Bhutan is among the safest and happiest countries for foreign tourists, including American visitors.
Popularly known as the land of Gross National Happiness, Bhutan faces several socio-economic challenges, including poverty and unemployment, weak education and healthcare, gender inequality, and an imminent threat to its ecology.
In a world that is always on the go, Bhutan provides sanctuary. Here, you can find earthly pleasures: archery and age-old crafts, dishes of homemade cheese and fearsomely hot chilies, breathtaking treks, and restorative hot-stone baths.
The United States and Bhutan have no official diplomatic ties. However, they maintain “warm, informal relations” and consular relations. Bhutan is represented by its permanent mission in the United Nations, while the American Embassy in New Delhi is accredited to Bhutan.
American tourists love Bhutan. The country is off the beaten track, peaceful, and simply unique. It is located between China and India and near Nepal in the Himalayan Mountains.
Chances are this warm relationship between the two countries will turn sour in a few days. US President Trump wants to put Bhutan on the no-travel list, meaning Bhutan passport holders will no longer be welcome or allowed to enter the U.S.
Less than 1,000 Bhutanese citizens travel to the United States every year, but they may not be able to do so anymore.
The expected prohibition for Bhutanese to enter the United States resulted from an executive order signed by Trump on his first day as president. It instructs State Department and Homeland Security personnel to pinpoint nations with inadequate vetting and screening processes and provide feedback within 60 days, by March 21.
It is unknown whether the new travel ban policy will target individuals with existing visas and green cards. However, immigration and anti-discrimination advocates suspect that individuals who arrived in the U.S. from targeted countries will face extra scrutiny, noting that the administration has already begun revoking visas of legal residents by citizens from countries expected to be on the red list.
The White House says its measures are needed to protect the nation “from foreign terrorists” and ensure “that those aliens approved for admission into the United States do not intend to harm Americans or our national interests.”
There is no apparent security risk or threat of terrorism when allowing Bhutanese citizens to enter the United States. Still, Trump wants to punish all 800,000 Bhutanese citizens for the actions of some—overstaying their visas when traveling to the United States.
Over 26.6% of Bhutanese students and exchange visitors remained in the U.S. beyond their authorized period. For Bhutanese nationals who entered the U.S. on business or tourist visas, the overstay figure 2023 was 12.7%.
The U.S. conclusion must be based on “corporate punishment,” a popular concept in countries such as North Korea.
Bhutan, known as the Land of the Thunder Dragon, could become one of 43 countries whose citizens face restrictions or demands on entering the U.S. because of a new Trump administration travel ban.
Until the 18th century, Bhutan was a collection of local fiefdoms. British involvement led to its establishment as a hereditary monarchy in 1907. Approximately a century later, the nation transitioned to a two-party parliamentary democracy. Nevertheless, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, Bhutan’s fifth Dragon King, remains the de facto constitutional head of state.
Bhutan began welcoming foreign visitors in the 1970s, marking the start of its engagement with the outside world. Television wasn’t introduced to the country until 1999. Remarkably, Bhutan remains the only nation without any traffic lights.
Bhutan’s constitution mandates that 60% of the country remain under forest cover forever as part of a commitment to conserving the environment. Since 2008, Bhutan has been often called the “kingdom of happiness.”