Do Australia passport holders need a visa to visit BT?

Australian passport holders need a visa for Bhutan. It is an online e-visa applied for in advance through the official Department of Immigration portal (visit.doi.gov.bt), with a US$40 visa fee plus the US$100 per night Sustainable Development Fee (SDF). There is no visa-free entry and no genuine visa on arrival for Australians. Bhutan does not offer visa-free entry to Australian (ordinary passport) tourists. Only nationals of India, Bangladesh and the Maldives are visa-exempt. All other visitors, including Australians, must obtain a tourist e-visa before travel. Applications are made online at the government portal visit.doi.gov.bt, either directly by the traveler or through a licensed Bhutanese tour operator or hotel. The application requires a one-time, non-refundable visa fee of US$40 per person plus payment of the Sustainable Development Fee (SDF) of US$100 per person per night (children 6-12 pay 50%, under-5s are exempt); the SDF rate of US$100/night is fixed from 1 September 2023 to 31 August 2027. The visa is electronically issued (a clearance letter linked to your passport) and is then stamped on arrival at Paro International Airport or a land border. Processing typically takes up to 5 working days, and applicants should allow two to three weeks before departure. The passport must be valid for at least 6 months and have blank pages. Tourist visas are issued for the length of the booked/paid itinerary, up to a maximum of 90 days. Although the visa is technically endorsed at the point of entry, it must be approved and the SDF paid in advance, so this is best classified as an e-visa rather than a true visa on arrival.