: http://manipur.nic.in/ .)