Indian citizens do not need a visa for Bhutan. What you need is a free entry permit, applied for online before you travel or issued at Paro airport or a land border such as Phuentsholing, and the Sustainable Development Fee of ₹1,200 per adult per night, as of September 2026. Carry an Indian passport valid for six months from the day you leave Bhutan, or your original Voter ID card, and travel with a guide certified by Bhutan's Department of Tourism. This guide follows the Department of Tourism's FAQ at bhutan.travel and the Department of Immigration's tourist requirements at doi.gov.bt, both checked in September 2026.
A permit, not a visa
The Bhutan permit for Indians is an entry permit. Every other nationality needs a visa, applied for in advance except for Bangladesh and Maldives nationals, who can also get one on arrival. Indian nationals holding an Indian passport or Voter ID apply for a permit instead. There is no fee for the permit and nothing to pay in advance for it; the cost is the Sustainable Development Fee, paid with the application. The permit covers the dates you apply for.
You do not have to book through a tour operator, but you must stay in hotels approved by the Department of Tourism and travel with a certified guide. Travel insurance has not been mandatory since 23 April 2024, though it is strongly recommended.
The Sustainable Development Fee, September 2026
| Traveller | SDF per night | Five nights |
|---|---|---|
| Adult, Indian passport or Voter ID | ₹1,200 | ₹6,000 |
| Child aged 6 to 11 | ₹600 | ₹3,000 |
| Child under 6 | Free | Free |
The official figure is Nu 1,200, the same in rupees because the ngultrum is pegged one to one. Most other nationalities pay US$100 a night plus a one-off US$40 visa fee. You pay the SDF online with the application, or in person at the point of entry.
Border towns have their own rule. Visits of up to 24 hours that stay inside the designated zone of Samtse, Phuentsholing, Gelephu or Samdrup Jongkhar are SDF-free, and a Department of Immigration procedure lets a tourist with a permit processed in advance claim back one night's SDF for a hotel night in a southern border town on entry or exit. The Department of Tourism and the Department of Immigration give different end dates for this, and we could not confirm how the refund works in practice, so budget the full fee.
Documents to carry
- An Indian passport valid for at least six months from the date you plan to leave Bhutan, or your original Indian Voter ID (EPIC) card.
- Children under 18: a passport or a birth certificate. They must travel with a legal guardian.
- A recent passport-size photo: a digital one for the online application, a printed one if you apply at the border.
- Your travel dates and your bookings in Department of Tourism approved hotels. On a package, the confirmation lists them.
- A national park permit, applied for online, if your itinerary enters a national park. Your planner tells you if it does.
Aadhaar, PAN cards and driving licences are not accepted as entry documents.
How to apply, step by step
- Apply on the Department of Immigration portal, immi.gov.bt, at least a week before you travel. A certified tour operator or your hotel can apply for you instead, and on our packages we help with the paperwork.
- Enter the passport or Voter ID details and travel dates for every traveller, upload a recent digital photo for each, and keep your hotel bookings to hand.
- Pay the SDF for every night with the application. If you pay by card, the Department of Tourism recommends telling your bank first, because some international banks block online payments to Bhutan.
- Wait for the review. The official visa page says a submitted application is reviewed within five working days; no separate time is published for Indian permits, so allow a week.
- Carry the approved permit, on your phone and on paper, with the same passport or Voter ID you applied with.
You can also apply on arrival at Paro International Airport or at the land borders of Phuentsholing, Samtse, Gelephu and Samdrup Jongkhar. The official site warns that the wait can be long, depending on how many people are applying, and recommends applying in advance. Bring a printed photo if you do.
Validity, extensions and the guide rule
The permit is valid for the dates you applied for. An extension must be requested before it expires. The Department of Tourism FAQ says Indian nationals extend in person at the Department of Immigration and pay the extra nights' SDF in rupees; another answer on the same page mentions the online portal, so ask your guide which applies when you need it.
The same FAQ says a guide certified by the Department of Tourism must accompany you at all times in Bhutan, including inside dzongs and monuments. With a certified guide you no longer need route permits to travel between Thimphu, Punakha and other areas. Self-drive rental cars are not available; driving your own Indian car in costs Nu 4,500 per car per day plus the guide. Drones need a permit in advance.
Arriving at Paro or Phuentsholing
By air: Paro is served only by Drukair and Bhutan Airlines, from Delhi and Kolkata every day, in daylight only. Your permit and ID are checked at immigration, and tourist SIM cards are sold at the airport's visitor information centre.
By road: Phuentsholing faces Jaigaon in West Bengal, about 162 km from Bagdogra airport. Road travellers clear immigration at the regional office there, and a guide is mandatory beyond the border town. Apply online in advance so the stop is a check rather than a queue; we could not confirm the office's weekend and holiday hours, so check your crossing day.
On the way home, Bhutan Airlines has asked passengers flying to India to fill in India's Air Suvidha 2.0 health self-declaration (a notice dated July 2026), so check before you fly whether it still applies.
Mistakes that cause trouble
- Carrying Aadhaar or a driving licence as your only ID.
- Counting passport validity from arrival instead of from the day you leave Bhutan.
- Bringing children without a passport or birth certificate, or without a legal guardian.
- Arriving without applying, and losing hours in the queue.
- Booking a homestay or hotel that is not approved by the Department of Tourism.
- Assuming the SDF is in the package price. On most quotes it is a separate line.
- Packing a thick wad of ₹500 notes. Under RBI rules last amended in November 2025, notes above ₹100 may be carried to Bhutan only up to ₹25,000 in total, so bring ₹100 notes and smaller for the rest. Do not rely on UPI alone.
- Arriving at a dzong in shorts or a sleeveless top. Cover shoulders to knees.
Questions we are asked most
Do Indians need a visa for Bhutan?
No. As of September 2026 Indian citizens need only a free entry permit, applied for online at immi.gov.bt or at the point of entry, plus the Sustainable Development Fee of ₹1,200 per adult per night. Carry a passport or an original Voter ID card.
Can Indians enter Bhutan with an Aadhaar card?
No. Bhutan accepts an Indian passport valid for six months from the day you leave, or an original Voter ID card. Children under 18 can use a passport or birth certificate and travel with a legal guardian. Aadhaar, PAN and driving licences are not accepted.
How long does the Bhutan permit take?
The official portal says applications are reviewed within five working days, a figure given on its visa page; no separate time is published for Indian permits. Apply at least a week before travel. Permits on arrival are possible but can mean a long wait.
What the fee does to the total budget is in the Bhutan trip cost from India guide, the route in the 6 day Bhutan itinerary, and the months to go in the best time to visit Bhutan. Our 5 Days Bhutan Paro Thimphu Getaway flies into Paro and the 6 Days Bhutan Escape from Siliguri crosses at Phuentsholing; flight routings are on the Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Chennai pages. Start from the Bhutan tour packages and tell the planner your dates and whether each traveller has a passport or a Voter ID; we help with the permit paperwork, and the quote shows the SDF for your nights and what else is included.
