3 min readNew DelhiMay 2, 2026 03:00 PM IST Travelling to the islands of Lakshadweep may soon become significantly easier. In a major move to boost tourism, the Union Territory administration has relaxed several long-standing entry permit rules for domestic travellers, simplifying a process many tourists previously found cumbersome. Under the revised guidelines issued by the administration, tourists will no longer require a local sponsor to obtain an entry permit. Besides, applicants are no longer required to secure police clearance certificates from their hometowns or local police authorities before applying. Instead, background verification and security checks will now be conducted directly by the Lakshadweep Police after the application is submitted. The changes are intended to make travel planning smoother while still maintaining security protocols for the ecologically sensitive island territory. What were the earlier permit rules? Earlier, travelling to Lakshadweep involved multiple layers of paperwork and approvals. Since the islands are protected under special regulations, all non-islanders, including Indian citizens, require entry permits. Previously, tourists had to: Arrange a local sponsor or local reference from …