Bhutan digital nomad visa & residency (2026)

The GMCA launched a sandbox Digital Nomad Residence Programme in early 2026 in partnership with NomadClub, granting initial residency of 12 months renewable up to 24 months, with travel throughout Bhutan permitted.

Applicants must deposit US$10,000 in TER tokens — a sovereign gold-backed digital token issued on the Solana blockchain by DK Bank, representing fractional ownership of physical gold (0.01 g/token, 999.9 purity) stored in audited vaults. The deposit is fully refundable on departure.

A non-refundable US$2,800 annual administrative/program fee is payable to the GMCA. There is no minimum income requirement and no mandatory minimum daily stay or guided-tour obligation.

Visa holders may continue remote work for employers or clients based outside Bhutan but are explicitly prohibited from taking employment with Bhutanese companies or entering the local labor market.

The programme is administered by the Gelephu Mindfulness City Authority — a designated special administrative zone — not by the national Department of Immigration. It is geographically anchored in the GMC zone in southern Bhutan.

Outside the GMC zone, Bhutan's national immigration framework (doi.gov.bt) is highly restrictive: standard employment visas are capped at one year, permanent residency requires 20 years of residence (15 if married to a Bhutanese citizen), and no traditional golden visa or residency-by-investment program exists at the national level.