What the Bhutan visa rules mean for India travellers
India passport holders can get a visa on arrival in Bhutan. There is nothing to apply for in advance — the visa is issued at the airport or land border after you pay the fee. Bring cash in a major currency, a passport valid for at least six months, a return ticket and the address of your first night's accommodation, and expect a queue at busy airports.
The main option is the Entry permit (nationals of India).
Documents to prepare
Whatever your visa status, Bhutan applies the same entry conditions to every traveller:
- Passport validity: Bhutan's Immigration Rules and Regulations 2023 say the passport shall be valid for at least six months from the intended date of departure from the Kingdom. The Department of Immigration says Indian nationals may produ…
- Travel insurance: Not required. Bhutan's Department of Tourism says the requirement for mandatory travel insurance was lifted on April 23, 2024, but strongly recommends that all guests have travel insurance before visiting.
- Return or onward ticket: No official source we could read states an onward-ticket requirement for visitors to Bhutan; Bhutan's Immigration Rules and Regulations 2023 list none among the conditions of entry.
- Proof of funds: Bhutan's Immigration Rules and Regulations 2023 say a foreigner seeking entry shall prove adequate means to support their stay in the Kingdom without recourse to public funds. No official source we could read states an …
Bhutan entry rules compared
Bhutan does not grant visa-free entry to any passport, offers a visa on arrival to 3, issues eVisas to 195. India citizens are treated the same way as Bangladesh and Maldives. Overall the India passport ranks #152 in the world with 27 visa-free destinations.
More travel options
Planning a longer trip in Asia? With a India passport you can also visit 7 countries in the region without a visa, including Kazakhstan, Macau, Malaysia, Nepal, Philippines, Qatar and Thailand.
In the other direction, Bhutan citizens can visit India visa-free.