Aizawl: Following the Centre’s reimposition of the Protected Area Permit (PAP) three months ago in northeastern states bordering Myanmar, the Mizoram government is now planning to implement the travel restriction protocol for foreign visitors.
Mizoram home secretary Vanlalmawia said that the state government has been taking steps towards implementing the PAP or Restricted Area Permit (RAP) following the Centre’s directive.
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“We are in the process of implementing the PAP. The state authority has identified a holding area at the state’s lone Lengpui airport for foreign visitors,” Vanlalmawia said.
He said that the state government also urged the Centre to open a designated office in Aizawl for ease of foreigner registration, as the nearest Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) is in Kolkata.
Although the authorities concerned and law enforcement agencies remain vigil to fully implement the PAP, he said.
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Vanlalmawia stated that, in 2011, the Centre had relaxed the PAP regime from Manipur, Nagaland and Mizoram to boost tourism and exempted all foreigners except Afghanistani, Pakistani and Chinese from the PAP.
The authority extended the relaxation for five years at a time, with the latest order issued in December 2022 and valid until December 2027.
However, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) reimposed the PAP in Mizoram, Manipur and Nagaland to regulate movement of foreigners amid growing security concerns arising out of influx from neighbouring countries, he said.
He further stated that, on 17 December 2024, the MHA communicated to the Chief Secretaries of the three states, notifying them of the decision to reinstate the PAP thereby lifting the relaxation after 13 years.
From now on, foreigners intending to visit Mizoram, Manipur and Nagaland must seek prior permission and obtain Protected Area Permit as mandated by the Foreigners Protected Areas Order, 1958.
Earlier, Chief minister Lalduhoma had alleged that some foreigners used Mizoram as a transit route to Myanmar to give military training to pro-democratic forces prompting the re-imposition of Protected Area Permit (PAP) for foreign visitors in the state.
He had said that nearly 2,000 foreigners visited Mizoram between June and December last year. However the authority have not seen the foreigners in the public and left the state unnoticed, Vanlalmawia added.