Basic Information about Visa Obtaining Process to travel to Nepal
Tourist Visa
All foreigners, except Indian nationals who are entering through land route into Nepal, must obtain visa to enter into Nepal.
Visitors can apply for visa at this Embassy during working hours of Monday to Friday between 10:00 to 13:00 hours except on public holidays.
Visitors can also get on arrival visa in Nepal upon submission of all the necessary documents and fees.
Nationals from Nigeria, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Swaziland, Cameroon, Somalia, Liberia, Ethiopia, Iraq, Palestine, Afghanistan, Syria and Refugees with Travel document will need to obtain visa from Nepal Embassies or Diplomatic Missions in their respective countries, as they do not get visa on arrival at the immigration entry points of Nepal.
- Visa can be obtained by personally visiting the Embassy or sending documents by mail.
- Visa once issued cannot be withdrawn, visa fee cannot be refunded after visa is issued, and it must be used within six months from the date of issue.
Visa Extension
Tourists can stay for a maximum of 150 days in a visa year (Jan 1 to Dec 31). A tourist visa can be extended up to 120 days from the Department of Immigration in Kathmandu and Pokhara Immigration Office on request. Thereafter an additional 30 days can be extended from Department of Immigration ensuring that tourist visa cannot be extended more than 150 days in a visa year. The extension will cost $3 in equivalent Nepali currency per day.
Late fee for not applying extension in time:-
US$5 in equivalent Nepali currency per day will be fined in addition to regular visa extension fee.
Visa Fees:
For the applicants applying for the first time, the following fee structure will be applicable which may change in accordance with the exchange rate of the currency:
Visa type and duration Fee (SA Rand)
15 days multiple entry: 600/-
30 days multiple entry: 1000/-
90 days multiple entry: 2500/-
Mode of Payment:
Applicants applying from abroad countries and far away Provinces of South Africa are advised to send visa fee as money order or bank transfer to the account of the Embassy of Nepal or as advised by the Embassy upon inquiry. Please contact Embassy for the method and other details for transfer of payment. If two or more applicants are applying together, you may make a single money order multiplying the fee by the number of applicants. Applicants presenting at the Embassy are requested to make payment in cash only.
- Gratis (Free) Visa
Gratis visa eligibility:
· -Children below the age of 10 years are exempt from visa fees but need to take the visa.
- – Dependants up to the age of 16 years, holding foreign passports of Nepali parents or either of their parent being a Nepali citizen.
- – Citizen of Nepali origin, after having obtained passport for the first time from a Nepal based foreign mission, until the period of his departure to a foreign country.
- – Citizens of other member countries of South Asian association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).
- For first visit in one visa year (January to December), gratis visa for 30 days is available only for nationals of South Asian countries like Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka if they are not entering into Nepal from third country.
- However, visa can be extended from the Immigration Department
- Indian nationals do not require visa to enter into Nepal.
Documents required for a visa:
– Duly filled in visa application form
– Original passport with a minimum of 6 months validity
– Two recent passport size colour photographs
– Visa fee (either cash or if through bank proof of payment)
Diplomatic Visa
Eligibility: Diplomatic Passport holders and their family members.
Diplomatic visa is issued by the Embassy free of cost upon receipt of the official request Note/letter from the respective Foreign Ministry/ Department of International Relations/ Mission along with the original and copy of the passport, a copy of duly filled-in visa application form with two recent photographs.
Official Visa
The Embassy also issues Official visas upon receipt of the request through the concerned Diplomatic Mission or Foreign Ministry/Department of International Relations along with original passport and duly filled in application form with two recent passport size photograph affixed on it. The following officials are eligible for official gratis visa:
– Administrative and technical staff of diplomatic missions accredited to Nepal and sitting Honorary Consuls/Consul Generals of Nepal;
– Advisors and experts working in Nepal under an official agreement with the Government of Nepal;
– UN officials and Laisses passers holders;
– Officials working in the international / regional organizations located in Nepal;
– Persons visiting Nepal to attend meeting, conference etc. at the invitation of the Government of Nepal, other Government owned bodies, UNO, ROs and their subsidiary organizations; and
– Official passport holders visiting Nepal for particular official business.
Visa application submission:
Applicants applying for visa from nearby areas from the Embassy or sending application through tour or travel agency can submit their applications, passport and visa fee at the Embassy. Applicants applying from abroad countries or far away provinces of South Africa are advised to send their application and passport/s through a reliable courier service providers with advance payment in order to return passport/s after issuing the visa. The regular postal service may take longer time to deliver application and passports. Therefore, we strongly advise all the applicants to contact the reliable courier service provider companies or institutions of any kind of express mail to return passport/s with advance payment for drop off and collect passports with visas.
We take no responsibility of any undelivered passport/s or delay in delivery once they are handed over to the applicant-designated courier service provider from the Embassy.
Visa issuance:
If further verification is not required, the visa will be issued on the same day on which the application is received.
Issued visa once issued cannot be withdrawn, visa fee cannot be refunded after the visa is issued, and a visa should be used within six months from the date of issuance.
