Nepal visa on arrival

The Department of Immigration operates ten entry and exit points, including the airport office at Tribhuvan International Airport, and tourist visas on arrival are issued by the immigration offices at these points. The Immigration Office in Pokhara is an exception: it extends tourist visas and issues trekking permits for restricted areas, but it does not issue visas on arrival. Diplomatic and official passport holders must use designated checkpoints such as Kathmandu airport, Kakarbhitta, Birgunj, Belahiya, Nepalgunj, Mohana, Gaddachowki, Kodari and Rasuwagadhi.

Visas issued at Nepal's entry points are always Tourist Visas; no other category is granted at the border. Holders of any passport may use the visa on arrival except citizens of Nigeria, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Swaziland (Eswatini), Cameroon, Somalia, Liberia, Ethiopia, Iraq, Palestine, Afghanistan and Syria. They must obtain the visa beforehand through a Nepalese embassy or the online mission portal; Afghan citizens can be admitted on arrival only with a Department of Immigration recommendation.

First, complete the arrival card and the online Tourist Visa form. You can submit the form on the Department of Immigration website before travelling or on the kiosk machines in the arrival hall at Tribhuvan International Airport. Print the submission receipt with its barcode; it stays valid for 15 days, so do not fill it in too early.

Second, pay the fee for 15, 30 or 90 days at the bank counter. Several payment methods are accepted, but the Department advises carrying some cash. Third, take the form, the payment receipt and your passport to the immigration desk, where the officer issues the visa sticker and the entry stamp.

The visa runs from the day of entry and allows multiple entries for its duration. If you want to stay longer, request an extension at USD 3 a day (minimum 15 days) before it expires; the overall ceiling is 150 days in the calendar year. Overstaying is fined at USD 5 per day. Keep the payment receipt until you leave, and remember that the visa on arrival is only for tourism; work, study or business activities need the appropriate non-tourist visa from the Department in Kathmandu.