Eligible Travellers to Nepal May Use ID Instead of Passport on Direct Trips

Eligible Indian, Nepali and Bhutanese citizens can now travel directly between the three neighbouring countries using an approved identity document instead of a passport, under an amendment notified by India's Union Ministry of Home Affairs. The Immigration and Foreigners (Exemption) (Amendment) Order, 2026, was published in the Official Gazette on 5 November 2026.

Key facts

• Notified on 5 November 2026 by India's Union Ministry of Home Affairs.
• Applies to eligible Indian, Nepali and Bhutanese citizens travelling directly between the three countries.
• Accepted documents are those specified in the Central Government's Visa Manual.
• Travel by land or air is covered for journeys to Nepal or Bhutan.
• Passport and visa rules still apply to certain transit and third-country journeys.

What is changing?

Indian citizens travelling to Nepal or Bhutan by land or air may present an identity document listed in the Central Government's Visa Manual in place of a passport. The same arrangement applies to citizens of Nepal and Bhutan when entering or leaving India.

The order does not name the individual documents that qualify. It refers travellers to the Visa Manual, and the source cautions that not every commonly used identity card will automatically be accepted.

Who is affected?

The exemption covers eligible citizens of India, Nepal and Bhutan making direct journeys between the three countries. The amended order also addresses categories of foreign nationals living in India, including specified Pakistani nationals, certain members of minority communities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan who entered India within a prescribed deadline, registered Sri Lankan Tamil nationals and certain Tibetans.

Some of these groups receive exemptions from general passport or travel-document requirements but remain bound by the conditions and immigration procedures set out in the notification. Certain eligible individuals must obtain an appropriate visa to continue their stay in India.

The order keeps existing exemptions for Indian Army, Navy and Air Force personnel travelling on official duty, along with eligible family members accompanying them on government transport. Foreign crew members of military vessels visiting India for repairs are also covered under specified conditions.

When do the new rules start?

The amendment was published in the Official Gazette on 5 November 2026. The source does not state a separate commencement date.

Are there exceptions?

Yes. Nepali and Bhutanese citizens who have embarked at or transited through China, Macau, Hong Kong or Pakistan must carry a valid passport and visa when entering or leaving India.

The exemption also does not cover Indian citizens travelling to or returning from countries other than Nepal and Bhutan through the India-Nepal or India-Bhutan borders. Those travellers must carry valid passports and use designated immigration posts.

Immigration officers retain the authority to verify documents and request further information, and travellers must produce an eligible identity document when asked.

What this means for travellers

Travellers making direct journeys between India, Nepal and Bhutan should confirm that their specific identity document appears in the Government's Visa Manual before travelling, rather than assuming any card will be accepted. Passengers whose itinerary involves a third country, or transit through China, Macau, Hong Kong or Pakistan, should check the passport and visa requirements that still apply to their route.

The revised framework is intended to clarify cross-border immigration procedures while keeping checks in place for journeys involving third countries. Airlines, travel operators and border authorities are expected to apply the document requirements and immigration instructions consistently.