Bhutan visa on arrival

The Immigration Rules 2023 list two groups. Nationals of Bangladesh and the Maldives with a valid passport receive a visa on arrival under bilateral agreements, and nationals of Thailand and Switzerland receive one only if they hold diplomatic or official passports. Thai and Swiss citizens with ordinary passports must apply in advance like other visitors.

Indian nationals are not issued a visa at all; they receive an entry permit on a passport or voter identity card, and minors may use a birth certificate when travelling with a parent or guardian. Holders of a valid SAARC Visa Exemption Sticker are also exempt from the e-visa.

The Sustainable Development Fee applies to visa-on-arrival tourists as well. According to the Department of Tourism, the first 15,000 guests from Bangladesh, in addition to Indian guests, pay USD 15 or Nu. 1,200 per person per day, or the equivalent in Indian rupees. Other visitors pay the standard USD 100 per adult per night. Tourists visiting only the border towns of Samtse, Phuentsholing, Gelephu or Samdrup Jongkhar for up to 24 hours pay no SDF until August 2027.

Visa fees for these visitors are not published separately by the Department of Tourism. Under the Immigration Rules, gratis visas may be issued to holders of diplomatic, official and UN passports and to persons exempted under government memoranda.

Eligible visitors may fill in an arrival form at the port of entry, give biometrics and receive the visa from the immigration officer. The Department of Tourism notes that applying on arrival can involve a long wait and that a passport-size photograph is needed. Bangladeshi and Maldivian tourists can avoid this by applying online at immi.gov.bt before travel; the SDF is payable at the time of application in either case.

The designated ports of entry are Paro International Airport and the land checkpoints at Phuentsholing, Gelephu, Samdrup Jongkhar and Samtse. The passport must be valid for at least six months beyond the planned departure.

Visa-on-arrival tourists follow the same rules as other tourists: a certified guide is mandatory beyond the border towns, the stay may last up to 90 days, and extensions are requested online before expiry. Diplomatic and official passport holders on bilateral waivers may not take up employment or self-employment.

Overstaying tourists are fined Nu. 18,215 per day and face a re-entry ban of three months to one year depending on the length of the overstay.