RESTRICTED AREAS PERMIT (RAP) REGIME

Dec. 6, 2018

Centre is discussing the decision to lift the Restricted Area Permit (RAP) system from 29 islands of Andaman and Nicobar, after the death of U.S. citizen John Allen Chau. The RAP regime was lifted this August from 29 islands, including North Sentinel, to promote tourism.

Restricted areas permit (RAP):

Under the Foreigners (Restricted) Areas Order, 1963, the following areas have been declared as `Restricted’ Areas: (1) Andaman & Nicobar Islands - Entire UT and (2) Sikkim - Part of the State.
A foreigner is not normally allowed to visit a Protected / Restricted Area unless it is established to the satisfaction of the Government that there are extraordinary reasons to justify such a visit.
Every foreigner, except a citizen of Bhutan, who desires to enter these Areas, is required to obtain a special permit from a competent authority.
Unlike Protected Area Permit (PAP),Restricted Area Permit (RAP) are generally available for individual travellers.
These can be issued by overseas embassies or even, by immigration officials. Also, Indian citizens do not need special permission to visit Restricted Areas.

August 2018 Order:

Under the recent decision, the 29 inhabited islands of Andaman and Nicobar chain have been excluded from the RAP till December 31, 2022. Thus, Foreigners can visit them without RAP.
However, citizens of Afghanistan, China and Pakistan would continue to require RAP, which shall be issued only with the prior approval of the ministry.

Source : The Hindu