Andaman Sub Permits: what you need in 2026

Rules differ for the main islands, the tribal reserves, Barren Island, and the Nicobar group.

• Main tourist islands: The Restricted Area Permit (RAP) for foreign tourists has been relaxed for a long list of islands, including South Andaman, Baratang, Havelock (Swaraj Dweep), and Neil (Shaheed Dweep). Indian citizens do not need a permit for these open islands. Some islands are day visit only. Citizens of a few countries still need special approval from the Ministry of Home Affairs even for the open islands.
• Tribal areas: A visit to any tribal area is allowed only with a Tribal Pass issued by the Deputy Commissioner. This is separate from your island entry.
• Barren Island: You view it from a boat. Landing is not allowed for general visitors, and a boat visit needs permission from the administration and the forest department.
• Nicobar group: This is not open for general tourism.

Baratang is a popular day trip from Port Blair for the limestone caves and the mud volcano. Baratang itself is on the open list, so a foreign tourist no longer needs a separate RAP for it. The catch is the road.

The Andaman Trunk Road from Port Blair to Baratang passes straight through the Jarawa Tribal Reserve, which is home to the Jarawa people. Because of this you cannot drive through freely. You reach the forest checkpost (widely known as the Jirkatang checkpost), your details are recorded, and vehicles cross the reserve together in a guarded convoy that leaves at fixed times through the day. Inside the reserve strict rules apply.

• Do not stop your vehicle inside the reserve.
• Do not photograph or film the Jarawa. Photographing the tribes in the reserve is banned.
• Do not offer food, money, or anything to the Jarawa, and do not try to talk to them or get out to meet them.

For any deeper visit into a tribal area, as opposed to only crossing on the road, you need a Tribal Pass from the Deputy Commissioner. Confirm the current convoy timings and the pass rule with the administration or your registered local operator before you travel.

Barren Island lies in the sea to the east of Port Blair and holds India's active volcano. You do not land there. Visitors view the island and its steaming cone from a boat, often on a day trip or a scuba diving trip that sails out from the Havelock (Swaraj Dweep) or Port Blair side. A boat trip to the Barren Island area needs permission from the administration and the forest department, and the boat keeps the required distance. Confirm the current permission process and any distance rule before you book a boat.

The Nicobar group is not open for general tourism. Even though the entry permit rules were relaxed on paper for a wide list of islands, you cannot simply travel to the Nicobar group as a tourist. These are tribal and protected areas, and normal tourist permission is not given for them. Do not book a "Nicobar tour," and do not trust any site that offers to arrange one. If you have a genuine non-tourist reason to go, you must seek permission directly from the administration.

• A valid identity document. Foreign visitors carry a passport and their visa or entry papers. Indian visitors carry a government photo identity.
• Passport size photographs, which some pass counters ask for.
• Your travel dates and the islands or areas you plan to visit.
• For a foreign visitor, your entry stamp or permit details from arrival in the islands.

• Fix your island plan first. Decide which open islands you will visit and which need a special pass.
• For a foreign visitor, complete the entry formality on arrival at Port Blair, where the Foreigners Registration Officer handles the permit process for the open islands.
• For a Baratang day trip, plan to reach the checkpost in time for a convoy slot. Your operator or driver handles the checkpost record, and you follow the reserve rules.
• For a visit into any tribal area, apply for a Tribal Pass from the office of the Deputy Commissioner before you go.
• For Barren Island, book a boat trip with a licensed operator that has the required administration and forest permission, and confirm that landing is not part of the trip.
• Do not plan a Nicobar tourist visit. It is not allowed.
• Carry your identity and any pass on you at all times in restricted zones.

Fees change and differ by permit. The island entry permit process, the Tribal Pass, and forest or boat permissions each have their own rule and any charge. Do not rely on a figure from a blog. Confirm the current fee for each permit with the administration or the issuing office (last checked September 2026).

• The Baratang convoy leaves the checkpost at set times through the day, and you must arrive before a slot. Convoy timings change, so confirm them locally before you set out.
• Some islands are day visit only, so you cannot stay the night.
• Barren Island trips depend on the sea and the weather, and they can be cancelled.
• The Nicobar group stays closed to general tourism.
• Confirm the current convoy times, day visit rules, and any seasonal closure with the administration (last checked September 2026).

• Travel in the dry season, from around October to May, for the calmest seas and the most reliable boat trips.
• Start a Baratang day trip very early, because you must catch a morning convoy slot and the round trip is long.
• Use a licensed local operator for Baratang and Barren Island, because they handle the checkpost and the permissions.
• Keep a buffer day in Port Blair in case a boat trip is cancelled by weather.

• Fly into Port Blair (Sri Vijayapuram) from Chennai, Kolkata, Delhi, and other mainland cities.
• Baratang is a road and ferry day trip north of Port Blair, crossing the reserve and a short ferry channel.
• Havelock (Swaraj Dweep) and Neil (Shaheed Dweep) are reached by government and private ferries from Port Blair.
• Barren Island is a boat trip from the Havelock or Port Blair side.

Base yourself in Port Blair for the town, the museums, and the day trips, and add nights on Havelock and Neil for the beaches. Both Port Blair and Havelock have hotels in every budget.

• Carry your identity document and any pass at all times in restricted areas.
• Follow the Jarawa reserve rules without exception. Do not stop, photograph, feed, or contact the Jarawa. Breaking these rules is a serious offence.
• Do not attempt to reach the Sentinelese or North Sentinel Island. It is strictly off limits.
• Respect all day visit and night halt rules.
• Follow the boat crew and forest staff instructions near Barren Island.

• Cellular Jail and its evening Sound and Light Show, in Port Blair.
• Havelock (Swaraj Dweep), for Radhanagar Beach.
• Neil (Shaheed Dweep), for quiet beaches and the natural bridge.
• Baratang limestone caves and mud volcano, reached across the reserve.
• Ross Island (Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep), near Port Blair.