Visa Guidelines for Bhutan

Visa required before arrival

Thinking about visiting Bhutan? Here’s a simple breakdown on how to get your tourist visa.

If you’re not from India, Bangladesh, or the Maldives, you’ll need a visa. Creative Travel will apply for your visa with the following information that is to be provided by you.

Download the visa application form here.

What You Need to Apply

  • Passport Scan: A colour scan of your passport, which must be valid for at least six months beyond your planned departure date from Bhutan. Submit this scan at least 30 days before your travel date.
  • Photo: A recent passport-sized photograph in digital form.
  • Full Tour Payment: The Department of Tourism requires full payment for your tour when processing your visa. You’ll need to send a wire transfer copy or payment details.

Once the form is completed, please send it to us for processing.

Special Considerations for Indian Visas

  • If you enter Bhutan from India and then re-enter India after your Bhutan tour, you will need multiple Indian visas.
  • If you have dual passports, use the same passport for Bhutan travel that you submitted for your visa application.
  • Travelers entering Bhutan by air (while in transit in Delhi/Kolkata) and re-entering India by land must have the original Indian visa stamped on their passport by the Indian embassy/consulate. E-visas won’t be checked at border towns.

Visa Fees

  • The Bhutan visa has a standard fee of USD 40.
  • Additionally, there’s a Sustainable Development Fee (SDF) of USD 100 per day per adult. Concessionary rates apply for children. All fees are subject to change.

After Your Visa is Approved

  • You’ll receive an e-visa by email.
  • Print the e-visa or have it on your device and present it at check-in for your flight to Bhutan.
  • On arrival at Paro airport (if flying) or at the Phuentsholing, Samdrup Jongkhar, or Gelephu immigration counters (if arriving by land via India), your visa will be stamped in your passport.

Make sure you have all these details sorted before your trip, and you’ll be ready to enjoy your visit to Bhutan! For more information, visit the official website here.

“All information on this site is current when published. Please visit the official visa website for updated information.”

THE PROCESS

Step 1 :

Email us a coloured scan or photo (JPEG/PDF) of the first page of your passport, ensuring your face and passport number are visible.

Step 2 :

The Tourism Council of Bhutan requires full payment of your tour before issuing visa; these payments are built into the cost of our tours.

Step 3 :

We share proof of payment forward, following which the visa clearance is processed within 72 working hours; the same will be forwarded to you.

Step 4 :

At the time of entry, show your visa clearance letter and the visa will then be stamped into your passport.

ELIGIBILITY

  • Documents should be sent in 30 days prior to travel date, with a minimum of 7 working days needed to process the visa.
  • Passpost should be valid for at least 6 months, excluding the month of travel.
  • If you enter Bhutan from India and re-enter India after Bhutan, multiple Indian visas are required.
  • Passengers visiting India on E-tourist visa and entering Bhutan by air and/or re-entering India from Bhutan by surface are required to travel with original Indian visa stamped in the passport by Indian embassy/consulate at their home country as there are no facilities at these border towns to check and verify Indian E-Visa. 
  • No passport size photo/pictures/visa form etc. are required for Bhutan visa. A readable and coloured copy of the passport is the only requirement.
  • Dual passport holders must use and show the same passport as the one shared for visa clearance.
  • Bhutan visa fee of US$ 40 is included in the tour cost.