Notification

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs hereby notifies the general public that the Department of Protocol has started issuing a Travel Document in lieu of an Ordinary Passport as an interim arrangement from the 20th of August 2022. This measure has been taken due to the sudden increase in the application for Ordinary Passports and delay in replenishing the new stock of Ordinary Passports. 

In the month of July alone, 3269 Ordinary Passports were issued and the number of applications for Passports continues to increase on a daily basis. This arrangement will continue until the Ministry of Foreign Affairs receives the new stock of Ordinary Passports. 

The Travel Document is a machine readable document and it is same as the Ordinary Passport in terms of quality, inscription and security features. However, the validity of the Travel Document is for “five years” whereas the Ordinary Passport is for ten years. 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has given advance information to all the Royal Bhutanese Embassies, Missions and Consulates General abroad to notify all relevant foreign authorities/agencies about the said arrangement along with a request to allow Bhutanese holding a Travel Document to travel without let or hindrance. 

All concerned are requested to kindly note the said arrangement and also disseminate the information.