Nepal offers 3 visa options, depending on where you can apply: Visa on Arrival, Pre-arrival embassy visa, and E visa. All foreigners must have a visa to enter Nepal, except Indians . A visa on arrival is available at Nepal's international airport. Based on your preferences and suitability, you can go accordingly. Above are all the steps of the visa process, step by step, including other information.
Visa on Arrival (Tourist Visa)
Tourists from most countries can get a multiple-entry tourist visa on arrival. The steps at the airport/land border are:
- Fill out the arrival and visa forms : Complete the immigration “Arrival Card” and the Nepal Tourist Visa application form. (Tip: You can fill out the Tourist Visa form online at Nepal’s Immigration portal before travel to get a barcoded receipt.)
- Pay the fee : Proceed to the airport bank or visa fee counter and pay the required visa fee (see Fees below). Carry cash in a major currency (US dollars preferred). (While some gates now accept credit cards, Nepal’s Immigration guidelines advise payment in cash only.)
- Submit documents : Present your valid passport (≥6 months validity) and passport photo, the completed forms, and the payment receipt to the immigration officer. The officer will process and stamp your visa sticker into your passport.
A typical Nepal tourist visa sticker in a passport, such as a 60-day single-entry visa, is similar to the on-arrival visas issued at immigration entry points. According to the official Nepal Immigration website, the visa-on-arrival process is quick and straightforward, though you may encounter some queues during peak tourist season. To save you time, you can fill out the online form and bring a printed copy with you.
- Passport : Must be valid for ≥6 months at the time of entry and include at least one blank visa page. Indian nationals do not need a visa (they show ID instead).
- Photo : One passport-sized photo (light background) may be required at some counters (and must be attached to the arrival form if not applying online).
- Allowed stay : Visas on arrival are issued in 15-, 30-, or 90-day lengths. The visa is multiple-entry. Total stay on a tourist visa cannot exceed 150 days per calendar year.
Visa Fees (Tourist Visa)
| Days | Price in USD |
|---|---|
| 15 days | $30 |
| 30 days | $50 |
| 90 days | $125 |
The visa fee is the same regardless of the method you use to apply for the visa .
Always carry some cash (USD preferred) — not all counters accept cards.
Required Documents
- Valid passport (at least 6 months validity)
- Printed online visa form receipt (barcode)
- Arrival Card (filled at airport or in advance)
- Visa fee paid receipt
Passport photos are usually not strictly required if you use the online form or kiosks, and modern counters often take a photo digitally at arrival.
Electronic Travel Authorization (E-Visa/ETA)
Nepal has introduced an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) system for tourist visas. An ETA is essentially an e-visa approval that you present upon arrival to get your passport visa stamp. The ETA program (rolled out Aug 2023) works as follows:
- Online Application : Go to the Nepal Department of Immigration’s online visa portal (nepaliport.immigration.gov.np) and complete the Tourist Visa application form. (You can apply up to 6 months before travel.)
- Print Confirmation : Then print the receipt for confirmation, along with the barcode.
- Embassy Submission : Send your passport or deliver it, and they will contact you soon.
- Processing : It might take 1 to 4 working business days
- Presentation : Upon approval, the embassy will issue the ETA and return your passport. When you arrive in Nepal, present the ETA letter at immigration; they will then issue a visa stamp in your passport.
Pre-Arrival Visa via Nepalese Embassy
Please consult the Nepali embassy before applying or travelling . This is mandatory for nationals of certain countries (see Eligibility below). The procedure is:
- Complete Online Form : Fill out the same online visa application form on the Nepal Immigration website and submit .
- Gather Documents : Gather all your documents : passport,photo,visa fee payment receipt, etc., along with a printout of the application .
- Wait for Processing : Embassy processing usually takes a few days. For instance, the Ottawa embassy states it takes 1–4 business days.
- Passport & Visa : The Embassy will return your passport with the visa, the visa sticker, and the visa's validity written on it.
Eligibility by Country (Who Can & Cannot Get On-Arrival)
Most nationalities are eligible for a visa-on-arrival or ETA. Exceptions include:
- Visa-free access : Indian citizens (no visa required); children under 10; South Asian neighbors (Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Pakistan, Sri Lanka) who get a gratis 30-day tourist visa on first entry each year; and Chinese nationals (who are exempt from tourist visa fees). Non-Resident Nepali (NRN) cardholders also receive a free visa.
- Standard on-arrival : Citizens of most other countries pay the normal visa fee and can receive a visa on arrival.
