The Union Home Ministry said that now Aadhaar is not a valid identification document for Indians to travelNepal and Bhutan.
Indians can travel to Nepal and Bhutan – both countries for which they don’t need visas – if they possess a valid national passport or election ID card issued by the Election Commission said by Shri Rajnath Singh. To ease travel, persons over 65 and below 15 years can show documents with photographs to confirm their age and identity. These include PAN card, driving license, Central Government Health Service (CGHS) card and ration card but not Aadhaar. “Aadhaar (UID) card is not an acceptable travel document for travel to Nepal/Bhutan,” the ministry said.
Indians entering Bhutan by road are required to obtain an ‘Entry Permit’ on the basis of a valid travel document from the immigration office of Royal Government of Bhutan at Phuentsholing, located on the Indo-Bhutan border opposite Jaigaon, West Bengal. The border with Nepal is an open one with people who enter the country needing to show any valid identity card. In another development, Indians flying abroad will not be required to fill departure cards from July. However, those going out of the country via rail, seaport, and land immigration checkposts will have to fill the embarkation card. “It has been decided to discontinue the practice of filling up of the departure card by Indians at all international airports with effect from July 1, 2017,” an order issued by the home ministry said. The move is aimed at ensuring hassle-free movement of Indians going abroad.
