Bhutan: Officials to lift entry testing and quarantine rules from Sept. 23 amid relaxed COVID-19 measures /update 48

Event

Bhutan will further ease COVID-19 restrictions from Sept. 23. Facemasks will no longer be compulsory in public, though people with respiratory illnesses or health conditions are advised to wear one. International arrivals will not require on-arrival testing. Rules active until Sept. 23 mandate all entrants to take an on-arrival test and isolate for 24 hours if a negative result is returned, or five days if a positive test is returned.

However, starting Sept. 23, officials will only conduct free tests for randomly selected travelers for surveillance. Individuals with symptoms at any point of their stay must also undergo self-paid testing. Travelers who test positive must isolate at their accommodation for five days; repeat testing is not required to exit isolation. A five-day quarantine also applies to unvaccinated arrivals above the age of 12 years. Fully vaccinated international entrants and passengers with proof of recovering from COVID-19 in the last six months do not require quarantine; booster shots are not required to be considered fully vaccinated.

Domestic Measures
Business and gathering limits, as well as contact tracing procedures at public facilities, business premises, and public and private hire transport vehicles, are discontinued. Facemasks are compulsory in public places until Sept. 23. Inter-district travelers must register via the Check Post Management System if crossing select check posts in the country. Residents may call a toll-free hotline at 1010 for assistance.

Authorities are no longer using the red zone designation for areas and buildings with COVID-19 cases; strict measures such as stay home orders, ban on nonessential movement and activity, as well as entry and exit controls typically affected red zones for at least 72 hours, followed by phased relaxations after mass testing. Enhanced controls may recur in high-risk locations of Thimphu, Wangduephodrang, parts of Trashiyangtse and Trashigang districts, as well as southern districts bordering India.

International Travel Restrictions
Foreigners must obtain a valid visa via authorized tour operators or Bhutanese embassies to enter Bhutan. On-arrival visa or entry permit is available for select groups such as nationals of India, Bangladesh, and Maldives, as well as holders of diplomatic or official passports from Thailand and Switzerland. Tourists must engage a licensed guide, stay in approved accommodation, pay a Sustainable Development Fee of up to USD 200 per night, and hold travel insurance covering their period of stay. Insurance by domestic companies are available at entry points. The insurance policy does not have to specifically cover COVID-19 treatment, though some companies may mandate COVID-19 testing.

Bhutanese citizens do not require registration to exit the country. Authorities continue to advise citizens against nonessential travel, and complete vaccination before international travel. Outbound passengers may require pre-departure testing for COVID-19, based on the requirements of the destination country.

Land borders will remain largely closed for passenger travel until Sept. 23; foreigners may enter via the Phuentsholing checkpoint from Sept. 23 while Indian nationals may also use the Gelephu, Samdrupjonkhar, and Samtse checkpoints. Cargo transit is operational.

Advice

Abide by national health and safety measures. Reconfirm business appointments, deliveries, work, and travel arrangements. Do not check out of accommodations without confirming onward travel. Consider delaying traveling if experiencing symptoms associated with COVID-19, as they may prompt increased scrutiny and delays. Liaise with trusted contacts for further updates and guidance. Maintain contact with your diplomatic representation. Ensure contingency plans account for further disruptive measures or extensions of current restrictions. Reconsider and reconfirm nonemergency health appointments. Ensure access to essential items. Carry proper identification documents, heed all security advisories.

Resources

Ministry of Health
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Tourism Council of Bhutan