Bhutan · Investing
Bhutan Investor permit
Investment needed: BTN 15M+ ≈ $156k
Investor card and permit for approved Foreign Direct Investment (investment above Nu. 15 million)
Checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Investor permit is an investing route for Bhutan. Applicants need an investment of BTN 15M+ ≈ $156k. You can stay 3 yrs, renewable. Local work: limited. Checked 2026-10-12 against the official source.
- Money needed
- BTN 15M+ ≈ $156k
- Government fees
- BTN 5,000 ≈ $52
- First stay
- 3 yrs
Cost, time and long term
To apply: government fee BTN 5,000 ≈ $52; investment BTN 15M+ ≈ $156k. No lawyer or agent fee is included.
Government feesBTN 5,000 ≈ $52
- BTN 5,000 (≈ $52)Immigration visa fee, not an investment requirement: Nu. 5,000 for a visa of 30 days or less; longer visa bands go up to Nu. 27,000.
Invested and heldBTN 15M+ ≈ $156k · +2 more
- BTN 15,000,000 (≈ $156,000)Investment exceeding this amount qualifies the investor or authorised representative for an investor card.
- BTN 25,000,000 (≈ $261,000)Minimum project cost for an FDI service-sector activity not listed as a priority activity; foreign equity up to 74%.
- BTN 50,000,000 (≈ $521,000)Minimum project cost for an FDI manufacturing activity not listed as a priority activity; foreign equity up to 74%.
RenewalRenewable
The investor card approves residence for three years, and further extensions are facilitated.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Work rights are limited
What you'll need
Who can apply3
- The applicant is a foreign investor or authorised representative of an approved Foreign Direct Investment.
- The applicant is actively involved full-time in trading, services or company management.
- The activity is not on the FDI Negative List.
What you must show3
- The investment exceeds Nu. 15 million for an investor card.
- Other activities need a minimum project cost of Nu. 50 million in manufacturing or Nu. 25 million in services.
- Priority-sector minimum project costs are listed by sector in the FDI Rules schedules.
Documents2
- Documentary evidence of Government approval for establishing the business is required.
- A multiple-entry visa is issued after the investment receives an FDI Registration Certificate.
Steps2
- The FDI company notifies the Department of Immigration when business starts to obtain the investor cards.
- Until business starts, investors travel on business guest visas; the Department of Industry approves visits for promoters and investors.
After you arrive2
- The investor card approves residence for three years and extensions are facilitated.
- The investor, spouse and dependents are exempt from the Sustainable Development Fee.
What happens at day 183
How Bhutan decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Stay on this route
3 years at first, renewable
- Tax residence
- At least 183 days in any 12-month period that begins or ends in the income yearPresence test for residence under the Income Tax Act of Bhutan 2025; domicile in Bhutan also makes an individual resident.
- Foreign-source income
An individual is resident in Bhutan for an income year if domiciled in Bhutan, unless the individual has a permanent home outside Bhutan for the whole year and none in Bhutan, or if present in Bhutan for 183 days or more in any 12-month period that begins or ends in the income year.
All tax rules for Bhutan Tax records checked
Full official text
Foreign investors or their authorised representatives who invest more than Nu. 15 million in an approved Foreign Direct Investment receive an investor card on commencement of business, approving residence for three years with extensions facilitated. 1 2 3 4
What you must show and pay
- An investment of over BTN 15,000,000 (≈ $156,000) · Investment exceeding this amount qualifies the investor or authorised representative for an investor card. 1
- An investment of at least BTN 25,000,000 (≈ $261,000) · Minimum project cost for an FDI service-sector activity not listed as a priority activity; foreign equity up to 74%. 1
- An investment of at least BTN 50,000,000 (≈ $521,000) · Minimum project cost for an FDI manufacturing activity not listed as a priority activity; foreign equity up to 74%. 1
- A fee of BTN 5,000 (≈ $52) · Immigration visa fee, not an investment requirement: Nu. 5,000 for a visa of 30 days or less; longer visa bands go up to Nu. 27,000. 3
Requirements
- The applicant is a foreign investor or authorised representative of an approved Foreign Direct Investment. 1 3
- The applicant is actively involved full-time in trading, services or company management. 2
- The activity is not on the FDI Negative List. 1
- The investment exceeds Nu. 15 million for an investor card. 1
- Other activities need a minimum project cost of Nu. 50 million in manufacturing or Nu. 25 million in services. 1
- Priority-sector minimum project costs are listed by sector in the FDI Rules schedules. 1
- Documentary evidence of Government approval for establishing the business is required. 2
- A multiple-entry visa is issued after the investment receives an FDI Registration Certificate. 1
- The FDI company notifies the Department of Immigration when business starts to obtain the investor cards. 1
- Until business starts, investors travel on business guest visas; the Department of Industry approves visits for promoters and investors. 1 4
- The investor card approves residence for three years and extensions are facilitated. 1
- The investor, spouse and dependents are exempt from the Sustainable Development Fee. 1
Stay
- Investor card approving residence for three years; further extensions are facilitated.
