SDF & Visa

Yes, most nationalities need a visa, and it has to be approved before you arrive, not on landing. You can either  apply online yourself, or let us handle it as your Bhutanese tour operator, and a correctly submitted application normally clears within five to 10  working days.

There are a few exceptions worth knowing.

• Indian nationals do not need a visa at all, only an Entry Permit, arranged in advance or on arrival, travelling on a valid Indian passport or Voter Identity Card; children under 18 may travel on a passport or birth certificate if accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.
• Bangladeshi and Maldivian nationals do need a visa, but qualify for Visa on Arrival, or can arrange it online beforehand to skip the queue at immigration.
•  Thai and Swiss nationals on diplomatic or official passports qualify for Visa on Arrival, and anyone holding a valid SAARC Visa Exemption Sticker needs no prior visa or entry permit clearance at all.

The visa costs USD 40 per person. It is a one time, non refundable processing fee, separate from Bhutan’s Sustainable Development Fee.

The Sustainable Development Fee (SDF) is currently USD 100 per adult per night. Children aged 6 to under 12 pay 50%, which is USD 50 per night. Children under 6 are exempt.

For Indian visitors, the SDF is INR 1,200 per person per night. Children aged 6 to under 12 pay INR 600 per night, and children under 6 pay no SDF.

For Bangladeshi visitors, the SDF is USD 15 per person per night.

More than simply a cost of travel, the SDF is part of Bhutan’s approach to keeping tourism considered, purposeful, and in balance with the scale of the country.

The contribution supports Bhutan’s wider development priorities like  free healthcare and education, environmental conservation, cultural preservation, infrastructure, and initiatives that strengthen local communities and economies.

We mention it before you write to us because we believe it is important to understand what sits behind the cost of travelling in Bhutan. It is also part of what allows a journey here to remain uncrowded, deeply rooted, and remarkably intact.

When you travel through Bhutan, your journey contributes to the place you have come to experience. In the spirit of Brand Bhutan, you become more than a visitor — a co-guardian of the world’s first carbon-negative country.

Yes. Accommodation, all meals, a private guide and driver, ground transport, entry fees, and the Sustainable Development Fee are included in every Thunphel itinerary quote, so what you see is close to what you pay, not a base rate with the real cost added later. International flights, travel insurance, personal spending, and gratuities are the guest’s own arrangement, and we tell you clearly which is which before you commit to anything.