How to get an Arunachal Inner Line Permit online, and what it costs

Every Indian citizen who is not from Arunachal Pradesh needs an Inner Line Permit to enter the state, and that includes you riding in from Assam on a Himalayan or driving up to Tawang in a Thar. The permit is issued online at the state government's own portal, eilp.arunachal.gov.in. For tourists the portal lists a fee of ₹300 for a stay of up to three days and ₹500 for a stay beyond three days up to 14 days, and the tourist e-ILP covers a maximum of 14 days. The portal also states that the Inner Line system rests on the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation of 1873, which is why this is a legal requirement and not a tourism formality.

The online route, step by step

Start at eilp.arunachal.gov.in and use the Apply ILP link, which opens the tourist e-ILP KYC page. That page asks you to declare that you are an Indian citizen, since foreign nationals go down a different route, accept the terms and give a mobile number before you can proceed. After that you register, fill the application, pay online and then use the Login section of the portal for printing and payment. The portal's support team can be reached at nodal.eilp@gmail.com, Monday to Friday, 10 am to 4 pm, so sort out any payment or print problem before you leave home rather than at a check gate.

Carry the printout. The Arunachal cabinet in May 2026 cleared new 2026 ILP guidelines that bring in a fully digital e-ILP with QR code verification, Aadhaar based authentication, police verification for work permits, stricter penalties for violations and district level enforcement drives, as reported by the Arunachal Times. In practice that means a permit that can be scanned, so a half finished application or a borrowed document is a bad idea.

If the portal does not work for you

The offline route still exists. Tawang district's tourism page says the ILP is mandatory for all domestic Indian visitors and is available online or offline from Arunachal House counters at Guwahati, Tezpur, Kolkata and Delhi. Inside the state, district administrations issue permits at the Deputy Commissioner's office. East Siang district directs applicants to the Jan Suvidha Kendra at the DC office in Pasighat, and lists a temporary visitor's ILP valid for 15 days, extendable, against one year for employment and family categories.

Anjaw district spells out the paperwork for the counter route: two recent passport sized colour photographs and a valid identity proof, with Aadhaar, Permanent Residence Certificate, voter ID, driving licence, ration card or a birth certificate for minors all accepted. Business applicants need an attested trading licence, and the form needs a sponsor's signature and seal. Keep spare photos and photocopies in your tank bag anyway.

Where the ILP alone is not enough

An ILP gets you into the state, not everywhere in it. Tawang's own tourism page says Bumla Pass and Madhuri Lake need additional clearance from the DC office in Tawang and from the Indian Army, so plan a working day in Tawang town before you ride up. Foreign nationals need a Protected Area Permit processed through authorised agencies, which matters if you are hosting a riding friend from abroad.

Two planning notes follow from the numbers. First, 14 days is tight for Tawang plus the Siang and Mechuka side, so split long trips into two permits or apply for the right window. Second, apply for the dates you will actually ride, because an overstay is now an enforcement matter, not a chat at the barrier.

Sources

• Tourist e-ILP application page, Government of Arunachal Pradesh
• Arunachal Pradesh e-ILP portal
• Tourism, Tawang district administration
• Inner Line Permit (eILP), East Siang district administration
• Inner Line Pass (ILP), Anjaw district administration
• Cabinet approves anti-paper leak rules, ILP reforms, austerity measures, Arunachal Times