Visa For Bhutan From Uk
If you want to live and work for the rest of your life in a peaceful country with the best family oriented traditions where all castes, religions, cultures, and nationalities live in complete harmony, then getting a visa for Bhutan from the UK is the solution for you.
Get visa for Bhutan from uk. Bhutan tour visa is a document that enables travelers to undergo this border inspection while traveling to Bhutan. It would grant the holder with a stay longer than what is allowed on arrival of 15 days and up to 90 days in total, based on the immigration officer’s decision.
Visa For Bhutan From Uk
The visa for Bhutan from UK is a process that many people face every year. It can be quite confusing to understand the rules, but with this guide, you’ll have all the information you need to get your visa.
First of all, there are two different categories of visas: single entry and multiple entry. A multiple-entry visa allows you to enter Bhutan as many times as you want within a set period of time. Single-entry visas only allow one entry into Bhutan.
Before applying for your visa, make sure that you are eligible:
You must be at least 18 years old and hold a valid passport from your home country that is not expired or expiring within six months. Your passport must also have at least two blank pages on which to affix your visa (one page per side).
Next, it’s important to know what kind of tourist activities are allowed in Bhutan. If you want to engage in any activities other than day trips or sightseeing, then you will need special permission from the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation before applying for your visa. Activities like hiking or rafting require special permission because they could damage the environment or cultural heritage sites.
If you have decided to go to Bhutan, then you will need a visa. The main requirements are that you are a citizen of the UK, and that you are over 18 years old. You can apply for this visa at any of the Bhutanese Embassies in London, Edinburgh or Glasgow.
You will need your passport with at least 6 months left on it and a return ticket back home. You can also bring along your proof of accommodation in Bhutan, such as a hotel reservation or an invitation from someone who lives there.
The visa application process can be done online and takes about 10 days to process. Once you have been approved for your visa, it will be sent out to the embassy where you applied so they can give it to you when you pick up your passport!
Getting a visa for Bhutan is easy, but you’ll need to make sure you have all the right documentation.
First, you’ll need to apply online through the Ministry of Works and Human Settlement. You’ll need to fill out the application form and submit it with your payment information. If you’re approved, you will receive an email back with your visa approval number.
You should then visit the nearest Bhutanese embassy or consulate to get your visa stamped into your passport before traveling.
Tourist visa on arrival
Now, as we already mentioned, a Bhutanese VOA can be issued to tourists only when you book your visit with a locally licensed tour operator.
This can be done directly or through a travel agent in the UK. You can get the entire list for approved tour companies here.
The process is very simple. First, you need to complete your tour reservation after paying the required fee. The tour operator will then submit the completed visa application form on your behalf.
For this purpose, you need to send a scanned copy of your passport and the visa fee payment (which is usually included in the tour booking cost). Your passport should be valid for at least six months from your planned travel dates to Bhutan.
The touring agency will then submit the visa for approval in Thimphu. If approved, the Immigration Department and the Tourism Council of Bhutan (TCB) will send a Letter of Invitation to the tour operator, the immigration desk at the airport, and the TCB.
They will also send a copy of the LoI to both the arriving and departing Bhutanese airlines so that you can book your tickets. Even you will receive a copy of the LoI, which you will need to make flight reservations and present to the immigration desk after you arrive at Paro International Airport. After that, an entry stamp will be issued on your passport.
All residents in the UK, excluding citizens of Bangladesh, India and the Maldives, are required to secure visa clearance in advance from Thimphu before being granted entry into Bhutan.
You can also enter or exit the country only through certain points, including Phuntsoling, Samdrup Jongkhar and Gelephug (by land) or Paro (by flight).
If you need additional information about the entry policies of Bhutan, you can contact the Honorary British Consul to Bhutan.
Below is the complete address:
Bhutanese Honorary Consulate
2 Windacres Warren Road
Guildford
GU1 2HG
United Kingdom
Phone Number: 01483 538189
Email: mrutland@aol.com
Once you enter Bhutan, you must note that the Tourism Council of Bhutan requires you to pay a fixed, non-negotiable minimum daily tariff.
