Bhutan Visa and Entry Permits

Every visitor to Bhutan needs a visa, with one exception: Indian nationals need an entry permit instead. Nationals of Bangladesh and the Maldives need a visa but may apply for it on arrival as well as in advance. No nationality is barred.

What the visa costs

US$40 for each person. It is paid once, with the Sustainable Development Fee, and is not refunded.

How to apply

Applications are made online, through the Department of Immigration's portal. You can apply yourself, or a tour operator can apply for you. When you travel with us, we do it.

We need three things from each traveller:

• A clear scan or photograph of the passport's photo page. The passport must be valid for at least six months.
• A recent passport photograph, as a digital file.
• Your dates of arrival and departure.

How long it takes

The Department of Tourism says a correctly completed application can take up to five days to process. We send you the visa as soon as it is issued. Keep a copy on your phone or on paper, and carry your passport with you throughout the trip.

How long you can stay

A visa allows a stay of up to 90 days from the date you enter. It can be extended before it runs out; ask us if you think you may want to stay longer. The Sustainable Development Fee is charged for each extra night.

Indian nationals

Indian nationals need a permit, not a visa. It is issued against an Indian passport or a voter identity card. A traveller under 18 may use a passport, or a birth certificate if accompanied by a legal guardian.

The permit can be applied for online before you travel or obtained at the point of entry, where the wait can be long. The Sustainable Development Fee for Indian nationals is Nu. 1,200 a night, or the same in rupees.

Permits inside Bhutan

• Route permits are no longer needed to move between districts, provided you travel with a certified guide.
• National parks need a permit, issued online. We obtain it where an itinerary enters one.
• Some treks need an army permit as well. Each of our trek pages says which.

Arriving by road

There are four land crossings from India: Samtse and Phuentsholing in the west, Gelephu in the centre and Samdrup Jongkhar in the east. Under a waiver announced to run from 2 June 2026 until August 2027, visitors who stay inside one of these border towns for no more than 24 hours pay no Sustainable Development Fee. Travel beyond the town's checkpoint, and the fee applies.

Entry rules are changed by government notice, sometimes at short notice. If you are travelling with us we will tell you of any change that affects you; if you are applying on your own, read the official pages below before you pay.