Lakshadweep Entry Permit 2026: The Complete Guide

Lakshadweep is one of the very few places in India where you cannot simply book a flight and turn up. Every visitor who is not a resident of the islands needs an entry permit issued by the Lakshadweep Administration, and it has to be in hand before you board.

The good news is that the process is much lighter than it used to be, and than most guides online still claim. The requirement for a Police Clearance Certificate has gone. So has the sponsorship requirement. You no longer need to produce confirmed flight or ship tickets to apply. A lot of the anxiety attached to Lakshadweep permits is based on rules that no longer apply.

This guide sets out what is actually required now, how the application works, how long it realistically takes, and what still trips people up. If you book a package through us, we handle the permit for you — but it is worth understanding the process either way.

Why Lakshadweep requires an entry permit

Lakshadweep is a Union Territory made up of 36 islands, of which only 10 are inhabited. The total land area is about 32 square kilometres — smaller than many Indian towns — spread across a vast stretch of the Arabian Sea. The coral reefs surrounding the islands are living structures that recover slowly from damage, and the resident population is small.

The permit system exists to manage that. It is a protective measure for a tribal-majority population and a fragile reef ecosystem that cannot absorb unrestricted tourism. Practically speaking, it also means the islands never feel crowded — which is a large part of why people come.

This framing explains the parts of the process that remain. The administration needs to know who is on which island and for how long, which is why the permit names specific islands and specific dates.

Who needs an entry permit

• All Indian citizens who are not residents of Lakshadweep. There is no exemption for domestic tourists, and none for short visits.
• Foreign nationals, through a special permit — see below.
• Children. Every child needs a permit too, regardless of age. There is no minimum age exemption, and infants are not excluded.
• Residents of Lakshadweep and officials on duty are exempt, on production of appropriate identification.

One point that still catches people out: the permit is island-specific. If your permit names Agatti and you decide mid-trip to visit Kavaratti, you cannot simply hop across. Every island you intend to set foot on — including day trips to Bangaram or Thinnakara — must be listed at the time of application.

What you actually need now

The current requirement is genuinely short. For every passenger travelling — adults and children alike — you need exactly two things:

• An ID card. Aadhaar, passport or voter ID. Aadhaar is the most commonly used.
• A photograph. Passport-size, on a plain background.

That is the whole document list. You will also enter your island list and travel dates on the application form itself, but there is nothing further to upload or prove.

What is no longer required

Because outdated guidance is still widespread online, it is worth being explicit about what has dropped away:

• No Police Clearance Certificate. This used to be the bottleneck in the whole process, often adding two weeks. It is no longer needed.
• No sponsorship. You do not need a resident or a registered sponsor to vouch for your visit.
• No flight or ship tickets at application stage. You do not have to commit to non-refundable travel before knowing whether your permit is approved — which removes the awkward chicken-and-egg problem that used to define Lakshadweep planning.

That last change matters more than it first appears. Under the old system you had to buy tickets to get a permit, and needed a permit to travel — so people gambled on expensive Agatti seats before knowing whether they would be approved. That risk is gone.

How the application works

The Lakshadweep Administration runs an online permit system. The broad shape of the process is consistent even as the portal gets updated:

1. Register an account on the administration’s ePermit portal with a working mobile number and email address. Both get used for status updates, so use ones you check.
2. Start a new entry permit application and select the permit type — tourism, in most cases.
3. Enter traveller details for everyone in the group. Names must match the ID exactly. “Mohammed” on the Aadhaar and “Mohd” on the form is enough to cause a query.
4. Select the islands you intend to visit, and enter your arrival and departure dates.
5. Upload the ID card and photograph for each passenger, including children.
6. Pay the applicable fee. It is nominal, but amounts change — take the figure shown at the time of application as correct.
7. Submit and track. You will get an application reference. Check status on the portal rather than waiting for email, as notifications are not always reliable.
8. Download and print the approved permit. Carry a physical copy; do not rely on having it on your phone.

Or let us handle it

In practice a great many visitors never touch the portal. If you book a package through us, we take care of the permit as part of the booking. You supply ID and photographs; we handle the submission, the follow-up and any queries from the administration.

This is not a paid add-on or a workaround — it is simply that we file these every week and know what the administration currently expects, which changes more often than published guidance reflects. If you are booking a stay on Agatti, Kavaratti or Bangaram with us, the permit comes with it.

How long it takes

With the Police Clearance Certificate requirement removed, timelines are dramatically shorter than they used to be:

Apply at least three weeks before you travel, and give yourself more room in peak season — roughly December through February, and around major holidays — when processing slows because volume rises.