This amount will include all the expenses for your trip such as accommodation, food, transportation, and services of licensed guides and porters.
Business visa
If you need a business visa, you can lodge an application at the Bhutan Ministry of Foreign Affairs through a sponsoring organization in Bhutan.
If and when this visa is approved, a copy will be sent to you and you can use it to enter Bhutan.
After arriving at the airport, you will need to present your passport, two passport-size photographs, and the required visa fee of USD $20.00. Then the original visa sticker will be stamped on your passport.
UK Emergency Travel Documents
UK Emergency Travel Documents (ETDs) are accepted by Bhutanese authorities for entry into Bhutan. But this should be accompanied by an e-visa. Additionally, you cannot use an ETD to leave Bhutan.
If you wish to lodge an application for an ETD during your stay in Bhutan, you have to apply online and then submit a police report to the Department of Immigration.
They will, in turn, transfer your visa to the ETD. If you do not follow this rule, you might face complications when departing from the country.
How to Get Bhutan Visa from Europe
A visa for Bhutan is also very different from anywhere else in the world, and it is impossible to make a visa application in person. All applications for Bhutan visa are made by the tour operators, on your behalf, and only once you have booked a pre-arranged tour with them.
Visa for Bhutan can only be arranged by tour operators.
This has meant that tourism numbers can be controlled within the kingdom, and guarantees a higher quality of tourism for the tourists. Tour operators in Bhutan are strictly regulated, and the payment for the tour is held by the Tourism Council of Bhutan (TCB) until the end of the tour, and your satisfied survey. Only then are the fees released to the tour operator.
Bhutan Visa Requirements
Bhutan Visa requirements for European tourists are very simple, and only require a completed tour booking, with payment; a completed application form, which is done by the tour operator; a scanned copy of your passport for the application; and the payment of the visa fee, which is made with the payment for your tour.
Bhutan Visa Fee
The visa fee for Bhutan is normally 40 US dollars, but this is actually added to your Minimum Daily Package for the vacation, which you pay to the bank account of the Tourism Council of Bhutan. Once the payment has been received, the visa clearance will be issued, usually within 72 hours if payment is completed.
| Peak Season | Low Season | |
| Minimum Daily Spending | 250 USD per person per night | 200 USD per person per night |
Notice:
1. The peak season includes the month of March, April, May, September, October and November.
2. The low season covers January, February, June, July, August and December.
3. Bhutan Visa Fees can only be paid in US dollars.
Bhutan Visa Application Process
In order to obtain a Bhutan visa, you need to first arrange a pre-booked tour with one of the many tour operators for Bhutan. After arranging the details of the tour, and paying the booking fee, the tour operator will make the application for the visa using a scanned copy of your passport. It is important to ensure that the details you give match those of the passport, or the visa application will be declined, and you may have problems re-applying.
Once the visa has been approved by the Immigration Department and the Tourism Council of Bhutan, the Letter of Invitation (LoI) will be sent to the tour operator, the immigration desk at the airport, and the TCB. A copy will also be forwarded to both Bhutanese airlines, so that you can book your flights to Bhutan. Your tour operator will also send you a copy of the LoI, which you will need to book flights and to show the immigration desk once you reach Paro International Airport.
Also Need to Apply for Transit Visa of Surrounding Countries
As there is no direct flight from Europe to Bhutan, you need to get to one of the nearby countries that offer direct flights to Bhutan first. In this case, you need to ensure that your visa or transit visa is in place in order to get through the third country. Different rules apply, depending on where you are transiting through and whether you will be flying or traveling overland.
FAQ
Q: Which countries offering direct flights to Bhutan?
Direct flights to Bhutan can be taken from India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Singapore, and Thailand, and are provided by either Druk Air or Bhutan Airlines, the two national airlines in Bhutan. No other airline is permitted to land at Paro International Airport.
