What you need to enter Bhutan with a Maldivian passport
Maldivian citizens do not need a visa to travel to Bhutan: a passport is enough, for stays of up to 14 days.
- Maximum stay
- 14 days
- Processing time
- Not applicable: direct entry with your passport.
- Entry cost
- Free
- Minimum passport validity
- 6 months after departure
Why is this passport validity required? →
Last verified: 25 September 2026
Verified practical details
You don't need a visa to enter Bhutan, but here are some practical details worth knowing before you travel:
Transit rules
You can only enter or leave by air through Paro International Airport, or by land through the Phuentsholing crossing on the Indian border. During the monsoon, landslides close roads, and the country is in an earthquake zone.
More Bhutan rules
They don't depend on your passport, so they are on the Bhutan page:
Official portal: https://immi.gov.bt/. Destination data verified on 25 September 2026. Sources: exteriores.gob.es (travel advice of Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Bhutan, updated 8 April 2026: six-month passport, mandatory online visa, no visa on arrival, USD 40 fee, SDF of USD 100 and 50, tour operator not compulsory, yellow fever, monsoon and earthquakes, petty theft in Thimphu and Paro); gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/bhutan (UK Government: prior approval and issue on arrival, non-refundable USD 40, district permits, extension in Thimphu, Paro and Phuentsholing, SDF, tobacco, antiques, BTN 30,000 and USD 10,000); immi.gov.bt (Bhutan Department of Immigration); sanidad.gob.es ("Listado de países") and who.int (WHO): yellow fever; data.unesco.org (World Heritage List). All checked on 25 September 2026.
Travel insurance for Bhutan
It isn't listed as mandatory for this entry, but without insurance, medical care during the trip can get expensive.
See IATI's international site →IATI sells its policies according to the country you live in. Where do you live?
If your country isn't listed, try IATI's international site.
This is an affiliate link: if you buy through it, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Things to see and do in Bhutan
Tours, skip-the-line tickets and day trips, most with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Seeing the featured activities here needs advertising cookies. In the meantime, you can open them directly:
Browse activities on GetYourGuide →This is an affiliate link: if you buy through it, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
This pair in context
In the other direction, citizens of Bhutan can get a visa on arrival in the Maldives. See the Bhutan → Maldives page.
Of the 8 passports from Southern Asia that VisaRadar tracks, for travel to Bhutan 3 enter visa-free and 5 need a prior authorisation or a visa on arrival. Same result as the Maldives: Bangladesh and India.
With a passport from the Maldives, in the rest of Southern Asia you can enter Bangladesh, India and Pakistan visa-free; you need a prior authorisation or a visa on arrival for Iran, Nepal and Sri Lanka; you need a visa for Afghanistan.
A passport from the Maldives ranks 99 of 199 in the VisaRadar passport ranking and reaches 86 of 198 destinations without applying for a visa in advance.
Counts from the same requirements matrix behind this page's verdict, using the UN M49 subregions.
Frequently asked questions
Do Maldivian citizens need a visa for Bhutan?
No. You can enter Bhutan with just your passport, for up to 14 days.
How long can I stay in Bhutan?
Up to 14 days with no additional paperwork.
What currency is used in Bhutan?
Bhutanese Ngultrum (BTN).
What do Maldivian passport holders need for the countries near Bhutan?
With a passport from the Maldives, in the rest of Southern Asia you can enter Bangladesh, India and Pakistan visa-free; you need a prior authorisation or a visa on arrival for Iran, Nepal and Sri Lanka; you need a visa for Afghanistan.
Related pages
See Bhutan requirements for other passports →
Informational only. Always verify requirements with the official embassy or consulate before you travel.