Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade RGOB
With the development of new coronavirus variant “Omicron”, Bhutanese are encouraged to refrain from travelling abroad. In case of unavoidable travels, please ensure that travel restrictions of the port of disembarkation (including transit) are understood, all basic preventive measures are taken and extreme caution is exercised. Please also refer to information on the website of the Ministry of Health www.health.gov.bt and complete other travel formalities as per https://www.doi.gov.bt/?page_
Status of travel bans in different countries in the light of COVID-19 Pandemic
| Country | Travel Restrictions |
| India | The Government of India has decided to resume scheduled commercial international passenger services to/from India with effect from 27th March 2022 i.e. start of Summer Schedule 2022.
Resumption of commercial international passenger services would imply reversion to bilaterally agreed capacity entitlements and termination of air bubble arrangements. Airlines will restrict their operations to capacity entitlements under bilateral ASAs/traffic rights available with the airlines, with effect from 27th March 2022. All these operations shall be subject to strict adherence to the MoH&FW’s guidelines for international travel dated 10.02.2022 and as amended from time to time. Note: Until 2359 hrs IST on 26th March 2022 scheduled international passenger services to/from India shall continue to remain suspended and should follow the existing procedures/guidelines/requirements as specified below: The weblinks below provide necessary guidelines from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Office of the Director General of Civil Aviation, GoI, for international travellers as well as those to be followed by airlines and all points of entry (airports, seaports and land border).
Bhutan has an air travel bubble arrangement with India and please refer https://www.mfa.gov.bt/?p=8389 for further information. |
| Thailand | Travellers wishing to enter Thailand through Test and Go scheme are recommended to kindly refer the infographic in the following link explaining the new entry process into Thailand, which is effective from 1 March 2022:
https://www.mfa.gov.bt/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/infographic.jpeg
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| Australia | The Australian Federal Government has announced that fully vaccinated eligible visa holders can travel to Australia without needing to apply for a travel exemption from 15 December 2021. This includes eligible visa holders in Australia seeking to depart and return. For more details please check below…. https://www.mfa.gov.bt/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/14-December-2021-Travel-Advisory-on-border-re-opening-of-international-borders.docx.pdf |
| Nepal | Land borders continue to remain closed for Foreigners. All foreigners should obtain a tourist entry visa from Nepali Diplomatic /missions abroad or should have a pre approval/recommendation letter from the concerned Ministries for ensuring their on-arrival visa. |
| Singapore |
Bhutan has now been upgraded to Category II with effect from 12th October 2021. With the upward revision, travelers from the Bhutan who have been approved for entry to Singapore will be required to do a Pre-Departure PCR Test within 48 hours and an on-arrival PCR Test. However, Stay Home Notice (SHN) will be reduced from 10 days to seven days at either a dedicated SHN facility/self-sourced hotel/residence. PCR tests will be conducted on arrival and on the 7th day of the SHN. While short-term visitors are not allowed under this category, entry to Singapore on an application and approval basis for Work Permit holders, Residents, Students, and medical cases will continue to be processed. The new updates on the border opening measures can be assessed through the following link: |
| Bangladesh | With the immediate effect until further notice, schedule passenger flights to/from Dhaka shall continue as per their approved time slots under Summer-2021 Schedule. Mentionable that Air Bubble flights will remain suspended until further notice.
Transportation of passengers, please visit the link provided below for the group of countries. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Fs-CswyN4xZX5YsRlS5BTt0LHX1dV4pK/view
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| USA | The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as of 24 November 2021 revised the entry requirements to US and the details can be found in the link provided below: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/proof-of-vaccination.html#noncitizen |
| Japan | Information on new travel restrictions to Japan: https://www.mofa.go.jp/ |
| United Kingdom | Passengers arriving in the UK from non-red list countries after 4am, 30 November 2021 will be required to take a PCR test on or before their second day in the country and must isolate until they receive a negative result.
Travelers are allowed to enter UK. Bhutan has been registered to the list of countries that will be exempted from the requirement to self-isolate for two weeks on arrival in the UK effective from 28 November 2020. However, it may be noted that this exemption is only valid for travel to England and not in other regions. Further, the above remains subject to change depending on the epidemiological situation in UK. |
| Canada |
All air travellers 5 years of age or older will be required to present a negative COVID-19 test result to the airline prior to boarding international flights bound for Canada. Documentation of a negative laboratory test result must be presented to the airline prior to boarding a flight to Canada. The test must be performed using a COVID-19 molecular polymerase chain reaction (or PCR) test and must be taken within 72 hours prior to the traveller’s scheduled departure to Canada. Anyone who receives a negative test result and is authorized to enter Canada must still complete the full, mandatory 14-day quarantine (unless specifically exempted from the mandatory requirement to quarantine). With limited exceptions, air travellers will also be required to reserve, prior to departure to Canada, a 3-night stay in a government-authorized hotel. Travellers will be able to book their government-authorized stay starting February 18, 2021. These new measures are in addition to existing mandatory pre-boarding and health requirements for air travellers. All travelers whether arriving by land or air will be required to submit their travel and contact information, including a suitable quarantine plan, electronically via ArriveCAN before crossing the border or boarding a flight. For more updated information refer the following link: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/news/2021/11/government-of-canada-introduces-additional-measures-to-address-covid-19-omicron-variant-of-concern.html |
| Netherlands | All passenger flights from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Cabo Verde, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, South Africa, Suriname, Uruguay, Venezuela and the United Kingdom are cancelled and there are no exemptions. There will be mandatory rapid tests for all travelers by plane/ferry from high-risk areas. |
| Kuwait | 1. Non-Kuwaitis are not allowed to enter the State of Kuwait as of 7 February 2021 for a period of two weeks with exception of the first-degree relatives of Kuwaitis and their companions from domestic workers. Governmental and private medical staff and diplomats and family members of diplomatic missions are also exempted.
