Confirm your trip
Book your journey with us and complete your payment. The tour price already includes the visa fee and the Sustainable Development Fee.
Bhutan Visa & Fees
We take care of your visa from start to finish, so you can simply look forward to your journey.
Almost every visitor needs a visa to enter Bhutan, but you never have to visit an embassy or fill in a single form.
Bhutanese embassies abroad do not issue tourist visas. Instead, visas are arranged through a licensed Bhutanese tour operator as part of your booking. As your operator, we handle the whole application for you.
How it works
Four simple steps
Send us two files
Email a clear scan of your passport photo page and a recent passport-style photo. That is all we need.
We apply for you
We submit your application to the Department of Immigration and send you a visa clearance letter, usually within a few working days.
Arrive in Bhutan
Show your clearance letter when you check in for your flight. Your visa is stamped into your passport on arrival.
What we need from you
Just two documents
- A clear colour scan of your passport photo page. Your passport must be valid for at least six months after you leave Bhutan.
- A recent passport-style photo with a plain white background, sent digitally. You do not need printed photos at the airport.
Please travel on the same passport you used for your visa application. Airlines and border officers will not accept a different passport, even if it is new.
Fees
What it costs
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Visa fee | US $40 per person, one time, non-refundable |
| SDF, adults | US $100 per person per night |
| SDF, children 6–12 | US $50 per child per night |
| SDF, children 5 and under | Free |
The Sustainable Development Fee (SDF) funds free healthcare, education and conservation in Bhutan. The current reduced rates, half the standard US $200, apply until 31 August 2027 and are set by the Royal Government of Bhutan. Both fees are included in every Tamshing quote.
Arriving in Bhutan
By air or by land
By air, into Paro
- Show your visa clearance letter when you check in for your Druk Air or Bhutan Airlines flight.
- Your visa is stamped into your passport at Paro International Airport.
- Your guide will be waiting for you as you leave the arrivals hall.
By land, from India
- Enter through the border towns of Phuentsholing, Gelephu or Samdrup Jongkhar.
- Show your visa clearance letter at the immigration checkpoint, where your visa is stamped.
- Your fingerprints and photo are taken at the border, so allow a little extra time.
Regional visitors
India, Bangladesh & the Maldives
Visitors from these three countries follow a simpler entry process than other travellers.
Indian nationals
Indian visitors need an entry permit instead of a visa. It can be issued on arrival, but we recommend arranging it in advance to avoid queues. A separate, lower SDF rate applies, paid as part of the permit. Please carry a valid passport or voter ID card, and a passport-size photo if applying on arrival.
Bangladeshi and Maldivian nationals
Visitors from Bangladesh and the Maldives need a visa, which can be issued in advance or on arrival. We recommend arranging it before you travel to avoid waiting at the border, and we take care of both the visa and the SDF payment for you.
Good to know
Before you travel
- We apply for your visa once your final payment is received, which is due 60 days before arrival under our Booking Terms.
- If you travel via India, Nepal, Thailand or another country, check whether you need a visa for that country too. Transit visas are your responsibility.
- Visa rules and fees are set by the Royal Government of Bhutan and can change. We always confirm the latest requirements when you book.
Start planning
Leave the paperwork to us
Tell us your travel dates, and we will take care of your visa, SDF and everything in between.