Bhutan Visa and Tariff

All foreign nationals traveling to Bhutan need visa, which needs to be processed before arriving in Bhutan. It has to be processed through a registered Bhutanese tour operator based in Bhutan and is processed in Thimphu with the Department of Immigration; no Mission or Embassy abroad can issue Bhutan visa. To follow its normal procedure, full tour payments are to be remitted to the account of Tourism Council of Bhutan (the regulatory agency of the Royal Government of Bhutan) through wire transfer prior to applying visa; subsequently, your visa will be applied.

Department of Immigration has now made it mandatory to submit a scan copy of your passport along with your visa application. A minimum of 3 working days, after the receipt of tour payment is required to process the same. Upon approval, a copy of clearance letter will be forwarded to you through email; you can board the flight to Bhutan (Druk Air) with this clearance letter. The actual visa is stamped on arrival in Bhutan while visa is cleared in advance.

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For travelers, entering Bhutan by Druk Air, visa clearance letter is forwarded to concerned overseas Druk Air stations; without which travelers are not allowed to board the flight. To avoid any complication in the airport, it will be advisable for you to carry copy of this clearance letter
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For all travelers entering Bhutan overland through Phuentsholing (border with India), visa is stamped on arrival on the basis of Clearance Letter issued by Department of Immigration
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Visa fee of US$ 20 per person is payable along with the tour payment
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You will need a valid passport, which must have to have a minimum of six months validity
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Your passport must have at least 2 un-used pages for visa stamp.

Minimum Tariff: The policy of value tourism is best supported by a system of a government regulated daily minimum price of US$ 250 per person per night for visits to Bhutan. The price also in a way limits the volume of visitors allowing exclusivity and care.

The daily minimum price is most often misinterpreted to be extremely high. The fee in fact covers a package that include all internal taxes and charges including royalty, accommodation, meals, services of licensed guides, airport transfers, iin turnnternal transport and camping equipment and haulage fro trekking tours.

35% of the tariff goes as royalty to the government exchequer, which in turn mainly supports free medical care, free education and other welfare schemes.

All visitors in a way therefore make valuable contribution to the welfare system of the country.

Minimum Tariff per night: US$ 250 per person per night; additional surcharge for Free Individual Traveler (FIT) @ US$ 40 per night for single traveller and US$ 30 per person per night ina group of 2 pax will be applicable.

The above tariff covers:

* 35% Government Royalty
* 2% Government Tax
* contribution to Tourism Develpoment Fund @ US$ 10 per tourist

The balance amount after all above deduction covers:

* accommodation on twin sharing basis in government certified hotels
* All meals
* Airport transfers
* Entrance fees at museums & monuments
* Guide overheads
* Trekking logistics & Equipmen