Ministry of Home Affairs mandates ID for India-Nepal-Bhutan
Planning a trip between India, Nepal, or Bhutan? Heads up: you'll need to show specific ID at the border.
This new rule comes from the Ministry of Home Affairs.
ID sufficient for India Nepal Bhutan
If you're just traveling between these three countries, carry your official ID: no passport is needed unless your trip involves other countries.
For Nepalese and Bhutanese citizens who have embarked at or transited through China, Macau, Hong Kong, or Pakistan, both a passport and a visa are musts.
Some people are exempt, including registered Sri Lankan Tamil nationals who took shelter in India up to January 9, 2015, foreign crew members of military vessels visiting India for repairs after being granted Military Ship Repair Permits, certain Tibetan nationals, and specified minority communities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan who entered on or before December 31, 2024, but most travelers will have to follow the new rules.