Bhutan visa guide
Bhutan’s Sustainable Development Fee, explained
What the nightly fee costs, who pays less, and how it fits into your visa, checked against Bhutan’s official guidance.
Current rates
What you pay per night
Rates per person, per night, valid from 1 September 2023 to 31 August 2027. International visitors pay in US dollars and Indian nationals in ngultrum or rupees.
Adults
12 years and over
- International
- USD 100
- Indian nationals
- Nu 1,200
The full nightly rate. Teenagers pay the same as adults.
Children
6 to 11 years
- International
- USD 50
- Indian nationals
- Nu 600
Half the adult rate, based on the child’s age while travelling.
Young children
Under 6 years
- International
- Free
- Indian nationals
- Free
No fee is charged, though the child still needs travel documents.
Good to know: the rate set in law is USD 200 a night. The 50% discount was introduced on 1 September 2023 and is scheduled to end on 31 August 2027, after which the government will review it.
The basics
What is the SDF?
The Sustainable Development Fee is a nightly levy that the Royal Government of Bhutan charges visitors for every night they spend in the country. It goes straight to the state, not to your hotel, guide or travel company, and it sits at the heart of Bhutan’s “high value, low volume” approach to tourism.
It replaced the old minimum daily package when Bhutan reopened its borders in September 2022. The fee is now charged on its own, so your accommodation, guide, driver, meals and entrance tickets are paid for separately, or bundled into a tour price.
You pay for nights, not days. A traveller who arrives on Monday and flies out on Friday spends four nights in Bhutan and pays the fee four times.
Estimate
Work out your group’s fee
Multiply travellers by nights by the rate for each age band. Adjust the numbers below to see the total for your trip.
Estimated SDF for your group
USD 1,400
- Adults
- 2 × 7 nights × USD 100
- Children 6–11
- 0 × 7 nights × USD 50
- Under 6
- No fee
- Visa fee
- 2 × USD 40 = USD 80
Government fees only. Hotels, guide, transport and meals are extra. Rates as of 5 November 2026.
Reductions and exemptions
Who pays less, or nothing
Concessions depend mainly on age and passport. A few special schemes apply to particular places and groups.
Children
Under-sixes travel free of the fee. From their sixth birthday until they turn 12, children pay half the adult rate: USD 50, or Nu 600 for Indian children.
Indian nationals
Indian citizens pay Nu 1,200 a night (the same amount in rupees is accepted) and need an entry permit rather than a visa. Bring a valid Indian passport or voter ID. An OCI card alone does not qualify, because the rate follows the passport you travel on.
Southern border towns
Day visitors who stay within the marked zones of Phuentsholing, Gelephu, Samdrup Jongkhar and Samtse for up to 24 hours pay no fee. Travel beyond the checkpoints and the normal nightly fee applies. The current waiver is set to run until August 2027.
Conferences and incentive groups
Organisers of qualifying meetings, incentive trips, conferences and exhibitions can apply for a fee waiver. It is assessed case by case and has to be approved before travel.
Other regional visitors
Bhutan has offered a reduced rate to a limited number of visitors from Bangladesh. Rules for regional passports change and quotas fill up, so we confirm what applies to yours before we apply.
What doesn’t earn a discount
There is no reduction for students, seniors, trekkers or homestay guests, and nights spent camping count like any other. Older long-stay offers (stay longer, get nights free) have ended.
Payment and visa
How the fee fits into your visa
You can’t get a Bhutan visa without paying the SDF. Both are handled in one application before you travel.
Fix your dates
The fee is worked out from your arrival and departure dates, so the itinerary comes first. We settle the route, nights and hotels with you.
Apply and pay together
The visa application goes through the Department of Immigration’s online system. The SDF for every night is paid at the same time, plus a one-off USD 40 visa fee for non-Indian travellers.
Receive your approval
Processing usually takes up to five days. The approval arrives by email, and you show it with your passport at the airport or border.
Changes after approval
Unused nights from a cancelled or shortened trip can be refunded by the Department of Immigration, less bank charges. The visa fee is not refunded. Extra nights added later are paid for when you extend.
Where the money goes
Every night gives back
The fee is paid into the national treasury, which spends it on public services and on protecting the things visitors come to see.
Free healthcare
Helps keep medical care free for Bhutanese citizens.
Education and skills
Supports schools, training and upskilling for tourism and hospitality workers.
Forests and wildlife
Protects forest cover and the conservation work behind Bhutan’s carbon-negative status.
Culture and heritage
Maintains dzongs, monasteries, festivals and traditional crafts.
Roads and infrastructure
Pays for public works that visitors and communities share.
Local livelihoods
Backs small businesses and opportunities for young Bhutanese.
Questions,
answered.
Still have a question?
From visas and permits to the best way to travel, here are answers to the questions travellers ask most.
Most international adults pay USD 100 per night. Children aged 6 to 11 pay USD 50, and children under 6 pay nothing. Indian nationals pay Nu 1,200 per adult and Nu 600 per child aged 6 to 11.
USD 200 is the rate written into law. Since 1 September 2023 the government has halved it for visitors who pay in US dollars, and that discount is scheduled to last until 31 August 2027. Pages quoting USD 200 are either out of date or describing the full rate.
The government has said it will review the discount when it ends. It could be extended, changed or withdrawn. If your trip falls after that date, we confirm the rate in force when we lodge your application.
No. The fee is charged per night, so your departure day adds nothing. A five-night trip means five nights of fees, however early or late your flights are.
No. It is a government levy only. Accommodation, your licensed guide, transport, meals and monument tickets are separate costs. Some tour prices include the fee and some list it apart, so check what your quote covers.
No. International travellers also pay a one-off visa fee of USD 40, at the same time as the SDF. Indian nationals receive an entry permit instead and don’t pay a visa fee.
Yes, for nights you don’t use. If a trip is cancelled or cut short, the Department of Immigration refunds the unused nights through the visa system, minus any bank charges. The USD 40 visa fee is not refundable.
Yes. Every night in Bhutan counts, whether you spend it in a hotel, a farmhouse or a tent at a high camp.
Yes. When you travel with us, we prepare the visa or permit application and arrange the SDF payment as part of planning your trip, so you know the full cost before you go.
Your Bhutan Journey Matters to Us
Tell us your dates and who is travelling. We’ll plan the route, handle the visa and SDF payment, and send a clear quote showing every fee.
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