Overview

• States will accept only applications sponsored by Sikh religious bodies and will vet each name through police, CID and intelligence in consultation with central security agencies, with dossiers due to the Home Ministry by October 22.
• Passage will be limited to pilgrims cleared by the Home and External Affairs ministries who also obtain Pakistani visas, and independent travel will not be allowed even for valid visa holders.
• Pilgrims will cross at the Attari–Wagah border under the 1974 India–Pakistan protocol to visit Nankana Sahib and other historic gurdwaras, including Darbar Sahib at Kartarpur.
• India’s side of the Kartarpur Corridor remains closed since May, preventing visa‑free movement despite Pakistan keeping its facilities open.
• The decision reverses last month’s restriction following Operation Sindoor and has been welcomed by Sikh bodies such as the SGPC and Akal Takht, who continue to urge reopening of the Kartarpur route.