A passport should be valid for at least six months, undamaged and available throughout the stay. Handwritten passports are not accepted at Gautam Buddha International Airport (GBIA). Keep the destination address or hotel details consistent in the electronic travel authorization (ETA), accommodation records and visa documents. Save passport copies, visa documents, accommodation evidence, payment records and travel details offline. Use only official .gov.np portals because Nepal's Department of Immigration warns about fraudulent websites and unauthorized visa payments. Visa options include a tourist visa on arrival, an ETA or eVisa through NepaliPort, and a visa issued by a Nepali mission. A mission-issued visa must normally be used within six months of its issue date. Some nationalities cannot obtain a visa on arrival, including citizens of Afghanistan, Nigeria, Cameroon, Iraq, Palestine, Somalia, Syria, Ethiopia, Ghana, Zimbabwe and Liberia. Since 2026, holders of ordinary Iranian passports require a visa arranged before travel. Indian citizens enter without a visa. A person using an NRN Card or citizenship documentation may qualify for a free NRN or tourist visa, but the stay still requires the appropriate category for that status. Tourist visas cost USD 30 for 15 days, USD 50 for 30 days or USD 125 for 90 days. The stay period begins on the entry date. A tourist visa can be extended in Nepal up to a total of 150 days in the visa year through the Department of Immigration in Kathmandu or Pokhara. The extension fee is USD 3 per day and normally covers at least 15 days. Overstaying costs USD 5 per day. Re-entry permission costs an additional USD 20 for single re-entry or USD 60 for multiple re-entry. At an airport, complete the Arrival Card and the online tourist visa form before travel or at a kiosk at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA). Print or save the barcode receipt, which is valid for 15 days, and keep the passport, form or receipt and payment evidence ready for the immigration desk. Visa fees may be paid at a bank counter or online by card, but carrying cash remains useful. International entry is available at TIA, GBIA, Pokhara International Airport and designated land points. Land crossings with India include Kakarbhitta, Birgunj, Belahiya, Nepalgunj, Dhangadi and Gaddachauki; Tatopani is a designated crossing with China. Customs rules apply to private-use goods and quantity limits. Declare goods that require declaration or exceed permitted quantities; customs may require a deposit or may seize undeclared or excessive goods. At TIA, passengers leave through the Arrival Hall after collecting baggage and can continue by taxi, private vehicle or city bus. The international and domestic areas are about 500 metres apart, with a free shuttle operating approximately every 20 minutes. The Department of Immigration can issue arrival certification when a formal record is needed. The application may require the passport, application, ticket, latest departure stamp, boarding pass and manifest, with a fee equivalent to USD 2. An application submitted before 13:00 can be processed the same day; later applications are handled the next day before 12:00. Secure the first night and the first address before travel where possible. Carry the passport, visa and entry stamp or receipt during the stay, as recommended by the Department of Immigration. The reviewed official material does not establish a nationwide duty for every foreign national to register personally with a local municipality after arrival. Instead, the Foreign Nationals Management Information System (FNMIS) records stay information through hotels, travel agencies, transport companies and other providers. Its rollout began with Kathmandu Valley star hotels and expanded in stages to hotels and guesthouses, airlines, travel and tour companies, money exchanges and other private or public providers. A provider's reporting duty is not the same as a general individual registration duty. A tourist visa does not authorize employment. A working visa generally requires a line-ministry recommendation, labour permit or work agreement and employer documents. A study visa requires a Ministry of Education recommendation, admission receipt, bank evidence, passport and current visa. A business visa may require recommendations from the Department of Immigration or industry authorities together with foreign-investment, company, PAN, VAT or industry documents. A relationship or marriage visa may require relationship or marriage documents from the local body. A residential visa can depend on international reputation or outstanding contribution, an investment of at least USD 100,000, or a non-business retirement or residence basis. One non-business category typically requires age 60 or retirement, bank funds of USD 20,000, annual income of at least USD 20,000, a Character Certificate, an Embassy no-objection certificate and a Tribhuvan University health certificate. The listed residential visa fees are USD 700 for a new application and USD 1,200 for renewal, with processing on the next day after Home Ministry approval. Clarify the correct category with the Department of Immigration before the current permission expires. Nepal.gov.np provides a central service finder for immigration, health, tax and PAN services, local services, water and electricity. Eligibility and responsibility differ by local level. The Department of Immigration and Ministry of Home Affairs handle entry and status matters; Nepali missions and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs handle visas arranged before travel; customs authorities under the Ministry of Finance handle goods; and airport immigration offices handle airport entry. Ward offices and local bodies issue only purpose-specific documents. Police can be reached at 100, Tourist Police at 1144, Traffic Police at 103 and ambulance services at 102. Tourist Police provide tourism-related advice and safety assistance, while general police matters belong with 100. Access to health care and transport varies by region, and no single nationwide emergency number has been established in the reviewed material.
Arrival in Nepal
Arriving in Nepal requires valid travel documents, the correct visa arrangement and a confirmed first address. Immigration records entry through airports and designated land points, while hotels and other providers may record foreign-national stay data. Nepal has no evidenced nationwide personal registration procedure for every new arrival, so the first practical priorities are immigration compliance, secure accommodation, emergency access and essential services.
Tip
Treat arrival in Nepal as a document, visa and first-settlement checkpoint rather than a single registration appointment. Choose the visa path that matches your nationality and purpose, secure a consistent first address, and keep offline copies, payment evidence and cash available. Do not assume provider reporting through FNMIS replaces personal compliance or that a tourist visa permits work, study or business activity.