Flights from India to Bhutan can be taken from one of five airports: Bagdogra International Airport in Siliguri, Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, Kolkata’s Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport, Gaya International Airport, and Guwahati’s Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport.
Changi International Airport in Singapore offers daily flights to Bhutan during the peak season and twice-weekly flights in the low seasons. From Thailand, Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport offers daily flights to Bhutan all year round, and in Bangladesh, Dhaka’s Shahjalal International Airport has daily flights to Bhutan throughout the year. Nepal has the closest airport to Bhutan, the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, which has daily flights in the peak seasons and twice-weekly flights in the low seasons.
Q: Is visa required for European tourists to transit from these countries by air?
For all European citizens transiting one of the five countries by air, the requirement for a transit visa when traveling by flight through their airports to Bhutan largely depends on the flight schedules and their own specific requirements.
In India, a transit visa is not required, as long as you stay within the confines of the transit area of the airport, and do not process through immigration.
In Singapore, the same applies, as long as the flight is within 24 hours of your landing flight, and you have the onward flight booking confirmation.
In Bangkok, you will not need a transit visa if you remain within the confines of the airport transit area and your connecting flight is no more than 12 hours from your landing flight.
In Bangladesh, you have up to 48 hours of visa-free transit, as long as you have the onward travel tickets and remain in the transit area.
In Kathmandu, there is no requirement for a transit visa, as long as you do not leave the transit area and have your onward travel tickets or booking confirmation.
In all cases, as long as you do not leave the transit area, have your onward tickets or proof of confirmation, and do not attempt to pass through immigration, you will be allowed to transit without a visa of any sort.
Q: Is visa required for European tourists to enter Bhutan from India by land?
If you are planning a Bhutan tour, and are intending to travel overland through India, then you will need to have a visa for the overland travel portion of your trip in India. The type of visa you require largely depends on how long you will be in India for your transit period.
While India has a huge railway network, your travel time does depend on where you land in India, and how long it will take to get to the Bhutan border will be the deciding factor on which visa you will need. But rest assured, even if you are only going to be in India for an hour, traveling to the border, a visa will be needed.
For those that are traveling to Bhutan from India and the trip is going to take less than three days, a Transit Visa can be issued by the immigration office. The transit visa is issued for the sole purpose of allowing the traveler to travel through India to reach their ultimate destination, and a change of purpose is not permitted once you have the transit visa.
The visa is normally issued for a period of 15 days from the date of issue, and is only valid for travel within India for a maximum of three days, or 72 hours from the time of entry. If your expected entry date is longer than 15 days, then wait to make the transit visa application until closer to your travel dates.
For European tourists, the visa fee for Indian transit visa is US$ 27.50, although, for British passport holders, it is US$ 95.70. These prices include the service fees charged for all Indian visas.
For those that are traveling through India to reach Bhutan, and whose trip is likely to take more than three days, then a standard India tourist visa is required. For most visa application, it can be done at an embassy in your home country before traveling, or for most countries, an E-visa can be applied for, through the website if the Indian Immigration Department, which makes the processing simpler and easier.
Visa costs vary, and the India visa fee for most European citizens is around US$ 47.70. However, British citizens will be required to pay a minimum of US$ 136.70, and can only get a minimum 6-month multiple-entry visa. 30-day visas are not available for India except for citizens of Sri Lanka.
Conclusion
Ultimately, these visa options for Bhutan are not only aimed at helping visitors to enjoy their travel in the country but also providing them with a new gateway into this beautiful land. This is a way of boosting tourism while also encouraging more people to visit the country. With a minimal effort and expenditure on your part, you can have access to another country that has a lot on offer. It’s time you try out one of these options to experience something different and engaging at the same time.
In today’s day and age, technology has made keeping in touch with people all over the world easier than ever. That’s why it’s no surprise that many people are considering moving to a different country because of better job opportunities and/or other reasons. Regardless of whatever reason you may have for considering this move, there is a solution for you if you wish to relocate to a foreign country – visas.
