Bhutan Visa Information

Passport/Visa

	Passport Required?	Visa Required?	Return Ticket Required?
British	Yes	Yes	Yes
Australian	Yes	Yes	Yes
Canadian	Yes	Yes	Yes
USA	Yes	Yes	Yes
Other EU	Yes	Yes	Yes

Note
Tourists to Bhutan are obliged to use Druk Air (the only airline serving Bhutan) either on entering or leaving the country. The government may refuse entry to those wishing to visit for mountaineering, publicity and other research activities.

Passport Note
(a) There are two ways of entering Bhutan: by air to Paro Airport or by road to the Bhutanese border town of Phuentsholing. All travelers entering the country by road must ensure that they have the necessary documentation for transiting through that part of India to Phuentsholing. Consult the General Info section for India. Visitors are also advised to contact the Government of India Tourist Office (see India section) to check exactly what special permits or other documents may be necessary as these regulations are subject to change at short notice. (b) Visitors are required to book with a registered tour operator in Bhutan, which can be done directly through an affiliated travel agent abroad. (c) A yellow fever certificate is required by all if arriving within six days from an infected area.

Passports
Valid passport required by all nationals of countries referred to in chart above.

Visas
Required by all nationals referred to in the chart above.

Note: Nationals not referred to in the chart above are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements (see General Info).

Types of Visa and Cost
Tourist: US$20 (payable in hard currency).

Validity
Visas are initially granted for stays of up to 14 days. The Bhutan Tourism Corporation Limited (BTCL) can apply for an extension of tourist visas for an additional fee per person.

Applications to:
Visa applications for all tourists processed by the travel/tour agent through the Tourism Authority of Bhutan (TAB). Only once the visa has been cleared can visitors travel to Bhutan. Visas are issued (stamped in passport) on arrival at Paro Airport or at Phuentsholing check post.

Working Days Required
Visa clearance takes at least 10 days to process and should be applied for at least 60 days prior to arrival in Bhutan.

Warning
Travelers must arrange any visit to Bhutan through an authorized travel agent. Those traveling independently are not permitted to enter Bhutan. Most visits are trouble-free.

This advice is based on information provided by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in the UK. It is correct at time of publishing. As the situation can change rapidly, visitors are advised to contact the following organizations for the latest travel advice:

British Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Tel: (0845) 850 2829.
Website: www.fco.gov.uk

US Department of State
Website: http://travel.state.gov/travel

Health

	Special Precautions	Certificate Required?
Yellow Fever	Yes	1
Cholera	Yes	2
Typhoid and Polio	3	N/A
Malaria	4	N/A

Health Care
There is no reciprocal health agreement with the UK. Full medical insurance is strongly advised. Medical facilities are good but scarce.

Note
1
A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required by all travelers if coming from an infected area.

2
Following WHO guidelines issued in 1973, a cholera vaccination certificate is no longer a condition of entry to Bhutan. However, cholera is a serious risk in this country and precautions are essential. Up-to-date advice should be sought before deciding whether these precautions should include vaccination as medical opinion is divided over its effectiveness.

3
Typhoid fever is common. Polio eradication has begun and is reducing the risk, although it must still be assumed to be a risk.

4
Malaria risk exists throughout the year along the southern belt of the country. Resistance to chloroquine and sulfadoxine/ pyrimethamine has been reported in the malignant falciparum form of the disease. Mefloquine, doxycycline or atovaquone/proguanil is the recommended prophylaxis.



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