Indians in this age group can use Aadhaar as travel proof to Nepal & Bhutan
Indian citizens of less than 15 years of age and more than 65 years of age can be used as a valid travel document for Aadhar card for travel to Nepal and Bhutan. This information has been given in the recent release of the Home Ministry. For the visit of both neighboring countries, other than these two age groups, citizens cannot use Aadhaar card for travel. Indians do not need a visa for the visit of both countries.
It has been said in the release that Indian citizens going to Nepal and Bhutan have to have a valid passport, identity card issued by the Indian government or the Election Commission, they do not need a visa. Earlier, persons under the age of 65 and below 15 years could show their PAN card, driving license, Central Government Health Service (CGHS) card or ration card to prove their identity for the visit of these two countries. A senior official of the Home Ministry said that the Aadhaar card has now been added to this list.
The official said to PTI-bhasha, “Now, for a person above 65 years of age and below 15 years of age people will be allowed to use the Aadhaar card as a valid travel document.” Registration certificate issued by for Indian citizens by Indian Embassy in Kathmandu is not acceptable travel document for travel between India and Nepal. “However, the emergency certificate issued by the Indian Embassy in Nepal and the identity certificate will be valid only for one visit to India to return,” he said, quoting the release.
The official said that 15 to 18 year olds will be allowed to travel between India and Nepal on the basis of identity certificate issued by their school principal. Indian citizens traveling to Bhutan must possess an electoral passport issued by either the Indian passport or the Election Commission of India, with minimum validity of six months. Bhutan, which shares the border with Indian states like Sikkim, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and West Bengal, has about 60,000 Indian nationals, mostly working in hydro and construction industries. Apart from this, daily workforce ranges from 8,000 to 10,000 daily visits to border towns in Bhutan. According to the Ministry of External Affairs figures, nearly six lakh Indians live in Nepal. Nepal shares more than 1,850 kilometers of border with five Indian states – Sikkim, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
