Old and Young alike instinctively turns prayer wheels at every passing,Fingers grumplinig over Mala beads
Except for the nationals of India, Bangladesh & Maldives, all other nationals who intend to visit Bhutan need a visa. The Indian, Bangladeshis and Maldivian nationals can procure a visa at the port of entry on producing a valid passport with a minimum of 6-month validity. Indian nationals may also use their Voters Identity Card (VIC). However, all other tourists must obtain a visa clearance before travelling to Bhutan. Our agency can process your visa processed for you before your departure. Your visa will be endorsed on arrival.
• A legible colour copy of passport(page containing passport number and face picture in JPEG or PDF format) at least 20 days prior to date of entry into Bhutan. Remaining validity of passport should be at least 6 months from the date of exit from Bhutan
Your visa clearance letter will be issued to you along with your Drukair ticket prior to your departure. At your point of entry, you will be required to show your visa clearance letter, the visa will then be stamped onto your passport.
No VISA is required for Indian travellers. Indian nationals are required to carry any of the Valid Indian Passport having a validity of minimum 6 months or Voter Identity Card, issued by the Election Commission of India. Indians coming to Bhutan by road are required to obtain an 'Entry Permit' which is valid to visit Thimphu and Paro. However, 'special area permit' is required to visit other places in Bhutan.
VISA is issued at Paro airport. One can also get VISA at Phuentsholing, Gelephu or Samdrup Jongkhar in Bhutan if you are entering by road. Visitors are required to book travel through licensed Bhutanese tour operator, directly or through unauthorised foreign travel operator.
Online Visa applications can proceed by the authorised local tour operator or international tour operator so that you need not visit a Bhutanese Embassy or department. All tour payment including a USD $40 visa fee must be done before the traveller VISA is issued. The cash stays with the Bhutan Tourism Council until travel in-country is complete.
Once full payment has been receiving, VISA takes not more than 72 hours to be approved. Direct flights to Bhutan are available from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Singapore and Thailand. So the rest of the international travellers must require any of those countries VISA before transiting through. Nepal and Thailand offer visas on entry or visa waiver for some nationalities. However, India requires visas for most nationalities to enter. India allows 50 nationalities to acquire an electronic visa online without sending travel papers or going to a consulate.
