Bhutan is not a party to the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees nor its 1967 Protocol, and has likewise not acceded to the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons or the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness. As a result, there is no dedicated domestic asylum law or formal statelessness determination procedure; protection needs are addressed under general immigration regulations and the national citizenship framework.

Bhutan’s nationality regime has undergone several major reforms. The Citizenship Act of 1958, the Citizenship Act of 1977 and the Citizenship Act of 1985 established criteria for acquisition and loss of nationality, including provisions that rendered a significant segment of the Lhotshampa population stateless during the 1990 period. Subsequent amendments have sought to clarify registration requirements and to remove certain historic barriers; however, burdensome residency and lineage provisions remain in force, and no statutory mechanism exists for statelessness determination or appeals.