- Special restrictions (must apply in advance) : Nationals of Afghanistan, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Iraq, Liberia, Nigeria, Palestine, Somalia, Swaziland, Syria, and Zimbabwe (and holders of refugee travel documents) cannot get a visa on arrival. These visitors must obtain a Nepal visa from an embassy/diplomatic mission before traveling. (Nepal’s Immigration Dept. publishes this list as a “prohibition” on on-arrival visas.) In practice, applicants from these countries face strict screening and must often provide extra documents.
The rationale is to facilitate tourism while addressing security and diplomatic concerns. Nepal’s policy grants visa privileges to its South Asian neighbors and China (reciprocal arrangements). By contrast, citizens of the excluded countries are presumed to require more vetting and thus need pre-approved visas.
Extending Your Tourist Visa in Nepal
If you wish to stay longer, tourist visas can be extended (before they expire) up to a total of 150 days in a calendar year. To extend:
- Where to apply : The Department of Immigration in Kathmandu is the main office for all visa extensions. Smaller immigration offices (e.g., Pokhara, Kakarvitta, Birgunj, Belahiya) can extend tourist visas and a few other categories of visas. It’s best to visit before your visa expires.
- Extension increments & fees : Extensions are done in 15-day increments. The standard fee is about US$45 for a 15-day extension, plus US$3 for each additional day beyond 15. If you overstay your visa beyond its expiry (without having applied for an extension), you incur a late fine of US$5 per day. For example, a 30-day extension would cost about US$45 + US$3 = US$48 (plus any late fee if already overdue).
- Payment : Extension fees must be paid in cash (US dollars or Nepali rupees). No credit cards or checks are accepted at Immigration.
- Maximum stay : Counting the original visa plus extensions, you may not stay more than 150 days in one calendar year. Exceeding this (or overstaying past your extended visa) can lead to heavy fines, detention, deportation, and a future entry ban.
Note : Keep the extension paperwork with yAccording to the official Nepal Immigration website, extending a tourist visa in Nepal requires a minimum extension of 15 days for a fee of USD 45, with an additional charge of USD 3 per extra day and a late fee of USD 5 per day if the extension is delayed by less than 150 days, so travelers should plan for these requirements when applying for an extension
Visa Fee , Document, and Other Requirements
Talking about documents, travel with a valid passport with at least 6 months of validity, and bring a passport-sized photo if you haven't applied online.
For an arrival visa, you need a visa application printed. For Indian nationals, no visa is required; they need their identity card.
Fees:
- Visa Fee (Tourist Visa) : A 15-day multiple-entry visa will cost US$ 30 ,a 30-day visa will cost US$50, and a 90-day visa will cost US$125. (These were raised in 2019.) The fee is payable at the visa counter on arrival at the airport or at the embassy.
- Gratis Visas : Citizens of Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and China don't need to pay any fee for their 30-day visa, and children under 10 and NRN cardholders don't need to pay.
- Accepted currency : Visa fees are collected in USD (or equivalent in major currencies) at airports and border checkpoints. Some counters also accept euros, GBP, and other currencies. Nepal’s Immigration specifically notes that only foreign currencies are accepted, not Indian or Nepali rupees. ATM and money-exchange services are available at TIA and Tribhuvan Airport.
- Payment method : It is better to carry cash for payment .
Security and other concerns
- Visit Purpose : The visit's purpose should be clear. On a tourist visa, you can't work or do business; for that, a separate visa should be applied for.
- Documentation : Provide authentic documents that are valid, and if you have any sponsors, then submit or show them accordingly
- Overstays & Misuse : Overstaying your visa (beyond any granted extension) triggers fines and legal penalties. Tourists found working illegally face deportation. Police or immigration may detain serious violators. Always obey Nepalese laws and the terms of your visa.
- Transparency : If you don't maintain transparency, and if the visa officer has doubts, then they can deny the visa .
In practice, most tourists with proper documents are granted visas. If a visa is denied at the consulate, you may appeal in writing to the Immigration Director-General. On arrival, a denial would mean you cannot enter and would be sent back.
Other Informations
- e-Visa (ETA) Launch : Nepal has an ETA, so they replaced the handwritten with a print system .
- Revised Visa Fees (2019) : In mid-2019, Nepal raised its tourist visa fees. The current rates ($30/15d, $50/30d, $125/90d) took effect July 17, 2019. Prior rates were $25/15d, $40/30d, $100/90d.
- Gratis Visas : Nepal has continued offering visa-free entry to regional partners. Notably, Chinese citizens are now exempt from all tourist visa fees (in reciprocity with China’s treatment of Nepalis). SAARC nationals still get one free 30-day visa per year.
- Entry Conditions : As of early 2025, Nepalese immigration policy requires that all visitors enter on a tourist visa and convert to another category only if necessary. This underscores the importance of obtaining a tourist visa (via arrival or ETA) as your initial entry permit.