Gelephu Opens Biometric Immigration Terminal for Faster India-Bhutan Border Crossings

Gelephu has opened a biometric immigration terminal with automated e-gates for eligible Bhutanese and Indian travellers crossing the border.

A new pedestrian immigration terminal opened in Gelephu on 22 October 2026, introducing biometric e-gates for eligible Bhutanese and Indian nationals travelling across the border between southern Bhutan and Assam.

The terminal uses facial recognition to compare travellers with biometric information already held in the immigration system. Those who meet the eligibility requirements can complete immigration clearance through an automated gate, while staffed counters remain available for travellers who have not registered their biometrics.

The facility is expected to shorten waiting times at one of Bhutan’s increasingly important gateways and improve the recording and monitoring of cross-border movement as Gelephu Mindfulness City develops.

How the Biometric E-Gates Work

The automated gates retrieve a traveller’s registered information and use facial recognition to verify their identity.

Eligible Bhutanese and Indian nationals can use the gates without undergoing routine processing at a staffed counter. Standard immigration rules and entry requirements remain in place, meaning the automated system changes how eligible travellers are processed rather than removing border controls.

Travellers whose biometric information is not registered will continue to use the manual counters.

The opening extends Bhutan’s use of automated immigration technology. Biometric e-gates are also operating at the pedestrian terminal in Phuentshogling and at Paro International Airport, where Bhutan introduced an Automated Immigration Clearance System.

For international visitors planning journeys through Bhutan, Gelephu is one of the country’s official land entry points and connects southern Bhutan with the Indian state of Assam.

Regular Travellers Report Shorter Waiting Times

Residents of Gelephu frequently cross the border for business, shopping, work and family visits. Some travellers previously had to wait in outdoor queues and complete repeated checks through the Check Post Management System, commonly known as CPMS.

CPMS is a digital system originally developed to record the movement of vehicles and passengers through formal checkpoints.

Individual processing times may vary depending on eligibility, travel documents, congestion and whether a traveller’s biometric information is already registered.

Terminal Intended to Support Security and Record-Keeping

Gelephu Mindfulness City Governor Dr Lotay Tshering inaugurated the terminal.

He said the facility would help manage the growing number of people moving between Gelephu and neighbouring India. In addition to improving convenience, the system is intended to strengthen record-keeping, border security and the monitoring of cross-border movement.

The terminal’s opening announcement did not specify how travellers can register their biometrics, which documents must be presented at the e-gates or whether different eligibility rules apply to children and other groups. Travellers should therefore confirm the latest requirements with Bhutanese immigration authorities before their journey.

Nominal Service Fee Planned

A nominal service fee is expected to be introduced for people entering and leaving through the terminal.

The fee will help meet the cost of maintaining the facility and providing immigration services. Its amount and introduction date had not been announced at the time of publication.

Until further details are released, travellers should not assume that a fee is already being collected or rely on unofficial information about its cost.

Temporary Access for Invited International Guests

The terminal currently serves Bhutanese and Indian nationals who meet the relevant entry requirements.

Permanent facilities for citizens of other countries are planned for a later stage and will require coordination with the relevant Indian authorities. This is important because many travellers reaching Gelephu by land must first enter and travel through India.

A temporary arrangement is in place from 24 October to 6 November 2026 for invited third-country guests attending the consecration of the 108 Jangchub Chortens in Gelephu Mindfulness City.

Their use of the crossing remains subject to immigration procedures and the required clearances from Indian and Bhutanese authorities. It does not represent a general opening of the terminal to all international travellers.

The special arrangement coincides with preparations for Project 108, which has attracted more than 120,000 visitor registrations. The initiative will complete 108 Jangchub Chortens, also known as Stupas of Enlightenment, along the Mau Chhu river corridor on 1 November.

Gelephu’s Role as a Southern Gateway

Gelephu lies in Sarpang district along Bhutan’s border with Assam. Its role as a transport and trade gateway is expanding alongside the development of Gelephu Mindfulness City, a highly autonomous special administrative region established by Royal Charter in 2024.

The biometric terminal forms one part of a wider programme of transport and border infrastructure around the city. Development plans include an international airport, upgraded road connections and Bhutan’s first proposed railway links with India.

India and Bhutan signed an agreement in September 2025 to implement two cross-border railway projects. The planned routes are:

• A 69-kilometre line between Kokrajhar in Assam and Gelephu

• A 20-kilometre line between Banarhat in West Bengal and Samtse in Bhutan

The two projects have a combined estimated cost of Rs 40.33 billion. The Kokrajhar-Gelephu route has been designated a Special Railway Project in India, allowing land acquisition and other procedures to be handled through an accelerated framework.

The railway projects remain under development and should not be presented as operational connections. If completed, they are expected to carry both passengers and freight, improving access between Bhutan and India’s wider railway network.

Practical Details Still to Be Announced

For now, travellers without registered biometric information can continue using staffed counters. International visitors entering Bhutan through India should also check both countries’ immigration and visa requirements, as clearance to enter Bhutan does not automatically provide permission to enter or travel through India.