Tibetan refugees began pouring into India in the wake of the flight of His Holiness, the Dalai Lama in the year 1959 from Tibet. The Government of India decided to give them asylum as well as assistance towards temporary settlement. Care has been taken to retain their separate ethnic and cultural identity. There are approximately 1.10 lakh Tibetan refugees residing in 45 Settlements and outside the Settlements spread in different States in the country.
It has been the policy of the Government of India that all Foreigners including the Foreign Aid Agencies visiting the Tibetan Settlements/Camps should seek prior permission of the Ministry of Home Affairs for visiting such Settlements/Camps in the country. Settlement Officers are to ensure that all foreigners visiting settlements should have valid Protected Area Permit (PAP) as per the provision of Section 3 of Foreigners Act, 1946 (31 of 1946). See more
In order to streamline and facilitate the processing of PAP, this Ministry has launched the online facilities of seeking applications for PAP from the foreigners intending to visit Tibetan Settlements/Camps in India and also issuing of permits online to such foreigners if otherwise not rejected.
All foreigners intending to visit Tibetan Settlements/Camps in India may therefore apply online for PAP by logging in this Ministry’s website
Applications found incomplete shall be summarily rejected and no correspondence/reply shall be given.