Indian citizens are the one nationality that does not need a visa for Bhutan. You travel on an entry permit, you pay a far lower nightly fee than other visitors, and you can come in by road as well as by air. This page sets out the rules for a Bhutan trip from India as the Department of Tourism publishes them, and how we arrange it.
The entry permit
The permit takes the place of a visa, and there are two ways to get it. It can be applied for online before you travel, through the Department of Immigration’s portal, and a tour operator or a hotel may apply on your behalf. Or it can be issued at the point of entry, where you will need a passport-size photograph and may have a long wait. The Department itself advises arranging it beforehand.
When you book with us we apply for you. You send a copy of your identity document, and you arrive with the permit already approved.
Documents to carry
- Adults: an Indian passport, or a voter identity card
- Under 18: a passport or a birth certificate, travelling with a parent or legal guardian
- For a permit issued on arrival: a passport-size photograph
These are the documents the Department of Tourism names. An Aadhaar card, a PAN card and a driving licence are not on its list, so do not rely on one of those to enter. A passport should have at least six months left to run, as the Embassy of India in Thimphu advises.
The fee for Indian visitors
Every visitor to Bhutan pays a Sustainable Development Fee for each night of the stay. For Indian nationals it is set in ngultrum, which is fixed at the same value as the rupee:
| Traveller | Fee per night |
|---|---|
| Adults | Nu. 1,200 (₹1,200) |
| Children aged 6 to 11 | Nu. 600 (₹600) |
| Children under 6 | Free |
Other visitors pay US$100 a night. For five nights in Bhutan an adult from India pays Nu. 6,000 in fees. The fee is paid when the permit is applied for, and when you travel with us it is part of the price we quote.
Getting there by air
Drukair and Bhutan Airlines fly to Paro from five Indian cities: Delhi, Kolkata, Bagdogra, Guwahati and Gaya. Not every route runs every day, and Paro can be closed by weather, so leave time on either side of the flight. Our page on getting to Bhutan has more on choosing a route.
Getting there by road
There are four road crossings from India. Phuentsholing, opposite Jaigaon in West Bengal, is the one most used, and is reached from Bagdogra airport or from the Darjeeling and Sikkim hills. Samtse lies to its west. Gelephu is the crossing for central Bhutan, and Samdrup Jongkhar, in the south-east, is the one for journeys that begin or end in eastern Bhutan, with Guwahati beyond it.
From Phuentsholing the highway climbs out of the plains to Thimphu and Paro. Thimphu is about 175 km and six hours away, and Paro about 165 km and five to six. The gate for vehicles is open from 6 in the morning to 11 at night.
A day in a border town without the fee
You may spend up to 24 hours in Phuentsholing, Samtse, Gelephu or Samdrup Jongkhar without paying the fee, provided you stay inside the town’s designated zone. The Department gives the limits as the Rinchending checkpost above Phuentsholing, Gurung Basti at Samtse, the Aipoli bridge at Gelephu and the Pinchinna checkpost at Samdrup Jongkhar. Go beyond them and the nightly fee applies. The arrangement is in force until August 2027.
Guides, and bringing your own vehicle
Anyone who enters by road and travels beyond the border towns goes with a licensed guide, and a guide is needed to enter dzongs and monuments and on any trek. On a trip with us your guide meets you at the border or at the airport and stays with you throughout.
You may bring your own car or motorcycle. The charge is Nu. 4,500 per vehicle per day, an Indian driving licence is accepted, and a guide must travel with you. With a guide certified by the Department of Tourism you need no separate route permit to travel around the country.
Money
The ngultrum and the rupee are worth the same, and rupees are widely accepted in Bhutan, so there is little to change. Carry notes of Rs 100 and smaller: the Rs 500 note has been refused at times, and the rules for it have changed more than once. Payment from an Indian UPI app works at shops and hotels that show the QR code, though it needs a data connection. More on cards and cash is on our page about money in Bhutan.
What a trip from India costs
The prices on our tour pages are in US dollars and are for international visitors: they include the US$100 nightly fee and the US$40 visa. Neither applies to you, so your price is a different one, and lower. Tell us your dates, how many of you are travelling and where you plan to enter, and we will send a price in rupees with everything it includes written out.
Which trips suit a visit from India
Every tour, trek and festival trip on this site can be taken from India. If you fly to Paro, the itineraries run as they are written: the four-day Bhutan Short Trip covers Paro and Thimphu, and a week adds Punakha. If you come by road through Phuentsholing, we add the drive up from the border at the start and the drive down at the end.
The festivals draw many visitors from India, and their dates are fixed by the lunar calendar. The festival calendar lists them month by month.
Common questions
Do Indians need a visa for Bhutan?
No. Indian nationals enter on a permit, which is applied for online in advance or issued at the point of entry.
Is a passport compulsory?
No. An adult may travel on a voter identity card in place of a passport. A child under 18 may travel on a birth certificate, with a parent or legal guardian.
Do I have to book through a tour operator?
No. Since Bhutan reopened in September 2022 visitors may book each part of a trip themselves. A guide is still required for the things described above, and most travellers find it simpler to have one company arrange the permit, the guide, the vehicle and the hotels together.
Can I just visit Phuentsholing for the day?
Yes. Up to 24 hours inside the town’s designated zone carries no fee. To go on to Thimphu or Paro you need the permit and the nightly fee.
Checked against the Department of Tourism’s visa page and its frequently asked questions on 12 October 2026. Rules change by government notice, so we re-check them regularly.