Nagaland: Inner Line Permit regime extended to Dimapur, Niuland and Chümoukedima

KOHIMA — The Nagaland Cabinet has decided to extend the Inner Line Permit (ILP) regime to three more districts—Chümoukedima, Niuland, and Dimapur—following pressure from various groups.

The ILP, a special travel document required by Indian citizens from other states to enter certain areas of the Northeast including Nagaland, aims to regulate the influx of outsiders and protect indigenous communities.

The decision, announced by government spokesperson and Tourism and Higher Education minister Temjen Imna Along, includes a three-tier system for Dimapur residents.

In the first tier is Category I individuals residing in Dimapur before December 1, 1963, who will be eligible for a Smart Card and optional Permanent Residence Certificate and Domicile Certificate, while Category II pertains to those settling in Dimapur between December 1, 1963, and November 21, 1979, who will receive a Permanent Residence Certificate and the option for a Domicile Certificate.

“No ILP is required for Categories I and II”, Along said.

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Individuals falling under Category III—those settling in Dimapur on or after November 22, 1979, will require ILP, he added.

The government will also enhance the digital ILP issuance system to ease the application process.

He said that the government is also considering longer-term ILPs (2-5 years) for students, teachers, technical personnel, and investors, and will determine appropriate durations for those needing ILP for business or specific programmes.

While a timeline for implementation was not specified, Along confirmed that the administration and police have been instructed to take necessary action. He added that the government will need time to set up the system and enforce it once the decision is officially notified.

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