Nepal visa information
Getting a visa for Nepal is an easy task, as the process has been made pretty simpler to foreign travelers. A visa for Nepal can be obtained in two ways; one on arrival at the Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu and at border entry location on India and China border. The on-arrival visa procedure is very quick and simple, as you only require a valid passport, few photographs, and a visa fee.
The visa could also be obtained at the Nepal Embassy outside Nepal. However, on the peak tourist seasons, you might consider getting a visa from the Nepalese Diplomatic mission located at your place erstwhile to your arrival in Nepal. If you plan to get a visa prior to your visit to Nepal, then you must enter Nepal within six months from the issued date. The choice is yours!
Given below is the list of entry points to Nepal where you can obtain the ‘on arrival’ Visa:
- Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu (Central Region)
- Kakarvitta Border, Jhapa (Eastern Region)
- Birgunj Border, Parsa (Central Region)
- Kodari Border, Sindhupalchowk (Northern Border to Tibet)
- Rupandehi Border, Bhairahawa (Western Region)
- Banke Border, Nepalgunj ( Mid-Western Region)
- Kailali Border, Dhangadhi (Far western Region)
All foreigners except Indians are required to own a visa. As mentioned above, getting a visa to Nepal is easy and every embassy overseas grants a tourist visa without any fuss but most people like getting one on the spot upon their arrival. For getting a visa upon arrival, you will have to fill in an application form online at www.online.nepalimmigration.gov.np/tourist-visa at least 15 days before your arrival date.
Given below is a simple procedure to acquire a Visa prior to your arrival
- 1st step:
Fill in the ‘Arrival Card’
Fill in the ‘tourist Visa’ form with your private details
- 2nd Step
Make the payment according to your visa length requirement
Collect the receipt
Different methods of payment can be used but we suggest you carry some cash in case of an emergency.
The On Arrival visa fee is 30 USD, 50 USD and 125 USD for 15, 30 and 90 days of stay respectively.
- 3rd step
- Proceed to the immigration desk with your form, payment receipt, and your valid passport
- Hand in your documents and collect your visa
SAARC country residents can get 30 days visa-free upon arrival whereas Indian passport holders do not need a visa to enter Nepal. Children under 10 years require a visa but are not charged with a visa fee. The citizens of south Asian countries (excluding India) and China need a visa but if you are entering the country once in a year, the visa is not required.
Given below is the information about different types of visa you could obtain on your visit to Nepal:
Tourist Visa
The tourist visa is what you obtain at the Entry point and Exit points.. The ‘On Arrival’ tourist visa is the only entry visa to Nepal. The tourist visa is generally for those visitors who visit the country for tourism purposes such as Sightseeing, tour, travel, mountaineering, trekking, etc. However, if you have some different purpose, you should still be getting a tourist visa to get in the country for your own convenience.
The category of the visa could be changed as per your purpose and length of stay from the department of immigration. However, you might have to go through a lengthy process afterward.
Business Visa
A visa with multiple entry facility can be obtained from the Department of Immigration. These types of visas are known as Business Visa and are valid for a period of one year and five years. The Business visa will cost you about USD 100 or 250 respectively and to get a business visa one needs a recommendation of the Ministry of Industry.
Gratis Visa
As mentioned earlier, a Gratis Visa is a free visa for 30 days only for the tourists of SAARC countries. Nevertheless, if you have already visited Nepal within the same calendar year then you will have to pay for the visa fee.
A gratis visa is issued in case the visa applicants fall under any of the following categories:
- Children below 10 years (except US citizens)
- SAARC Citizen (except Afghanistan) visiting for 30 days and for the first time in a given visa year.
- Non Residential Nepalese (NRN)
- Chinese Nationals
Transit Visa
Foreign nationals having a transit in Nepal can obtain a transit visa and enter the country for 24 hours by showing proof of transit (Air Tickets). In the same way, foreigners arriving in Nepal due to inconvenient situations such as emergency landings can also acquire a transit visa or a tourist visa if they do not want to be confined to the airport for the day and visit the country.
In order to apply for a transit visa, the applicants need to fill out an online application and pay for the necessary fee at the bank counter and proceed for the visa. The transit visa is issued by the Immigration Officer upon his/her satisfaction.
Here is a list of information that might be helpful on your visit to Nepal
- You may not try entering or staying in the country without a Valid visa as it would be a punishable act.
- Anyone could apply for a tourist visa and can obtain them easily though the Nepalese Embassy on their native land or at the immigration entry points in Nepal listed above.
- Once you issue a Visa, it cannot be revised and the Visa fees are non-refundable.
- The Visa fees are requested to be paid in cash. So carry some money in case of an emergency.
- Even though the children below 10 years must obtain a valid visa, the charges do not apply to them. Still, this rule applies only to non-US citizens.
- For obtaining a new passport or a travel document, you are recommended to contact the immigration department for the document transfer.
- If you are here on a trekking expedition, it would be a wise choice to always carry your passport and trekking permit.
- There are some areas in Nepal that do not allow filming. One must be careful about not doing the activities that are harshly forbidden.
- As a tourist, it is your prime responsibility to respect the sentiments, culture, and tradition of Nepalese people. Therefore we advise you not to hurt the feelings of your hosts.
- Do not perform any activities that would lead to ethical immorality.
Visa Extension
There might be cases where you would want to spend a few more days in Nepal but your visa expires soon. Visa extensions are available from immigration offices in Kathmandu and Pokhara and cost a minimum of 30 USD for a 15 days extension and $2 per day after that. Rather than getting into this hassle, getting a 90 days visa if you plan a 60 days’ vacation would be an ideal situation.
Every visa extension process requires your passport, extension fee as mentioned above, Photographs and an application form that must be filled online. There is one question on this application form that may ask for your Nepalese street address with house number but there are hardly any street addresses in Nepal having a building number so you can just make that up. Make sure to collect all the documents before you get in the queue to extend your stay.
The visa extension process normally takes two hours hence can be completed on the same day. There are few travelers who have paid an extra fee to get their extension done within ten minutes. If you wish on spending a little extra money, trekking and travel agencies can assist you with the visa extension process and save you time and effort.
The process of visa application and extension has been made easier as in 2017 Nepal Immigration launched a new mobile app that provides Nepal visa information. The app has a friendly user interface, is mainly focused on helping tourists to apply for a visa online, and gives visa information, trekking permits and other related information. However, the app does not feature an online payment system but having every information readily available on your mobile devices makes it easier to process.
Here are the details about Nepal Ministry for Immigration office where you should go to extend your visa,
Kathmandu
Located at: Kalikasthan, Dillibajar, Kathmandu
Contact No.: +977 – 01 - 4433934 / 4429660 / 4438862 / 4438868
Pokhara
Located at: Ratna Chowk, Pokhara, Nepal
Contact No.: +977 – 1 – 61 – 521167 / 521160
Office hours: Sunday to Thursday: 10 A.M to 5 PM and Friday: 10 AM to 3 P.M
Visa Application Hours: Sunday to Thursday: 10 A.M to 3 P.M and Friday: 10 AM to 1 PM
Take note that the Nepal immigration office remains closed on Saturdays and Government holidays. The office, however, remains open on many festival dates and remains closed on a national holiday. Make sure to call the office before going in.
The article covers everything you need to know before obtaining a visa to this small yet beautiful country, Nepal. The warm hospitality of the people and the majestic natural scenery of the place will make your stay worthwhile and will make you want to visit the country more. We hope you have a safe trip to Nepal!