Tourists carrying more than US$ 2000 or equivalent foreign currency are requested to declare in the Customs Declaration Form at the time of arrival in Nepal. Those exiting Nepal border undeclared amount of foreign currency exceeding above-mentioned amount may be taken action in accordance with Foreign Exchange Rules and Regulations of Nepal.
Tourists traveling by land route are advised to be in possession of valid passage carnet along with the vehicle.
Note: Travel Document holders are required to contact the Embassy before sending their documents.
On Arrival Visa in Nepal
Visa can be obtained on arrival at the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), Kathmandu, Nepal on arrival.
However, the nationals of Nigeria, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Swaziland, Cameroon, Somalia, Liberia, Ethiopia, Iraq, Palestine and Afghanistan need to take visa prior to travelling to Nepal from the nearest and accredited Nepali missions. For this purpose, once visa application is obtained at the Embassy, the Embassy will inform the applicants after getting necessary approval of the relevant authorities of Nepal.
Tourist visas to the foreigners, except the above countries who are not issued on arrival visas to enter into Nepal, are issued by the Embassies or the Immigration Offices located at various entry points (Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu; Jogbani (Biratnagar); Birgunj (Raxaul); Bhairahawa (Sunauli) and Kakarbhitta (Panitanki) in Nepal-India border and Kodari in Nepal-China border) in Nepal.
At TIA, visa can be obtained only through payment of cash in the following currency: Euro, Swiss Franc, Pound Sterling, US Dollar, Australian Dollar, Canadian Dollar, Hong Kong Dollar, Singapore Dollar and Japanese Yen. Credit card, Indian currency and Nepali currency are not accepted as payment of visa fee.
Visa Facility Duration Fee
Multiple entry 15 days US$ 30 or equivalent convertible currency
Multiple entry 30 days US$ 50 or equivalent convertible currency
Multiple entry 90 days US$ 125 or equivalent convertible currency
The following categories of visas could be issued by the Department of Immigration in Nepal:
Student Visa
Eligibility: Students-Research Scholars, Teachers and their family members. Requirement: Recommendation letter from the Ministry of Education, work Permit for Teachers. Bank Balance certificate, Seven copies application forms with photographs. Duration: Up to one year, however, it can be extended. Issuing Authority: Director General, Department of Immigration.
NRN Visa
The Nepali Missions abroad or the Director General of the Department of Immigration can issue NRN visa for an initial period with the approval of the Ministry of Home Affairs. Interim (Transit) Visa Immigration Officer is allowed to issue an interim (transit) visa to any foreign national who needs to spend a night in Nepal before traveling to a third country or to any passenger of an aircraft that has made an emergency landing at Nepali airport. Such a visa will be valid for one day.
Non-Tourist Visa
Eligibility: Foreigners, involved in Nepal Government approved economic and social development works. Foreigners, involved in institutions managed by foreign missions. Journalists. Servants of diplomatic /officials visa holders.
Employees, involved in firms/companies/institutions/airlines/industries or business sectors. Foreign Passport holders Nepali origin. Foreigners involved in works under the agreements for government and NGOs. Foreigners married to Nepali citizen. Foreigners, involved in the feasibility study of industry or export promotion business ( for 6 month only) Leader of group tourist ( Tourism promoter)
Requirements:
Recommendation from the concerned Ministry or Department. Work permit (for employees) Seven copies application with photographs. Marriage certificate Press pass for journalists. Duration: Up to one year, however, it can be extended.
Business Visa
Eligibility: Foreign Investors or their authorized agents and their family members. Investors in export business and their family members. Requirements: Certificate of authority. Recommendation from the concerned Ministry/Department. Seven copies of application forms with photographs. A copy of passport including the last Nepali visa.
Residential Visa
Eligibility: Renowned international personalities. Foreigners, providing special contribution to the economic, social and cultural development of Nepal Foreign passport holder of Nepali origin. Investors who invest minimum of 1 million US$ at one time on the Industrial sector. Foreigners, interested to settle in Nepal without doing any business. Requirements: Seven copies of application forms with photographs. A copy of passport. A copy of the last Nepali visa (if have stayed in Nepal). Bank balance or statement equivalent to US$ 20,000.00 per year (only for those foreigners who are interested to settle down in Nepal, but are not engaged in any type of business).
Application can be submitted to: Nepali Mission/ Department of Immigration. Issuing Authority: Ministry of Home, Government of Nepal Renewal authority: The Department of Immigration. Fee: Issuance fee (with multiple entry facilities) US$ 700. Renewal fee (with multiple entry facilities) US$1200 per year.
For more information on visa and other related information please contact:
Embassy of Nepal
976 Francis Baard Street
Arcadia, Pretoria 0083
Tel: (+27) 01234 27546, Fax: 01234 23619,
email: eonpretoria@mofa.gov.np
Or
Department of Immigration
Kalikasthan, Dillibazar, Kathmandu.
Tel : 977 – 01 – 4429659 / 4429660 4438862 / 4438868
Fax : 977 – 01 – 4433935/ 4433934
Email: mail@nepalimmigration.gov.np
Web: http://www.nepalimmigration.gov.np/
Download:
1. Updated Consular and Visa Fees
2. Visa Information Update
3. Visa Application
4. Medical Certificate