2. Further, the limit of 35 passengers on each flight or 1000 passengers per day travelling to Kuwait International Airport ending on February 6 has been extended till the end of February 2021. 3. Impose one-week institutional quarantine on all arrivals to Kuwait at their own expenses at a hotel as of 21 February 2021 and another week quarantine at home. |
| Kingdom of Bahrain | Travel restrictions are Active |
| Oman | Travel restrictions are Active |
| Maldives | All travelers will have to present a certificate of negative PCR test carried out within 96 hours prior to departure with the name and address of the Laboratory. The certificate will have to be submitted online within 24 hours prior to arrival.
Visitors spending more than 48 hours in Greater Male will have to take another PCR test and there will be health checks on arrival at the airport. |
| UAE | Travel restrictions are inactive |
| Qatar | 1. Airport is operational
2. Qatari nationals and Resident Permit holders are allowed to enter 3. Departure is allowed for all passengers |
| Turkey | With effect from 1 June 2021, passengers arriving from certain countries including India and Nepal, and those who have been in the mentioned countries for the last 14 days must submit a negative PCR test result taken at most 72 hours prior to arrival. These passengers are subject to quarantine for 14 days at places determined by the governorships. If the PCR test result to be made at the end of 14th day of the quarantine is negative, the quarantine measure will be terminated. Passengers whose PCR test result is positive will be taken into isolation and the measure will be terminated with a negative PCR test result which will be made at the end of the 14th day.
Besides, passengers arriving from Countries other than Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Brazil, South Africa, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, United Kingdom, Iran, Egypt and Singapore, will not be required to submit a negative PCR test result if they submit a document issued by the relevant country’s official authorities stating that they have been vaccinated at least 14 days before entrance to Turkey and/or have had the disease and cured within the last 6 months. Quarantine measures will not be applied for these passengers. If passengers departing from these countries cannot submit a vaccine certificate or the documents providing that they have had the disease according to the stated rules, submission of a PCR negative test result made maximum 72 hours before the entrance to Turkey or negative rapid antigen test result made maximum 48 hours before the entrance to Turkey will be deemed sufficient. |
| Pakistan | The Government of Pakistan has decided to significantly reduce inbound international air travel with effect from 5-20 May 2021 and the normal flight operations are expected to resume once the situation improves. The main features of the new policy are as under:
• Inbound air traffic will operate at 20% of total current quantum. • Air travellers would have to undergo a negative RT-PCR Test before travel to Pakistan, which should not be more than 72 hours old. • Rapid Antigen Testing (RAT) will be undertaken at the airports; negative cases will undergo ten days of self-quarantine at home and positive cases will be shifted to self-paid quarantine facilities for ten days. Second RT-PCR test for positive passengers will be conducted on the 8th day of quarantine. • All inbound travellers will be required to register on Passtrack App. (www.passtrack.nitb.gov.pk) • Following passengers shall be exempted from both RT-PCR testing and Passtrack App uploading requirement: a. Children below 12 years. b. Disabled passengers. c. High-level international delegations. d. Pakistani deportees e. Crew shall only be exempted from PakPass Track App; however, RT-PCR/Rapid Antigen Test shall be mandatory. |
| Germany | The Federal Republic of Germany has fully recognized the double shot of the vaccine COVISHIELD (ChAdOx1_nCoV-19) of the Serum Institute of India as equivalent to the AstraZeneca vaccine as valid proof of vaccination against COVID-19.
Therefore, travellers from Bhutan can travel to Germany if they have been doubly vaccinated with COVISHIELD. All categories of visa can be accepted in Thimphu, including business trip and tourism. The list of recognized vaccines can be consulted at https://www.pei.de/impfstoffe/cpvid-19 |
| South Korea | There is a requirement for 10 days quarantine for all passengers from overseas regardless of nationality and vaccination status. Following link provides more details: https://www.koreanair.com/at/ |
| Sri Lanka | Please kindly visit the link for details of the quarantine measures for travellers arriving from overseas during the pandemic of COVID-19: |
| Serbia | Kindly visit the following link for updated version of Covid-19 Entry conditions
https://www.mfa.gov.rs/en/citizens/travel-serbia/covid-19-entry-requirements |
| Mayanmar |
The Testing and Quarantine requirements for the International Travelers to Mayanmar as of 3 November 2021.
To understand more about the requirements for both fully and non-vaccinated travelers, please click on the link below.
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| Suriname |
Starting 22 January 2022, all persons traveling to Suriname will have to show proof of full vaccination to enter Suriname. |
| England |
Please check the following link for details on approved vaccines and list of countries and territories with approved COVID-19 proof of vaccination for travel to England.
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