Registration for the Char Dham Yatra is mandatory for every pilgrim – Indian citizens and foreigners, adults and children – and it is free. It is done on the official Tourist Care Uttarakhand portal (registrationandtouristcare.uk.gov.in), and it covers Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri, Yamunotri and Hemkund Sahib. You can be turned back at checkpoints without it, so do it before you travel.
How to register (step by step)
- Open the official portal – registrationandtouristcare.uk.gov.in – and click REGISTER/LOGIN. Create an account (email or mobile OTP).
- Create your tour: select start and end dates, the number of pilgrims and the dhams on your route (or Hemkund Sahib).
- Add each pilgrim’s details – name, age, government photo ID and a photograph.
- Download the Yatra Registration Letter (one per tour). Carry it printed and on your phone – checkpoints along the route verify it, and ID checks apply.
WhatsApp registration is also available (message “yatra” to 8394833833), and offline counters operate at major yatra points when the season is on. Portal details verified October 2026 – follow the current on-screen instructions.
The rules people get wrong
- It applies to everyone. There is no Indian-citizen exemption; foreigners register too, carrying passport details.
- It is not the Lakshadweep permit. The widely reported 2026 news about dropped “local sponsor and police clearance” rules was about Lakshadweep. The Char Dham registration remains a separate, mandatory, free system.
- Register after your dates are fixed, not before booking – the letter is date-specific; re-register if plans change.
- Keep ID everywhere. Hotels, checkpoints and helicopter counters all record it (full permits guide).
When to register for 2027
Registrations typically open about two months before the season (2026’s opened on 6 March for the 20-23 April openings). Expect the 2027 window to open similarly – register as soon as your travel dates and route are set, then book Kedarnath stays and helicopter seats.
