How to Get a Nepal Visa on Arrival: Step by Step Guide

Nepal is relatively straightforward for international visitors who need a tourist visa. The visa is obtained after the person reaches one of the places of immigration entry in Nepal, instead of getting the visa in the Nepalese Embassy before travel, for eligible nationalities. This includes filling out an arrival card and visa application form for tourists, paying the necessary fee and showing immigration officials the appropriate documentation.

If you are aware of what to expect when you get there, you can have a smoother arrival. This guide will cover the Nepal Visa on Arrival, who can apply, the documents needed, the online application process, the Visa Fee and how to pay, immigration, visa extensions and common visa on Arrival mistakes.

The information below is mainly based on the existing information available from Nepal’s Department of Immigration and Nepal Tourism Board.

What Is a Nepal Visa on Arrival?

A Nepal Visa on Arrival is a type of tourist visa given to foreign nationals who meet the eligibility criteria upon entering Nepal at a specific immigration gate. Eligible travellers are able to make the required application and get the visa upon arrival at Nepalese immigration.

Tourists can apply for a visa on arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu. There are also facilities for the issuance of visas at specific land border crossing points. Nepal Tourism Board provides entry points such as Tribhuvan International Airport, Birgunj, Bhairahawa, Nepalgunj, Gaddachowki and Kodari.

The process for most visitors who are eligible is divided into three main stages. You fill out the arrival card and tourist visa form, pay the visa fee and then present your passport and payment documents to the immigration desk.

Who Can Get a Nepal Visa on Arrival?

A majority of foreigners can be granted a Nepal Visa on Arrival; however, there are some exceptions to it. According to the current information from Nepal’s Department of Immigration, citizens of Nigeria, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Swaziland (Eswatini), Cameroon, Somalia, Liberia, Ethiopia, Syria, Iraq, Palestine and Afghanistan are not eligible for a Nepal Visa on Arrival. They have to get a visa from a diplomatic mission of Nepal prior to going on the trip.

Those who are travelling with specific temporary travel documents or emergency passports should also verify their travel documents with Nepal’s diplomatic missions before travelling, as Nepal’s immigration authority has specific rules regarding such travel documents.

Indian citizens do not need a visa to enter Nepal. They can enter Nepal with a valid Indian passport or an Indian voter identity card.

Immigration regulations are subject to change, so travellers should check the latest official information from the Department of Immigration before travelling.

Nepal Visa on Arrival Fees

Currently, Nepal offers three standard tourist visa durations to those who are eligible to get a visa on arrival. The price of a tourist visa is $30, valid for 15 days, $50 for 30 days and $125 for 90 days with multiple entries. The following are the existing fees as published by the Department of Immigration, Government of Nepal.

Days indicate the days allowable to remain in the country from the date of entry. The tourist visa is multiple entry, which can be convenient when traveling multiple times to leave and re-enter Nepal during the visa’s validity period, depending on the immigration rules.

Some travellers are eligible for a free visa which is the visa fee is free. Generally, children under the age of 10 years are eligible for a gratis visa, with U.S. citizens excluded. Citizens of SAARC countries, except Afghanistan, can receive a gratis tourist visa for up to 30 days on their first visit during a visa year. Afghan citizens have a separate arrangement and may receive a gratis visa upon recommendation from the Department of Immigration. Some visa programs for Chinese nationals are free of charge.

Nepal Visa on Arrival Requirements

Please ensure that your passport is in good condition for travel to Nepal. The Department of Immigration website says that the tourist visa must be carried with at least six months of validity remaining and the Immigration Department’s latest instructions say that the ordinary passport must have at least six months remaining.

Your hotel address in Nepal and arrival time and date should be available as well. In the online form, you will need to enter your personal information and passport information exactly as it appears on your passport.

All tourist visa applications or tourist visa application receipts, payment receipt (where applicable) and passport must be presented at immigration at the time of arrival. The online application system also asks applicants to provide a profile photo and passport photo. It is therefore advisable to carry a recent passport-size photograph with a light background as an additional precaution.

The passport is an important factor too. Passports that are handwritten and/or handmade are not accepted for entry into Nepal, according to the Immigration Office at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Nepal.

Step 1: Complete the Nepal Tourist Visa Application

The first and most important step in obtaining a Nepal Visa on Arrival is to fill out a tourist visa application.

An official portal for the Department of Immigration is provided online where travellers can put in their passport number, date of birth, passport issuing country and other information. Department of Immigration’s NepaliPort is the official on-arrival portal.

The online tourist visa form can be completed before the trip. The application can also be completed at Tribhuvan International Airport at kiosks. The Department of Immigration recommends that those who fill out the form online print or save the submission receipt with the barcode. The receipt is good for 15 days only.

Filling the form before your flight may help to save time at the airport, especially during rush hours.

Step 2: Fill in Your Details Carefully

Fill in the application with your name as it is listed in your passport. Some details you will have to provide are your passport number, date of birth, nationality, contact information, travel details, visa period, purpose of your visit and address in Nepal.

Pay special attention to your passport number and personal information. Issues may arise if an immigration officer cross-references the application with the passport due to a simple typing error.

The information about your accommodation is also accurate. When you are staying in a hotel, guesthouse or other registered accommodation, use the registered name and address of the accommodation.

Once the form has been filled out, print and check for errors before submitting. The Department of Immigration makes a specific recommendation to the applicant to make sure they provide accurate information as it relates to their passport, as errors may pose processing issues.

Step 3: Save or Print Your Submission Receipt

Once the application is submitted successfully, keep the confirmation/Submission receipt. The current online system provides a submission record and payment information which can be utilized during the visa process.

