Protected Area Permit (PAP) Information and Application Process

Visitors to Tibetan settlements in India are required by the Government of India to have a Protected Area Permit (PAP) in addition to a visa. This includes Menri Monastery in Dholanji, India.

However, now applying for PAP has become very convenient for the visitors. Visitors can apply for PAP online at the website of Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. Apply Here: (https://papvt.mha.gov.in)

Documents required for applying for a PAP:

• Copy of applicant’s passport in PDF format
• Copy of applicant’s Indian visa in PDF format
• Passport-size photograph in jpeg format
• A recommendation/invitation Letter from the General Secretary of Yungdrung Bon Monastic Centre Society at Menri Monastery (Not mandatory for online application, but it is important to let YBMC know that you have applied for the PAP)
  

  PAPs can be issued for a term of up to one year. If you are unsure of your exact dates of travel, you can include a date of arrival and duration of stay that bracket your potential travel dates.

  Now, it is taking only three weeks to six weeks  for the MHA to process the application and issue the PAP. However, it is important to apply a couple of months before your date of visit. Indian Embassies and Consulates abroad are unable to process the application.

  Once issued, PAPs are sent to your email submitted during the application or mailed to the Yungdrung Bon Monastic Centre Society, Menri Monastery. Upon arrival you are required to register with the local authorities, including your exact dates of stay, as specified on your PAP. At Menri Monastery, this is done through the office of the Guest Master at the Menri Guest House, who submits the registration to the appropriate Foreigner Registration Office.