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Dependent Visa and Dependent Permit

BhutanFamily

Explore the five recorded questions, answers and sources for this pathway.

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Explore pathways in Bhutan Read the five questions ↓

Which family relationships qualify?

The dependent permit covers the spouse and the dependent children of the principal permit holder. The Immigration Rules and Regulations 2023 define a dependent as a spouse and children below 18 years of age, and the Department of Immigration's revised list of non-tourist categories defines direct dependents as spouse and children below the age of 18 years.

See recorded sources

Who may sponsor or bring the family member, and what immigration/citizenship status must that person hold?

A dependent permit is issued to the spouse and dependent children of a work permit holder in the professional category whose duration of work is at least three months, of investors or promoters of an FDI established in Bhutan, and of uniformed personnel of projects DANTAK and IMTRAT. For an existing trader permit holder it is issued only to direct dependents who have lived in Bhutan with the licence holder and are registered with the Department. The Department's dependent permit page additionally requires a copy of the principal applicant's valid work permit and a recommendation from the work permit holder's employer.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • Rule 62 of the same Rules lists a wider set of categories permitted to bring spouse and children - persons covered under Section 77 of the Act, professional staff of resident Missions and International Organizations, investors/promoters of FDI companies, foreign workers in the professional category if the duration of their work is at least ninety days, and Trader Permit holders - and the sources do not reconcile that list with the three categories in Rule 110.
  • Rule 110(a) says the professional-category work must last 'at least three months' while Rule 62(d) says 'at least ninety days'; the sources do not say whether the two thresholds are meant to be the same.
  • The Department's dependent permit page describes only the work-permit-holder case and does not repeat the investor, DANTAK/IMTRAT or trader routes.
  • The sources do not state any citizenship or immigration status that a Bhutanese sponsor would need, because this route is sponsored by a foreign permit holder, not by a Bhutanese citizen.

What is important for proving marriage, partnership, parentage, custody, dependency or another qualifying relationship?

The relationship is proved by a copy of the marriage certificate for a spouse and a copy of the birth certificate for children below 18 years, filed with a duly completed dependent permit application form and a copy of the passport (or, for nationals of India, passport or voter identity card) carrying the relevant visa or entry permit. The revised list of non-tourist categories asks for notarised copies of those certificates for dependents of professional-category foreign workers and for dependents of promoters and investors of established FDI.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • The Department's dependent permit page asks for a 'Copy of Marriage Certificate' and a 'Copy of birth certificate', while the revised non-tourist list asks for a 'Notarized copy' of both; the sources do not say which requirement applies to which applicant.
  • Both sources add that the Department may ask for additional documents during assessment, so the list is not closed.
  • Nothing is stated about proving an unmarried partnership, custody or guardianship - only marriage and birth certificates appear.
  • No rule is stated on translation or legalisation of foreign certificates for this route.

What important financial, accommodation, insurance or maintenance responsibilities apply?

The checked official sources did not provide enough route-specific evidence to confirm the financial, accommodation, insurance or maintenance requirements.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • The Department of Immigration's dependent permit page, the revised list of non-tourist categories (items 4, 6, 7 and 20) and the Immigration Rules and Regulations 2023 (Rules 62, 110 and 111) list only identity, relationship and sponsor documents for dependents. None states a financial threshold, a maintenance or accommodation obligation, or a health-insurance requirement.
  • The Medical Fitness Certificate that appears in the non-tourist list is required of foreign workers themselves, not of their dependents, and is not read here as a dependent requirement.
  • Nothing was found, which is not the same as the sources stating that no financial or insurance condition exists.

How does the application work at a high level, what rights does the family member receive, how long does the status last, and how can it become independent or longer-term where officially stated?

A foreigner cleared as a dependent is permitted to stay in Bhutan for the tenure of the principal permit holder. A foreigner who is in Bhutan as a dependent may not process an Immigration Card and must stay outside Bhutan for at least one year to become eligible to apply for one. A route permit is required to travel to places not specified in the immigration permit. The official sources do not state whether a dependant may work or study in Bhutan.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • Rule 55 sits under the heading 'Conditions applicable to Non-Immigrant', whose Rule 51 says a foreigner who entered as a non-immigrant is not entitled to apply for permanent residency or citizenship; 'dependent' is not itself listed among the non-immigrant categories in Rule 48, so applying Rule 51 to dependents would be an inference and is not asserted here.
  • The checked sources do not say whether a dependent may work, study or run a business in Bhutan.
  • No renewal procedure, validity period or fee is stated for a dependent permit separately from the principal holder's permit, and nothing is stated about what happens to the dependent if the principal permit ends early or the principal holder dies.
  • The sources describe only the documents to be submitted to the Department of Immigration; they do not describe the decision, refusal or appeal steps.

These are the answers currently recorded in the catalogue. A missing or partial answer is not an eligibility decision.

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