The form can be filled out before departing for the trip; a hard copy should be kept on hand as well as a digital copy on your phone. It may also be helpful if you have a weak battery or are unable to check your e-mail or files at the airport.

Complete the form on one of the kiosks after arrival – follow instructions on the kiosk and retain the printed application receipt.

Step 4: Pay the Visa Fee

The next step in the Nepal visa on arrival process is to pay the applicable visa fee.

The standard fees are US$30 for 15 days, US$50 for 30 days and US$125 for 90 days. There are several payment options available in Nepal’s Department of Immigration now, including a bank counter at the airport. Eligible applications can also be paid online via the official payment system.

Despite the fact that there are several ways of payment available, the Department of Immigration recommends that travellers bring some cash along. This is a practical one if, at the time of your arrival, you find that one payment option is not available or you are unable to use it.

If you pay online before arrival, save the successful payment receipt. The official payment system tells travellers to bring the application form along with the receipt of payment to the immigration desk.

Avoid multiple payments for the same application, just because a webpage lags to load. The Department of Immigration explicitly cautions applicants not to pay for two submissions.

Step 5: Go to the Immigration Desk

Once the application is filled out and a fee is paid, go to the immigration desk.

The immigration officer will review your passport, application details and payment receipts at this stage. There may be questions about your travel plans or where you will be staying in Nepal.

The immigration officer can process your entry and can issue the tourist visa. The completion of the online form is not a final determination of eligibility for issuance of a visa. The immigration process at the entry point grants the visa.

Have your passport with you and supporting documents easily accessible. Maintaining control of all elements makes things easier to do.

Step 6: Receive Your Visa and Enter Nepal

After the immigration officer has made the required checks and given his approval, your tourist visa will be issued.

Review the visa details before leaving the immigration area. Ensure that the visa period matches that you’ve requested and ensure that your passport is back with you.

The date of entering Nepal is the starting date of your stay. For tourists who have applied for a 15-day, 30-day, or 90-day tourist visa, please be aware of the end date of their tourist visa or the last date to legally stay in Nepal.

Can You Apply Online Before Arriving in Nepal?

Yes. Nepal’s immigration process has been digitalized, so that tourists can fill out their visa from home. This differs from a visa through a Nepalese Embassy, as the traveller is still following the visa on arrival process and goes through the immigration process in Nepal after arriving.

The Department of Immigration currently has a system in place that allows for online payment as well. On successful completion of the application and payment, the travellers will be able to download or print the payment receipt and submit the necessary documents to immigration.

This can be a helpful choice as it will help to minimize paperwork after landing.

How Long Does the Process Take?

The time required to complete the Nepal Visa on Arrival process varies depending on passenger numbers and queues at the immigration facility. The Department of Immigration estimates that filling out the online application and obtaining the payment receipt takes approximately five minutes. However, the total time at the airport can be longer during busy periods because travellers may need to complete the application, make the payment and wait for immigration processing.

The time it takes to fill out the online application and get the application payment receipt is estimated to be about 5 minutes by the Department of Immigration (DOI) in their online payment manual. This doesn’t mean it will take five minutes to go through the whole airport immigration process.

Queues may be longer during periods of peak travel. So it makes sense to leave plenty of time to connect with any domestic flights after arriving at the airport.

Can You Extend a Nepal Tourist Visa?

Tourist visa extensions can be obtained from the Department of Immigration in Nepal. Tourist visa extensions are processed by the Department of Immigration offices in Kathmandu and Pokhara.

According to the current Department of Immigration information, a tourist visa can be extended up to a maximum total stay of 150 days in a visa year, from January through December. The extension fee is US$45 for the first 15 days and US$3 for each additional day. Additional charges may apply for multiple re entry, late extension or overstaying the permitted period.

Avoid just staying in Nepal after the visa has expired. If a further extension is required, make it through the proper immigration office before the end of the period of your permission.

Important Mistakes to Avoid

One of the most popular misunderstandings is that all foreigners holding a foreign passport get a Nepal Visa on Arrival. Some countries are excluded and one must always check the eligibility before booking or travelling.

One of those errors is setting up the online form with the wrong passport details. Any error, no matter how minor, may cause problems at the immigration check.

It is also important for travellers not to solely depend on a phone for their documentation. It is good to have digital copies of the application and payment receipts, but having printouts is an extra safeguard.

Also, only official websites of the Nepal government should be used for online applications and payments of visas. The Department of Immigration (DoI) of Nepal has issued an advisory against fraudulent websites and unauthorized online visa payment services. For visa applications and payments, use the official Department of Immigration and NepaliPort websites ending in .gov.np.

Final Thoughts

Nepal Visa on Arrival procedure is quite simple for eligible travellers, provided that the necessary information is ready. The steps are as follows: Fill in the tourist visa form, save the receipt you get after submitting the form, pay the necessary visa fee and then head to the immigration counter with the passport and the receipts.

The fees for the tourist visa are US$30 for 15 days, US$50 for 30 days and US$125 for 90 days. Some travellers can enter Nepal without a visa, while others qualify for a gratis tourist visa under specific rules and for some countries, citizens have to apply for a visa before traveling.

The most crucial preparation is to establish your eligibility, make sure your passport is valid for at least six months, fill in the details correctly and submit through the official Department of Immigration site. These are a few things you can do before you travel to Nepal that will help you get there with much ease.

The requirements, fees, eligible nationalities and application process may change, so please visit the official Nepal Department of Immigration website before your trip for the latest information.