- Initial permitted stay: 36 months.
- Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.
Work
Full-time involvement in the approved business.
Family
The spouse and dependent children can obtain a dependent permit; the spouse may work with a work permit and dependents may study without a separate visa.
Official sources
- Foreign Direct Investment Rules and Regulations 2025 · Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Employment, Bhutan · checked 2026-10-10 · published 2025-07-18
- Immigration Act of the Kingdom of Bhutan 2007 · Department of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs · checked 2026-10-10 · published 2007
- Immigration Rules and Regulations of the Kingdom of Bhutan 2023 (fee annexures, permits) · Department of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs · checked 2026-10-10 · published 2023
- Non-Tourist categories (1 June 2023) · Department of Immigration, Bhutan · checked 2026-10-11 · published 2023-06-01
Investor permit and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investor permit | Needs an investment of BTN 15M+ ≈ $156k | 3 yr, renewable | Limited |
| LTR · Wealthy Global Citizen Thailand | Needs an investment of $500k+ | 5 yr, renewable | Yes |
| Golden Visa · Portfolio $350k Indonesia | Needs an investment from $350k | 5 yr, renewable | – |
| Golden · AED 2M deposit United Arab Emirates | Needs an investment of AED 2M+ ≈ $545k | 10 yr, renewable | – |
| Global Investor Programme Singapore | Needs an investment from SGD 10M ≈ $7.8M | – | – |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Investor permit?
An investment of over BTN 15,000,000 (≈ $156,000). Investment exceeding this amount qualifies the investor or authorised representative for an investor card. An investment of at least BTN 25,000,000 (≈ $261,000). Minimum project cost for an FDI service-sector activity not listed as a priority activity; foreign equity up to 74%. An investment of at least BTN 50,000,000 (≈ $521,000). Minimum project cost for an FDI manufacturing activity not listed as a priority activity; foreign equity up to 74%. A fee of BTN 5,000 (≈ $52). Immigration visa fee, not an investment requirement: Nu.
How long can I stay on the Investor permit?
Investor card approving residence for three years; further extensions are facilitated.
Can I work on the Investor permit?
Limited. Full-time involvement in the approved business.
Can I bring my family on the Investor permit?
The spouse and dependent children can obtain a dependent permit; the spouse may work with a work permit and dependents may study without a separate visa.
How are Investor permit holders taxed in Bhutan?
No special regime in our records is tied to the Investor permit. The standard rules apply: From income year 2026, an individual's taxable income in Bhutan is taxed at nil up to Nu. 300,000 a year, then at 5%, 10%, 15%, 20% and 25%, and at 30% above Nu.
More in Bhutan
Investment visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-12 against 4 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- Foreign Direct Investment Rules and Regulations 2025 · Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Employment, Bhutan · checked 2026-10-10
- Immigration Act of the Kingdom of Bhutan 2007 · Department of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs · checked 2026-10-10
- Immigration Rules and Regulations of the Kingdom of Bhutan 2023 (fee annexures, permits) · Department of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs · checked 2026-10-10
- Non-Tourist categories (1 June 2023) · Department of Immigration, Bhutan · checked 2026-10-11
Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.