After my recent week long trip to Bhutan, I am all set to share the information with you on everything you need to know about how to plan a Bhutan trip for yourself. I have already compiled this complete guide to visit Bhutan that contains information on what to see in Bhutan, where to stay in Bhutan, what currency works in Bhutan, what food is available in Bhutan, what season is best to visit Bhutan and all the other information. And now in this post, I will detail you about how to obtain Bhutan Permit for Indian Tourists.
The nationals of India, Maldives and Bangladesh don’t require a visa to visit Bhutan. But other nationals do. If you are not from one of these 3 countries, you can contact a local travel agent who can help you with the complete process to obtain Bhutan Visa. While Indians only require a tourist permit stamp on their passports to enter Bhutan. In fact, minors can visit Bhutan from India even without a passport. Read on to know more about the complete process.
Documents required to obtain Bhutan Permit for Indian Tourists
Following are the documents required from Indians visiting Bhutan in order to obtain Bhutan Permit for Indian Tourists :
- Passport (with validity of next 6 months)
- A government ID Card – Aadhar card or Voters ID Card
- Covid Vaccination Certificate
- For Kids and Minors who don’t have a passport, then a valid birth certificate is required. On the basis of the birth certificate, a permit document is prepared for them and handed over.
- 4 color photograph (passport size). Although our travel agent had asked us to carry these photographs but they were never asked for actually.
How to obtain the Bhutan Permit for Indian Tourists
If you are flying into Bhutan directly from India, your permit process will be done at Paro International Airport.
However, most Indians travel to Bhutan via road. Many of them fly into Bagdogra Airport in West Bengal or arrive at Siliguri via train. And then take a road trip to Bhutan via Jaigaon, the border town of India – Bhutan. We also followed the same route. And for arrival into Bhutan via road, the permit is obtained at the permit office on the India Bhutan Gate.
After arrival into Bagdogra airport, we took our designated cab to Jaigaon. Our hotel in Jaigaon, Hotel Sheetal Residency, was just 200 meters from the India Bhutan Gate. From here, next morning, we went to the permit office. The office is built in such a way that you enter into it from India. And after completing all the process when you come out, you will be in Bhutan. Our guide helped us obtain the permit.
As you enter inside the permit office, you have to pay 10 Nu or 10 INR for the entry. For kids below 5 years of age, entry to the Bhutan Permit Office is free.
Inside the permit office
We had to wait some 1 hour to obtain the Bhutan Permit for Indian Tourists. The earlier you arrive here, the faster you will get the permit. As the day progresses, the crowd increases at the permit office. So, people usually prefer to reach the permit office by 8:00am in the morning. But, we reached by 9:00am. And there was already a queue for us. However, the facilities at the Bhutan Permit Office are good. There is drinking water and restrooms available. And ample of chairs for you to sit and wait.
Our guide for our Bhutan Trip whom we had met earlier in the morning, not only accompanied us inside the permit office. But he also did most of the work for us to obtain the Bhutan Permit for Indian Tourists. While we waited sitting in the chairs, he went from counter to counter completing the formalities.
We had all our passports, so, we got the permit stamping done on our passports. Our friend’s family was also traveling with us and their kids didn’t have a passport yet. So, they obtained 2 permit papers prepared for the kids.
After taking the permit, when we exited from the permit office, we were standing in Bhutan!! Across the gate besides which the permit office is located.
Where all in Bhutan the Bhutan Entry Permit is checked
Although there were two checkposts on the way to Thimphu where our Bhutan Entry Permit was checked. And at the same checkposts, the permits were again checked when we were on our way back to Siliguri from Paro (Yes, the routes are the same). But, we should always keep our passports and any separate permit papers obtained for minors with us all the time while traveling in Bhutan. Because they can be checked anytime anywhere.
We also used the permit to obtain a local tourist sim right after we existed from Bhutan. This local tourist simcard comes with limited validity (10 days) and talk time, but enough data (1.5 GB) to last you through the trip. I mostly used it while I was in Bhutan. And could conveniently connect with my family back home on whatsapp calls. And it costs only INR 350/-.
Is there any other permit required to visit Bhutan
Apart from the entry permit, there is a road permit to visit certain places in Bhutan. Like off limit valleys etc. For those, the permit can be obtained from Thimphu. And again, your guide can help you with all the formalities required to complete the process and obtain the permit. So, no need to worry on that part.
Related read : how to apply for Schengen visa from India
What is the exit process from Bhutan
After completing your trip in Bhutan, as you return back to India via road, your permits will again be checked at the same checkposts where they were checked while going to Thimphu. There are few forms to be filled before you make it through the permit checkpost in Bhutan. Our guide once again completed these formalities for us while we waited for around 10 mins at the Bhutan Permit checkpost. Also, once you reach Phuentsholing, you have to again go via the Bhutan Permit Office. You will enter the office from Bhutan door, and exit from India door. On the way inside the office, there will be exit stamping done on your passport, thus officially recording your exit from Bhutan!!
Hope this post helps you with details on how to obtain the Bhutan entry permit for Indian citizen. We are in the process of writing a lot more on the specific places we visited in Bhutan, do check those posts out once they are in.
PS: Apart from the permit, you also require an insurance while visiting Bhutan. When you take a tour package from an agency in India, they will include the insurance in the package. The day we reached Jaigaon, the agent met us in the evening. And helped us fill the insurance form for travel to Bhutan. And they took care of the rest. Also, they helped us with currency exchange. Although Indian currency is highly accepted everywhere in Bhutan except for INR 500 and INR 2000 large denomination notes.
Here’s other resources on our Bhutan trip for your reference
A virtual tour of the Punakha Dzong
Places to see in Thimphu in one day
An adventure on Punakha Suspension Bridge
virtual tour of the Punakha Dzong
Hiking the Tiger’s Nest in Bhutan with family
Kharbandi Monastery in Phuentsholing
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