Nepal Visa Requirement: Making Travel To Nepal Easier

Visa is a mandatory document required for entering a foreign country. It takes certain documents and rules to go through the procedure to obtain the visa. Visas are of all kind; tourist visa, non-tourist visa, study visa, transit visa, business visa, and so on. However, for the convenience of travelers willing to visit Nepal, we will rather focus on a tourist visa and gather every possible information relating to it.

Tourist Visa in Nepal

You will obtain the visa for Nepal upon your arrival in the only international airport of Nepal, Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA). TIA serves as the place for acquiring a visa to all the visitors of Nepal.

Tourist visas are obtained on arrival of the entry and exit point. It has multiple re-entry facility and tourist visa “on arrival” is the only entry visa to Nepal. Even if you are visiting Nepal, for other purposes than Tourism (trekking, mountain climbing, travel and tour, sightseeing, visiting friends and families), you still have to obtain “Tourist Visa” to get inside Nepal. Then, as your purpose serves, you must change the category of visa with a length of stay from Department of Immigration by producing required documents. 

Your “on arrival” visa procedure is very quick and simple. Obviously, you can expect some queue, mainly during the peak season of spring and autumn. However, if you want to avoid the hassle, you can also consider getting a Visa from Nepalese Diplomatic Mission stationed abroad prior to your arrival. You can choose either of the options as it suits you.

Now, if you obtained a visa from Nepalese Diplomatic Missions, then you must enter Nepal within six months from visa issued date. Then, your total stay is counted starting from the day you enter into Nepal.

Also, there is a list of certain designated countries (list in Important Information for Nepal Visa Requirement below), whose citizens are to obtain a visa prior their arrival from their nearby Diplomatic missions (Embassies/consulates) of Nepal Government.

How to obtain a Tourist Visa?

Providing you with further information, you can follow the simple procedure for Tourist Visa on arrival at the Tribhuvan International Airport if you haven’t obtained a visa prior to boarding the plane.

-You will get the “arrival card.” Fill in the card, providing the full information.

-There is an online “Tourist Visa” form as well, which needs to be filled up using Kiosk machines. (Or you can full it up online prior your arrival from the official website of Department of Immigration). If you filled it through an online form, you would get submission receipt with barcode. You have to print out and bring it along for acquiring a visa. It will work for fifteen days and becomes invalids. In that case, you will have to fill it up again.

-Make payment at the bank according to your visa requirement. You can use different modes of payments, however, do carry some cash as well. (Fee Structure is given below in a detailed way).

-Now after the payment, get to the immigration desk with the online form, payment receipts and passport.

-After you submit all the documents for visa processing, the designated person issues the visa upon their satisfaction.

What is the free structure for Tourist Visa?

Nepal Government has recently made a change on 26 May 2019 regarding the fee structure for a visa. The decision, however, comes effectively from 17 July 2019 and as the date has already approached, here are the revised visa fee.

-For 15 Days (Multiple Entry): USD 30

-For 30 Days (Multiple Entry): USD 50

-For 90 Days (Multiple Entry): USD 100

What are the Visa Requirements?

-Valid passport and one passport size photo with a light background.

-You can make cash payement in the following currency; US Dollar, Euro, Pound Sterling, Australian Dollar, Swiss Franc, Canadian Dollar, Singapore Dollar, Hong Kong Dollar, and Japanese Yen.

-You cannot make payment through credit card, Indian currency and Nepal currency. They are not accepted.

What is Gratis Visa? How does it work?

Gratis Visa is a visa for free; no cost. However, certain categories need to be fulfilled to obtain Gratis Visa. In case, any of the following categories are met, this free visa is provided.

-If children are below the age of ten years.

-For 30 days to the citizens of SAARC nations except for Afganistan, who are visiting Nepal for the first time in a given visa year. While for the citizen of Afganistan, they are eligible for Gratis Visa on arrival only after the recommendation of the Department of Immigration.

-Non-residential Nepalese (NRN) card hold issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs/Nepalese Diplomatic Missions Abroad.

-Chinese Nationals

How to proceed for Visa Extension?

If you stay in Nepal going to be extended and so should be your visa. Following documents are required if you are applying for a visa extension.

-Your passort.

-Receipt of online appliaction.

-Certificate of tax clearance if transferred from Business Visa to Tourist Visa.

-Copy of passport of a guardian for minors below ten years, if any.

Fee Structure for Visa Extension

-For 15 Days extension: USD 30

-Extra USD 25 for multiple entry.

-USD 5 per day as a late fee after visa expiration.

-For less than 15 Days, USD 3 per day within a valid visa period.

(The procedure will take an hour or two)

What are the procedures for Nepal Visa for Indian Nationals?

Nepal visa isn’t required for the Indian nationals to enter Nepal. However, as per Nepalese Immigration, any Indian nationals visiting Nepal by air must have any one of the following:

-Passport.

-Election Commission Card.

What are the procedures for Nepal Visa for Chinese Nationals?

It is established by the Embassy of Nepal in Bejing, China that Chinese nationals applying for a tourist visa of Nepal are to be provided “Gratis Tourist Visa” since January 5, 2016, from following Nepali missions in China:

-Embassy of Nepal, Bejing

-Honorary Consulate of Nepal, Shanghai

-Consulate General of Nepal, Hong Kong

-Consulate General of Nepal, Lhasa

Important Informations on Nepal Visa Requirements

-Citizens from Ghana, Zimbabwe, Cameroon, Somalia, Liberia, Iraq, Ethiopia, Swaziland, Afganistan, Palestine, and Nigeria need to obtain a visa from Nepal Embassies or Diplomatic Mission of their respective countries. These countries nationals do not get visa on arrival at the immigration entry point of Nepal.

-Officials from China, Thailand, Brazil, and Russia requires no entry visa based on reciprocal visa waiver agreement.

-Immigration Office of Pokhara also provides Tourist Visa extension.

-In case of non-tourist visa, an extension can be done only at the Department of Immigration for a maximum one year except for business visa.