Atlys, facing backlash over ₹18,000 fee for visa-free Bhutan, issues clarification | Trending

Visa processing platform Atlys has issued a clarification after being slammed for charging ₹18,000 as “government fee” for visa-free Bhutan. In a statement to HT.com, Atlys said the “government fee” being charged on their platform is actually the Sustainable Development Fee that all visitors have to pay for entering Bhutan. Bhutan charges a Sustainable Development Fee from all international tours For some contextBacklash against Atlys began when X user Saurabh Sharma noticed the platform charging a “government fee” of ₹18,000 for Indian travellers wanting to travel to Bhutan. He shared a screenshot from the Atlys app which shows a “government fee” of ₹18,000 being charged for a “Bhutan visa for Indians.” Atlys also charged a fee of ₹2,500, bringing the total to ₹20,500. “Bhutan is visa free for Indians. Heck! You don’t even need a passport to visit. But Atlys charges ₹18,000 for Bhutan Visa as government fees,” Sharma wrote on the microblogging platform X. He tagged Atlys investors Peak XV Partners in his post as he added: “Thanks for funding scamsters! great work on the due diligence.” Indian citizens do not need a visa to visit Bhutan. They can enter Bhutan using either a valid passport or a voter ID card. However, Bhutan does charge a Sustainable Development Fee (SDF) which is issued on a per night basis. The Bhutan Sustainable Development Fee (SDF) is a government levy introduced to promote sustainable tourism and environmental conservation in Bhutan. Under SDF, international visitors pay for each day they spend in the country. The SDF fee for Indian citizens is ₹1,200 per night. Atlys clarifiesIn a statement to HT.com, Atlys said the “government fee” is actually the Sustainable Development Fee charged the government of Bhutan. “While Indian travelers can avail a visa on arrival in Bhutan, the Sustainable Development Fee (SDF) of ₹1,200 per person, per day, mandated the Bhutanese government, remains applicable. “Atlys has calculated this fee based on an average stay of 15 days to provide flexibility for tours who may extend their trip. However, users with a fixed travel duration can reach out to us, and we will adjust the fee immediately. We apologize for any misunderstanding and remain committed to offering a transparent and seamless experience for all our users,” saiid Mohak Nahta, Founder, Atlys.