Digital Nomad Residence Programme

Bhutan's Digital Nomad Residence Programme is a residence permit launched in January 2026 through the Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC), a Special Administrative Region established by Royal Charter. The programme is administered by the Gelephu Mindfulness City Authority (GMCA) in partnership with NomadClub LLC. It targets digital nomads, entrepreneurs, remote professionals, and self-employed individuals whose work is location-independent. Holders can reside and travel freely throughout the entire Kingdom of Bhutan, not only within the GMC zone. Notably, the programme waives the Sustainable Development Fee (SDF) of USD 100 per person per night that normally applies to international visitors.

• Must be a professional, entrepreneur, or self-employed individual whose work is location-independent
• Work must align with GMC's strategic direction (sustainable development, mindful living, future-ready economic systems)
• Refundable deposit of USD 10,000 equivalent in TER tokens (gold-backed digital tokens on the Solana blockchain) held at DK Bank
• Non-refundable annual programme fee of USD 2,800
• No minimum monthly income threshold

Applications are submitted exclusively through the GMC partner portal (partners.digitalgmc.com) operated by NomadClub LLC. The process follows four steps:

1. Check eligibility -- confirm you are a professional, entrepreneur, or self-employed individual in an eligible sector
2. Submit application -- apply online and pay the USD 2,800 non-refundable annual programme fee
3. Open DK Bank account -- open an account at Digital Kidu (DK Bank) and deposit a minimum of USD 10,000 equivalent in TER tokens
4. Receive residence permit -- obtain the 12-month digital nomad residence permit

Processing time: Initial approval within 48-72 hours.

Fees: USD 2,800 annual programme fee (non-refundable) plus USD 10,000 refundable deposit in TER tokens.

The initial permit is valid for 12 months and can be renewed for up to 24 months total. Specific renewal procedures have not been detailed in official programme materials.

Holders may conduct location-independent professional activity. The programme is designed for work performed remotely for entities or clients outside Bhutan.

Digital Nomad Residence Programme holders are generally taxed only on income sourced within Bhutan, not on global foreign earnings. Holders should consult a tax adviser for their specific situation.

The programme operates under the GMC Special Administrative Region's autonomous legal framework, which adopts Singapore law for corporate and commercial matters, rather than under Bhutan's standard immigration system. It is not listed among the visa categories on the Department of Immigration website.

The requirement to convert USD 10,000 into TER (a cryptocurrency token on the Solana blockchain) introduces exposure to digital asset and blockchain-related risks, even though TER is gold-backed. Each TER token represents 0.01 grams of 99.99% fine gold stored in international vaults.

The programme is operated exclusively by NomadClub LLC, a Dubai-based private company, in partnership with GMCA. The official GMC website (gmc.bt) does not currently reference the Digital Nomad Residence Programme. Applicants should independently verify the programme's current status and terms before committing funds.