Showing posts with label RAP. Show all posts
Showing posts with label RAP. Show all posts

Monday, January 3, 2011

Failed illegal immigrant

On the weekend, the government announced that, apart from Pakistani and Chinese citizens, foreigners would require no special permits to visit N-East for 2011. They will require to register - I'm assuming at the local police station - within 24 hours upon arrival. They're trialling this idea for one year, and the permit exemption programme will apply to the states of Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram. (Arunachal Pradesh is still pretty sensitive given that China still claims it as part of their territory and like people I've spoken with in Nepal, there's the belief that China will invade within the next decade or two.)

This is fantastic news, since I won't have to worry about getting a Restricted Area Permit or RAP (also known as a Protected Area Permit or PAP) the next time I come back this year. The process of obtaining one is lengthy. First, you either need to apply and travel as a group of four, or as a married couple. Since I am neither of these (although my pork consumption for the month is making me feel like closer to a group of four), it's amazing my friend has been able to get me two RAPs to visit the state.

Next, you need to already have a visa for India in order to apply for the permit. This sounds reasonable, until you realise that India tourist visas are valid from the date they are issued, not from a specified date afterwards. Given that it takes 6-8 weeks to be granted the RAP, this means having to get the India visa about 2 months before actually arriving in India. The first time I tried this, the consulate staff (or rather, the people the consular staff outsourced their visa processing to) were not happy that I was getting a visa so early and wanted to see my plane ticket to India.

On the application form on the RAP, which I have scanned and emailed to my friend in the past, it is also required that you state the route by which you will be travelling when you are in Nagaland. This means naming all the towns that you will be passing through even before you've got the permit.

If and when the permit arrives (my friend emails it to me), it is usually valid for only 10 days - I am so grateful my friend managed to get me an RAP that was valid for a month since I was here for the Ahuna and Hornbill festivals. It is possible to extend the permit, which did so I could stay till after New Year's, but this requires more time and there's always the chance it won't be granted so it's difficult to make long term plans.

You then have to make multiple copies of the permit. The reason for this is that at every major town, and for some minor towns, there's a security checkpoint. Foreigners are supposed to report to the local police station in every town they pass through to deposit a copy of their RAP. This is the most painful process because an already long 6 hour journey from Kohima to Zunheboto for instance, might take 9 hours, with 3 hours sitting in police stations answering questions, or worse, just waiting for the local police to come back if they're on duty at the time. It is also expected that you follow the route you specified in your RAP or questions will be asked.

And you have to leave when the permit expires!

I've been lucky in some aspects, some of which I will not elaborate on here. I can say that my last RAP extension granted me permission to remain in the state till 2 Jan, which was a Sunday, when inter-town transport is very difficult - taxis / sumos don't run and most people are at church or with their families. It was therefore difficult to leave by the date written on the RAP extension and I thought I would have to risk being an illegal visitor for two days (I'm leaving for Assam today), but it seems my attempt at being illegal has been foiled by the government of India.

It was a very last-minute announcement and I don't know if it will make a huge impact on foreign tourist numbers this year, since most people don't even know about Nagaland and the other NE states. It might have a bigger impact next year, and with more publicity.

In the meantime, tell your friends to come visit NE India this year!