Come stay with us to experience the Kingdom of Happiness!
Do I need a visa to enter Bhutan?
Yes, all visitors need a visa to enter Bhutan, except for visitors from India, who require a permit.
Nationals of Bangladesh and the Maldives, as well as nationals of Switzerland and Thailand who hold diplomatic or government-official passports, are also eligible for a visa on arrival at their port of entry.
Visitors from India will need a permit to enter Bhutan and are required to hold an Indian passport or an Indian voter ID card. Indian nationals under the age of 18 may enter with a birth certificate or passport and must be accompanied by a legal guardian.
How do I apply visa or permit?
Visitors can apply for their visa or permit through this https://visit.doi.gov.bt/, or they can engage tourism service providers to process their travel documents.
Although visitors from Bangladesh and the Maldives can process their visas on arrival at their port of entry and visitors from India can process their permits on arrival, it is recommended that these be applied for online instead in order to reduce the wait time at the port of entry.
What documents do I need in order to apply for visa?
A digital copy of your passport if applying online (or the hard copy of your passport if applying in person). The passport must be valid for six months from the intended date of departure from Bhutan.
A recent digital passport-appropriate photograph (or recent passport-size photograph if applying in person).
Valid travel insurance for the duration of the trip.
How much is visa fee?
The visa fee is US$40 per person, this fee is non-refundable
How much is the SDF and where do the funds go?
For all visitors, except those from India, the SDF is US$200 per person, per night. For guests from India, the SDF is 1,200 ngultrum, or the equivalent amount in Indian rupees, per person, per night.
Children aged 6 to 12 at the time of travel receive a 50% concessionary discount on the SDF. Those aged 5 or younger are exempt.
Day visitors to the Bhutanese towns bordering India are also exempt from paying the SDF until they reach a point designated by the Bhutanese government.
The SDF is collected by the national exchequer and funds are allocated to various projects that enhance facilities, services and infrastructure for Bhutanese nationals and visitors, as well as funding free healthcare and education.
