Almost every visitor needs a visa to enter Bhutan, and it must be approved before you travel. It costs US$40, takes up to five working days, and when you book with us we apply for you.
Who needs a visa
Travellers of every nationality need a visa, with one exception: Indian nationals enter on a permit instead. Visitors from Bangladesh and the Maldives need a visa but may obtain it on arrival as well as in advance. Everyone else must have the visa approved before boarding the flight to Paro: there is no visa on arrival for other nationalities.
What it costs
The visa fee is US$40 per person. It is paid once, with the application, and is not refunded. The Sustainable Development Fee is paid at the same time. Both are included in the price of every trip on this site.
What you need
- A passport valid for at least six months beyond your trip
- A digital copy of the passport’s photo page
- A recent digital passport photograph
- Your arrival and departure dates
How long it takes
The Department of Immigration processes visas within five working days. Send us your passport details as soon as your trip is confirmed, so there is time to spare. A visa allows a stay of up to 90 days from the day you enter.
How we arrange it
Once your trip is confirmed, send us the passport copy and photograph. We submit the application, pay the fees on your behalf and email you the visa clearance letter. You show the letter when you check in for your flight to Paro, and the visa itself is stamped into your passport on arrival.
You can also apply yourself through the Department of Immigration’s online portal, as visitors may now book each part of a trip independently. The portal asks for the same four things listed above and for payment of the visa fee and the nightly fee together, and applicants put their name to a short Pledge of Friendship.
Travel insurance
Travel insurance used to be a condition of the visa. That requirement was lifted on 23 April 2024, and it is now a recommendation only. We strongly recommend it all the same, and for a trek a policy that covers evacuation by helicopter.
Indian nationals
Indian nationals need an entry permit, not a visa. It can be applied for online in advance, by you or by us on your behalf, or issued at the point of entry, where a passport-size photograph is needed and the wait can be long. An adult travels on an Indian passport or a voter identity card; a child under 18 on a passport or a birth certificate, with a parent or legal guardian. The nightly fee for Indian nationals is Nu. 1,200, not US$100. Everything else an Indian traveller needs to know is on our page about Bhutan from India.
Visitors from Bangladesh and the Maldives
Nationals of Bangladesh and the Maldives need a visa but need not have it before they travel: it can be issued on arrival, or applied for in advance in the ordinary way. The fee is the same US$40. We suggest applying in advance all the same, to save a wait at the airport. See Bhutan from Bangladesh and the Maldives.
Common questions
Can I get a Bhutan visa on arrival?
Only if you hold a passport of Bangladesh or the Maldives. Indian nationals can have their permit issued on arrival. All other visitors need the visa approved before they travel, and the airline will ask to see the clearance letter at check-in.
How early should I apply?
As soon as your dates are fixed. The Department of Immigration allows itself five working days, so there is nothing to gain by waiting.
Do I send my passport anywhere?
No. The application uses a digital copy of the photo page and a digital photograph. Your passport stays with you, and the visa is stamped into it when you land.
Is the visa fee refunded if I cancel?
No. The US$40 fee is not refunded once the application has been made.
Checked against the Department of Tourism’s website on 12 October 2026. Rules change by government notice, so we re-check them regularly.