The Foreigners (Protected Areas) Order 1958 states that a Protected Area Permit (PAP) is required for non-Indian citizens to visit certain areas in India (mainly in the North-East). Certain requirements have to be fulfilled in order to get this permit. Indian citizens, who are not resident in these areas need a Inner Line Permit (ILP) to enter these places. The Inner Line Permit is significantly easier to get.
In addition, the Foreigners (Restricted Areas) Order 1968 states that a Restricted Area Permit (RAP) is required for non-Indians to visit certain areas in India. As of 2009, RAPs are required for all visits to the Union Territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and parts of the state of Sikkim. Unlike PAPs, RAPs are generally available for individual travellers and can be issued by overseas embassies or even, in some cases such as Port Blair's Vir Savarkar Airport, on the spot. Indian citizens do not need special permission to visit Restricted Areas.
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Normally the PAP has a duration of 10 days, with the option of extending for another 7 days. The PAP is issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs. However, the different authorities of the concerned Indian provinces can also issue the PAP, and also the Indian missions abroad. Normally the travel agent will take care of getting the PAP for the tourists.
At the moment only a touristic visit is a widely accepted purpose for a non-Indian's visit to a protected area. However, there are also other legitimate reasons why a non-Indian would want to visit these areas, for example if such a person is married to a native person of this area to visit his in-laws. For this purpose much more time than 10 days is required. As a consequence native people from the concerned areas who are married to a non-Indian or having children of a different nationality cannot settle permanently in their native area with their family because it is not possible to get a permanent permit for their non-Indian family-members.
One of the intended purposes of this policy was to protect the culture of the native people living there from the influence of outsiders. However, since it is quite easy for Indians to get an Inner Line Permit many Indians from other regions of India are moving to these regions. It is doubtful whether a large number of permanently residing Indians (from a significant different cultural background compared to the tribals) are having a lesser impact on the culture of the tribals than temporary visiting tourists.
Technically Indians with NRI status (i.e. Indians who are staying abroad for more than 6 months) are not eligible for the Inner Line Permit and therefore have to apply for a Protected Area Permit if they wish to visit the concerned areas. Of course this means that even native people of these areas have to apply for a Protected Area Permit once they become NRI. The same applies for PIO Card holders and Overseas Citizens of India.
Furthermore, there are no border controls at the protected areas' land borders, so if someone "looks native," he/she can travel undetected in the protected area even if he/she does not have proper documentation.