Every year, as the sacred Sikh festival of Gurpurab draws near, thousands of Sikhs travel to one of the most spiritually significant sites in the world – the Kartarpur Sahib Gurudwara in Pakistan. Located just a few kilometers away from the international India-Pakistan border, this holy shrine served as the final resting place of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of Sikhism. Today, it stands as a powerful symbol of faith, devotion, and spiritual enlightenment.
With Gurpurab 2025 set to be celebrated on November 5, many devotees are setting their eyes on this holy pilgrimage from India to Pakistan. If you too have been meaning to undertake this spiritual journey, here’s a Gurpurab 2025 Kartarpur Sahib travel guide for you!
Darbar Sahib Kartarpur Gurpurab Yatra: Overview, Visa Process, How To Register, Entry Fee, And More
Overview Of The Kartarpur Corridor
Gurudwara Sri Kartarpur Sahib is where Guru Nanak spent his last few years. While access to the gurudwara was cut off after the 1947 Partition, both countries agreed to open visa-free travel for pilgrimage purposes via the Kartarpur Corridor. This corridor connects the historic town of Gurdaspur in Punjab to the town of Kartarpur in Pakistan’s Narowal district. The corridor itself is 2 km in length and joins the approximately 4 km stretch connecting the Indian border and Pakistan.
As of October 2025, the central government has restricted the movement of pilgrims from India due to recent political tensions between the two countries. While movement in this corridor was completely shut for an indefinite period, the Indian government has granted permission to Sikh pilgrims to travel to Pakistan on the occasion of Gurpurab 2025. However, note that this approval only applies to ‘select groups’ that have been deemed eligible for the pilgrimage.
Even though there are restrictions on travel within this corridor in 2025, it has seen thousands of pilgrims over the years traveling safely between India and Pakistan.
Who Can Use The Kartarpur Corridor?
The Kartarpur Corridor is open only to Indian passport holders and Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) holders. Foreigners of other nationalities are not allowed.
Indians traveling through the corridor need not be of any particular religion – all Indians are welcomed regardless of their religion. On the other hand, Pakistani citizens can also visit Kartarpur Sahib, however, they do not need to use the Kartarpur Corridor.
How To Register For Kartarpur Corridor
Before the current travel restrictions, Indians could freely register for accessing the Kartarpur Corridor. During the registration process, you are required to visit the Prakash Purab Kartarpur Sahib official website and apply online.
Documents required for Kartarpur Corridor 2025
- Indian Passport or OCI
- Blood type
- Name of local police station (if Indian)
- Scan of your passport (PDF format)
- Passport photo in JPG format
Police also conduct a background check to verify your identity and ensure that no scamming takes place. Also, you must register at least 14 days before your actual date of visit.
Once you register successfully, you will receive an SMS and confirmation by email. They’ll also be informed when confirmation is received from Pakistan. Successfully registered and approved applicants receive a confirmation 4 days before the date they’re applying for. This confirmation includes an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) and a confirmation mail and SMS.
Indians must take their ETA along with their passport when they arrive at the Passenger Terminal Building at the international India-Pakistan border.
Kartarpur Corridor Currency Rules (INR/USD) And Fees
Pilgrims have to pay an entry fee of USD 20 (INR 1760 approximately) when entering the Corridor. While there is a currency exchange at the international checkpoint, the exchange rate is quite terrible. So most Indian travelers are recommended to carry USD from India.
While this fee is mandatory, India has time and again urged the Pakistani government to evade these fees.
Kartarpur Corridor Trip Planning For Gurpurab 2025: Important Things To Know
- From the Indian passenger terminal on the international border, it takes about 45 minutes to reach Kartarpur Sahib. This time is inclusive of immigration on both sides as well as currency conversion. We recommend arriving early to avoid crowd, especially on important days like Gurpurab.
- The gurudwara, as one of the holiest sites in Sikhism, engages in community service and serves langar. It is a simple yet fulfilling meal consisting of rice, vegetable curry, rajma beans, pickle, water, and chai.
- Pakistan does not stamp your passport.
- Both India and Pakistan take complete biometrics of your hands for security purposes.
- The best time to visit Kartarpur is in the early morning hours and on spiritually significant days like Baisakhi and Gurpurab.
Reaching Dera Baba Nanak
Amritsar is the closest major city to Dera Baba Nanak, the town from where you can set out towards Kartarpur. The city has its own airport and railway station, allowing seamless connectivity between major Indian cities.
From Amritsar, Dera Baba Nanak is about 48 km away. You can easily get a local bus, hire a cab, or self-drive to the historic town and it takes about just a little more than an hour to reach.
Summing Up
In this article, we’ve given you detailed information about the Kartarpur Corridor registration process for Indians 2025. Each Gurpurab, Sikh devotees visit historic gurudwaras like those in Amritsar, Keshgarh, and even Kartarpur. The Kartarpur Sahib is not just an important crucial in Sikhism but also a great symbol of spiritual diplomacy between India and Pakistan.
