How to send money to Bhutan in 2026: dollars or ngultrum to an account in 1-3 business days and paying for a trip
In Bhutan money goes to an account at a Bhutanese bank: dollars or ngultrum arrive in 1-3 business days, and rupees from India are credited one to one in 1-2 days. Most often a trip is paid for. A bank asks the recipient and purpose, and from $10,000 a statement and an income certificate.
In short
- The ngultrum has equalled the Indian rupee one to one since 1974.
- Rate on 7 October 2026: 96.73 ngultrum per dollar.
- The sustainable development fee is $100 a night per adult until 31 August 2027.
- The visa costs $40; the fee and the visa are paid on the Department of Tourism website.
In detail
Bhutan's currency is the ngultrum, and since 1974 it has equalled the Indian rupee one to one, so a transfer to Bhutan is counted at the rupee rate: on 7 October 2026 that was 96.73 ngultrum per dollar. Money reaches an account at a Bhutanese bank in 1-3 business days, and the most common payment from abroad is for a trip: the $100 a night fee and the $40 visa.
| Method | On 8 October 2026 | Currency | Time | What you need |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank transfer to an account in Bhutan | works | dollars or ngultrum | 1-3 business days | account number, an 8- or 11-character bank code, name |
| Paying the visa and the sustainable development fee | on the website of Bhutan's Department of Tourism | US dollars | when applying for the visa | passport and travel dates |
| Paying a Bhutanese tour operator for a trip | works | US dollars | 1-3 business days | the tour operator's contract and invoice |
| Transfer from India in rupees | credited one to one | ngultrum | 1-2 business days | the recipient's account number and name |
The ngultrum rate equals the Indian rupee rate: 96.73 per dollar on 7 October 2026. Table checked on 8 October 2026, dollar amounts rounded up.
The ngultrum equals the rupee: how to count a transfer to Bhutan
Bhutan introduced the ngultrum in 1974 and has kept it on a par with the Indian rupee ever since: the Royal Monetary Authority of Bhutan holds the rate at one to one, and India remains the country's main trading partner. That is why the ngultrum's rate to the dollar mirrors the rupee's.
| Sum in US dollars | In ngultrum at 96.73 |
|---|---|
| $1,000 | 96,730 |
| $5,000 | 483,650 |
| $10,000 | 967,300 |
Calculated at the rate of 7 October 2026. From India money arrives in rupees and is credited at par, and from other countries in dollars, which the Bhutanese bank exchanges at the rate of the day.
Life in the capital is described in the Thimphu guide.
Does a transfer to Bhutan from your country go through a long chain of banks? A manager will build a legal route with fewer banks between you and the recipient.
The $100 a night fee and the $40 visa: how to pay for a trip to Bhutan
A foreign tourist in Bhutan pays a sustainable development fee. From 1 September 2023 to 31 August 2027 it is half the previous level: $100 a night per adult. The fee and the $40 visa are paid when applying for the visa on the website of Bhutan's Department of Tourism, while hotels, the guide and transport are paid separately, by transfer to a tour operator or directly.
| Who travels | Fee per night | For 7 nights |
|---|---|---|
| Adult, from 12 years | $100 | $700 |
| Child aged 6-11 | $50 | $350 |
| Child under 6 | no fee | $0 |
The rates apply on 8 October 2026 and will stay until 31 August 2027. In border towns no fee is charged for the first 24 hours.
Example: a couple staying 7 nights pays $1,400 in fees and $80 for two visas, $1,480 in all, or 143,160 ngultrum. Payment to a tour operator is sent by transfer in US dollars under a contract, so it is planned a few weeks before the trip.
We will help you send money to Bhutan
Mistakes cost more than fees: the payment to the tour operator left later than the visa requires, dollars exchanged into rupees and back along the way with a double loss, a transfer through a long chain of banks with extra fees, a Bhutanese bank with no papers on the origin of the money. We will help you avoid them: we choose a legal transfer route from your country, prepare source-of-funds documents for the Bhutanese bank and carry out the transfer through licensed partners until the money is credited.
Details and cost are with a manager in the chat: the calculation depends on the amount, the sending country and the purpose of the transfer.
Sending money to Bhutan for study, work or a project: steps by amount
A Bhutanese bank asks more about a transfer as the amount grows. Data for 2026:
| Amount | What the bank in Bhutan will ask | What to show |
|---|---|---|
| Up to $10,000 | the recipient and the purpose | a contract with a tour operator, or account details and an explanation |
| $10,000-100,000 | source of the money | an account statement, an income certificate |
| From $100,000 | the whole chain of the money | the project contract, a tax return, account statements |
How to gather papers on your money is covered in proof of source of funds, sending large sums abroad and moving home sale proceeds abroad.
Funding a project in Bhutan or sending $100,000 or more there? A specialist will prepare source-of-funds documents for the Bhutanese bank and carry out the transfer through licensed partners until the money is credited; ways to move capital are on the capital relocation page.
From Thimphu and Paro: where money is sent
From Bhutan money most often goes for study and to relatives working abroad:
- Australia - Australian dollars to an account
- Thailand - baht or currency to your own account
- Japan - yen to an account at a Japanese bank
- USA - deposits insured up to $250,000
Sending money to nearby countries
- India - the rupee, to which the ngultrum is pegged
- China - yuan and exchange of up to $50,000 a year
- Pakistan - a 24-character account number
- Nepal - to family and for the length of a visa
- Singapore - Singapore dollars in minutes
- Bangladesh - a bonus on transfers to family
Capital as a whole is moved by the plan on the capital relocation page.
FAQ
How many ngultrum do you get for a dollar in October 2026?
How much is the sustainable development fee in Bhutan?
Can the fee and the Bhutan visa be paid by transfer from abroad?
Are Indian rupees credited one to one in Bhutan?
How much does a week in Bhutan cost a couple in fees and visas alone?
We will suggest the best way to send your money
We will choose a transfer method for your amount and country, prepare the documents on the origin of the money for the bank, make the transfer through licensed partners and follow it until the money is credited. Ask your question in the chat - the manager will suggest the best terms and the cost. The legal side with banks and government bodies is handled by Murblz specialists and locally licensed partners.
Details and cost are with the manager in the chat. Describe your situation and we will reply right away.
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