📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Vanshiikaa
Travel
Sikkim to Issue Offline ILPs for Foreign Tourists, Plans New FRRO Office in Gangtok
✍️ India Today NE
🗓 17 Oct 2026, 01:38 AM
👁 18
The Sikkim government announced that foreign tourists will now be able to obtain International Long Stay Permits (ILP) offline, and a Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) is slated to be set up in Gangtok.
Sikkim's tourism department disclosed that the state will start issuing International Long Stay Permits (ILP) to foreign visitors through an offline process, eliminating the need for online applications. The move aims to simplify the permit procedure for tourists planning extended stays in the Himalayan state.
The government also revealed plans to establish a Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) in the capital, Gangtok. The FRRO will handle registration, visa extensions and related services for foreign nationals, bringing these functions closer to tourists and reducing reliance on distant offices.
Officials said the offline ILP issuance and the FRRO setup are part of a broader effort to boost tourism, especially after the pandemic-induced slowdown. The exact date for the FRRO's inauguration has not been announced, but preparations are underway.
The government also revealed plans to establish a Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) in the capital, Gangtok. The FRRO will handle registration, visa extensions and related services for foreign nationals, bringing these functions closer to tourists and reducing reliance on distant offices.
Officials said the offline ILP issuance and the FRRO setup are part of a broader effort to boost tourism, especially after the pandemic-induced slowdown. The exact date for the FRRO's inauguration has not been announced, but preparations are underway.