Passport and Travel Restrictions in Bhutan

Passport and travel restrictions in Bhutan concern the limitations on international mobility faced by Bhutanese citizens, arising from both the low global standing of the Bhutanese passport and government-controlled issuance procedures. As of 2025, the Bhutanese passport ranked approximately 84th to 90th on the Henley Passport Index (the ranking fluctuated during the year), granting holders visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to approximately 50-51 destinations out of 227 worldwide — placing it among the weaker passports globally, though third among South Asian countries.^[1]

While Bhutan's Constitution guarantees certain freedoms of movement, the practical reality involves government-controlled passport issuance, bureaucratic clearance requirements, and a policy environment that has grown more concerned about emigration as tens of thousands of citizens — particularly educated youth — have left for Australia and other countries since the early 2020s.

Passport Issuance

Bhutanese passports are issued by the Department of Immigration under the Ministry of Home and Cultural Affairs. The issuance process requires applicants to provide citizenship identity cards and other documentation. The government retains discretion over passport issuance, and there have been reports that individuals classified as having unresolved citizenship status — a category that disproportionately affects Lhotshampa and their descendants — face difficulties obtaining travel documents.^[2]

For the over 100,000 Lhotshampa who were expelled from Bhutan in the early 1990s, travel documents are entirely out of reach. Having been stripped of citizenship, they have no claim to Bhutanese passports. Those who were resettled to third countries obtained travel documents from their countries of resettlement (e.g., U.S. refugee travel documents), while those who remained in Nepal often relied on UNHCR documentation.^[3]

Visa-Free Access and Global Standing

Bhutanese passport holders can travel without a prior visa to a limited number of countries, primarily in South and Southeast Asia and parts of the Caribbean and Pacific. Key visa-free or visa-on-arrival destinations include India, Bangladesh, the Maldives, and a handful of others. Access to major economic and educational destinations — the United States, United Kingdom, European Union, Canada, Japan, and Australia — requires advance visa applications, often with significant documentation and financial requirements.^[2]

The passport's ranking dropped slightly in early 2025 due to the loss of visa-on-arrival access to Armenia, Oman, and Togo, which transitioned to eVisa systems. It subsequently recovered to 84th place later in the year after new agreements were reached.^[4]

No Objection Certificates and Clearance Requirements

Bhutanese citizens seeking to travel abroad have historically been subject to various clearance requirements. Government employees have needed to obtain No Objection Certificates (NOC) or leave clearances from their employing agencies before departing the country. Students seeking to study abroad have been required to obtain approvals from relevant government bodies. While these requirements are not unique to Bhutan — many countries require government employees to obtain travel approval — critics have argued that in Bhutan's context, where the government is the dominant employer, such requirements function as a broader form of movement control.^[5]

The Immigration Rules and Regulations of 2023 established updated provisions governing the entry, residence, and departure of both foreigners and nationals, though the specific provisions regarding exit requirements for citizens are not fully publicly detailed in English-language documentation.^[6]

The Emigration Crisis and Government Response

Since approximately 2020, Bhutan has experienced a dramatic wave of emigration, primarily to Australia. An estimated 66,000 Bhutanese — nearly 9 percent of the country's population of approximately 765,000 — now live abroad, with the majority in Australia. More than 20,000 Bhutanese reportedly reside in Perth alone. Between August 2023 and October 2024, Bhutanese abroad sent home approximately USD 210 million in remittances, of which USD 132 million originated from Australia.^[7]

Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay has described outmigration as "an existential threat" to the nation. The brain drain has been acute: 53 percent of migrants hold university degrees, compared to approximately 7 percent of the general working-age population. Civil servants account for nearly half of all migrants; in 2024, almost 70 percent of voluntary resignations in the civil service came from the education and health sectors. The Ministry of Education announced plans in March 2025 to rehire retired or resigned teachers to fill 1,126 vacancies, while the Ministry of Health reported shortages of 172 doctors and 824 nurses.^[8]

As of 2025, the Bhutanese government has not imposed formal travel bans or exit restrictions on citizens seeking to emigrate. Instead, it has pursued softer approaches:

• The National Reintegration Programme (REVIVE) aims to attract overseas Bhutanese back with job matching. As of May 2025, 560 people had registered but only 28 found employment.
• The Gyalsung compulsory national service program, launched in September 2024, requires all citizens turning 18 to complete a year of training before pursuing other plans, effectively delaying emigration for one year.
• In October 2024, the King and Queen visited Australia to meet diaspora communities and promote the Gelephu Mindfulness City as a reason to return.

^[7]

Australia, for its part, introduced age caps on certain visa categories, limiting eligibility to applicants under 45, though student visa pathways remain open.^[7]

Movement Within Bhutan

Within Bhutan, citizens generally enjoy freedom of movement, though the country's geography — characterized by steep mountainous terrain and limited road infrastructure — imposes natural constraints. The government's tourism policy, which for decades restricted foreign visitors through high daily tariffs and mandatory guided tours, does not apply to citizens. However, certain border areas and military zones are restricted.

Contradictions and Debate

Observers have noted tensions between Bhutan's status as a constitutional democracy and the practical limitations on citizen mobility. A 2025 World Bank report on migration dynamics in Bhutan recommended strategic reforms to harness the benefits of migration rather than attempting to prevent it, noting that restrictive approaches risk driving emigration underground or creating resentment among younger citizens. The report suggested that Bhutan could benefit from treating its diaspora as an asset through remittance facilitation, skills transfer programs, and dual engagement strategies.^[8]

See Also

• Bhutanese Migrant Workers Abroad
• Bhutanese Diaspora in Australia
• Bhutanese Citizenship Law

References

1. Bhutan's ranking drops to 90th in Henley Passport Index 2025 — BBS
2. Visa requirements for Bhutanese citizens — Wikipedia
3. Bhutanese refugees: rights to nationality, return and property — Forced Migration Review
4. Bhutan rises to 84th in Henley Passport Index in 2025 — BBS
5. General Information: Entry of Foreigners — Department of Immigration, Bhutan
6. Bhutan: Immigration Rules and Regulations of the Kingdom of Bhutan 2023 — Refworld
7. Bhutan's Australian Dream: Outmigration Reaches Critical Levels — Newsreel Asia
8. Reforms can Help Bhutan Benefit from Sustainable Migration — World Bank, October 2025