Bhutan for Indian travellers: permits, SDF and documents

Indian adults can enter Bhutan with either of two documents. The first is a valid Indian passport with at least six months' validity from the date of entry. The second is an original voter ID card, the EPIC issued by the Election Commission of India. Photocopies and digital copies are not accepted in place of the original.

Other Indian documents do not work. Aadhaar, PAN cards, driving licences and ration cards are not accepted as travel documents, even though people sometimes report otherwise on social media. Children under 18 who have neither a passport nor a voter ID can travel with a birth certificate, accompanied by a parent or legal guardian; some travellers also carry a school identity card.

Carry the following in a single folder so the immigration office can process you quickly:

• Original passport or voter ID for every adult, and a passport or birth certificate for each child
• Two recent passport-size photographs per person
• Photocopies of each ID document
• Confirmed bookings in certified hotels for your nights in Bhutan
• Your itinerary, and your guide's or operator's details if you are going beyond Thimphu and Paro
• A printout of your online permit if you applied in advance

The SDF is a nightly fee that Bhutan charges every tourist to fund conservation, health, education and the offsetting of tourism's impact. For Indian nationals it is ₹1,200 per person per night, payable in rupees or ngultrum. It is collected when your permit is issued, for the number of nights you plan to stay.

Children aged 6 to 12 pay half, ₹600 a night, and children under 6 do not pay. Other nationalities pay USD 100 per person per night, a reduced rate introduced in 2023 and set to last for some years; they also need a visa. Bangladeshi and Maldivian nationals have their own regional arrangements.

The fee is per night spent in Bhutan, not per day. That matters for overland travellers: a night in Jaigaon on the Indian side, or in Jaldapara, attracts no SDF. Day visitors to Phuentsholing town have generally been exempt, but border-town rules have been revised more than once. Check current status before you travel.

The entry permit is the basic document for an Indian tourist. It allows travel in Thimphu and Paro districts. You can apply online in advance through the Department of Immigration's portal, or get it in person at the regional immigration office near the gate in Phuentsholing, or on arrival at Paro International Airport. Applying online in advance saves time, especially in busy months.

At Phuentsholing, the office is open on weekdays and part of Saturday, and closed on Sundays and Bhutanese public holidays. Arrive early with your documents and bookings; on busy days in May, June and October there can be long queues. The permit is usually issued the same day.

To go beyond Thimphu and Paro, to Punakha, Wangdue Phodrang for Phobjikha, Haa, Bumthang or elsewhere, you need a route permit for each district. It is issued by the immigration office in Thimphu or applied for online, and your licensed guide or tour operator normally handles it. Plan to be in Thimphu on a working day if the permit is to be issued there. Checkpoints along the highways inspect permits.

Since 2022 all tourists, including Indians, must be accompanied by a licensed Bhutanese guide when travelling beyond Thimphu and Paro, and on any trek. Within Thimphu and Paro you may move about on your own, take taxis and public buses, and visit sights, although some monuments may ask for a guide at the entrance. A licensed guide typically costs ₹2,500–3,500 a day for the group, plus their food and lodging on overnight trips.

You must also stay in accommodation certified by the Department of Tourism. That includes approved hotels from simple to luxury, and registered farmhouse homestays. Unregistered guesthouses and staying with friends are not allowed for tourists. Certified budget hotels in Thimphu and Paro start around ₹2,500–3,500 a room a night.

Indian-registered private vehicles can enter Bhutan with a vehicle permit and a daily fee, and the driver needs a valid licence and documents. Most Indian taxis do not go beyond the border. In practice most visitors switch to a Bhutan-registered car with a driver, usually booked with the guide, or use public buses between Phuentsholing, Thimphu and Paro. Check current status before you travel.

The ngultrum is pegged to the Indian rupee at par, and rupees are accepted across Bhutan. Carry ₹100 and ₹200 notes; some shops and taxis refuse ₹500 notes, a hangover from older restrictions on large Indian notes. UPI works at many shops in Thimphu, Paro and Phuentsholing through a cross-border link, and ATMs of Bhutanese banks accept some Indian cards, but cash is safer in the villages.

Indian SIM cards on international roaming work in the main towns but can be costly. A local SIM from B-Mobile or TashiCell costs a few hundred rupees with data and needs your permit and ID. Coverage is good on main roads and in towns, patchy in valleys such as Phobjikha and Haa.

Bhutan Time is 30 minutes ahead of Indian Standard Time. Government offices, including immigration, and buses run to Bhutan Time. Tuesday is a dry day across the country, when bars and alcohol shops are closed.

Bhutan has strict rules on tobacco. Smoking in public places is banned, and sales are controlled; if you carry cigarettes for personal use, keep the quantity small and expect to show them at customs. Drones need prior permission. Photography is not allowed inside temples and dzong shrine rooms.

Dress matters in religious and government buildings. Wear long sleeves, long trousers or a long skirt, and no caps inside dzongs and temples. Walk clockwise around chortens, prayer wheels and temples. Do not point your feet at altars, and do not touch religious objects without being invited.

Finally, be patient with the system. Rules exist because Bhutan chose to limit tourism's effect on a small country. Indian travellers still pay far less than anyone else, and a well-planned trip runs smoothly. Check current status before you travel, and keep your permit and ID with you at all times.