Note that the permit is now rarely the thing that limits your dates. The Agatti flight usually is. There is one small aircraft a day and seats sell out well ahead in season, so that is the constraint to plan around.

Foreign nationals: a special permit

If you hold a foreign passport the process is different and more involved. Foreign nationals travel on a special permit, and it restricts where you can stay.

Foreign visitors can stay on Bangaram and Thinnakara. These are the uninhabited resort islands, and they are the islands set aside for foreign tourism. Staying on the inhabited islands — Agatti, Kavaratti and the rest — is not available to foreign nationals in the way it is to Indian visitors.

In practice this makes the choice simple rather than restrictive: Bangaram and Thinnakara sit within one of the finest lagoon systems in the archipelago, and they are the two islands most travellers would pick for a beach stay anyway. Bangaram is also the island where alcohol has historically been permitted.

Because the special permit runs on a longer timeline than the domestic process, start two to three months ahead, and work through an operator who has handled foreign-national permits recently. Rules in this area change more often than the domestic process, and a current answer is worth far more than a general one — ask us if you are travelling on a foreign passport and we will tell you where things currently stand.

What happens when you arrive

The permit is checked more than once, so keep it accessible rather than buried in a bag.

Flying into Agatti: your permit is typically verified at check-in in Kochi before you are allowed to board, and again on arrival at Agatti airport. Carry the printed permit along with the ID used on the application.

Travelling by ship: verification happens at the passenger terminal in Kochi before boarding, and again on arrival at your destination island.

On arrival you may also need to register locally, which your accommodation will usually handle. Keep the permit with you for the duration of your stay — spot checks do happen, particularly if you move between islands on day trips.

What still causes problems

With the heavier requirements gone, almost every remaining rejection or delay comes down to one of these:

• Name mismatches. The name on the application must match the ID exactly — same spelling, same order, same initials. This is now the single most common problem.
• Unreadable uploads. A document photographed at an angle in poor light gets rejected. Scan properly, or photograph flat in daylight.
• Leaving a child off the application. Every passenger needs a permit, including infants. A family assuming children are covered by the adults’ permits is a common and avoidable error.
• Missing an island. If you plan a day trip to Bangaram or Thinnakara from Agatti, say so at application time. This is the most expensive mistake to discover late, because it cannot be fixed on the island.

A sensible order of operations

Because tickets are no longer needed for the permit, the sequence is much simpler than it used to be:

1. Four to six weeks out: decide your islands and dates, including any day trips, and collect ID cards and photographs for everyone travelling.
2. Four weeks out: book the Agatti flight or ship tickets. This is now the binding constraint — seats are limited and fares rise steeply as the small cabin fills.
3. Three to four weeks out: submit the permit application with each passenger’s ID and photograph. Or hand it to us with your booking.
4. One to two weeks out: check status and follow up if it has not moved.
5. Before you leave: print the permit, and a spare copy.

Frequently asked questions

Do I still need a Police Clearance Certificate?

No. This requirement has been removed. Many older guides and travel forums still list it, which causes unnecessary worry and delay.

Do I need to book flights before applying?

No. Tickets are no longer required at application stage. All you need is an ID card and a photograph for each passenger.

Do I need a sponsor?

No. The sponsorship requirement no longer applies to tourist permits.

Can I get a permit on arrival?

No. It must be approved before you travel and is checked before you board in Kochi.

Is the permit valid for all the islands?

No — this is the most misunderstood part of the system. Your permit lists specific islands. Plan the full itinerary, day trips included, before you apply.

Can I extend my permit once I am there?

Extensions are possible in principle but not something to count on. Apply for the full duration you intend to stay.

Do children need a permit?

Yes. Every passenger needs a permit regardless of age, infants included. A family travelling together can apply in one go, but each child must be listed with their own ID card and photograph.

Which islands can foreign nationals stay on?

Bangaram and Thinnakara, on a special permit. The inhabited islands are not open to foreign nationals for stays.

What if I book a package with you?

Then we handle the permit. You provide ID and photographs for each traveller, and we take it from there.

Once the permit is sorted

The paperwork used to be the hardest part of a Lakshadweep trip. It no longer is — the harder problem now is securing a seat on the daily Agatti flight in season.

With the paperwork this light, where you stay becomes the main decision. Most first-time visitors base themselves on Agatti, which has the airport and the widest choice, from beachside homestays to full cottage resorts. Kavaratti is the administrative capital and much quieter in tourism terms, while Bangaram is the uninhabited resort island usually paired with a stay elsewhere.

If you would like the permit handled alongside your booking, tell us your dates and group size and we will take care of it. Or browse the full list of Lakshadweep hotels and resorts to see what is available.