Nepal is a beautiful country with mountains, cultures, and adventure. You might have seen them in pictures and dreamed of visiting Nepal. But here’s the thing, you can’t just show up randomly in Nepal. You need a Nepal visa, even for shorter trips, too. Without a Nepal visa, you can not cross nepal border. So it is most important.
Most travelers get a Nepal visa on arrival. It is super easy, but if you miss a form or forget a you passport size photo, it suddenly becomes a headache. That’s why knowing the Nepal visa requirements before you fly saves time, money, and stress.
In this guide, on Nepal Visa Information, everything is mentioned that can help you with the Nepal Visa. This blog includes Visa types, fees, documents, and how to apply all in one. No boring rules are included here, just straight-up information. So you can get your Nepal visa easily.
Types of Nepal Visa
If you’re traveling to Nepal, you need to pick the right visa. Below, information is given about every type of visa in Nepal.
- Tourist Visa: Most travelers take this visa for short trips, trekking, sightseeing, and also for family visits. You can get this visa for 15 days, 30 days, or 90 days. This visa can be extended inside Nepal.
- Business Visa: If you have any kind of work, meetings, or investing, then you can apply for a Business Visa. It has a longer duration. Sometimes up to 5 years too. For this visa you must show business papers or a local partner recommendation. This is not for casual tourists.
- Student Visa: If you are planning to study in Nepal or conduct research, then a student visa is best for you. For this visa admission letter from a recognized school or university is a must, and the visa is valid for your study period. An easy extension can be done if the course is long.
- Non-Tourist Visa: This is a visa for work, such as volunteering, NGO work, media, and special assignments. This visa has strict rules, so you’ll need heavy documents.
- SAARC / Special Nationals: Some neighboring countries get free visas. But this visa is for a limited time only.
- Tip: Most people just get a Nepal tourist visa on arrival. The process is simple and quick.
How to Apply for a Nepal Visa
Getting a visa in Nepal is not that hard. But knowing this helps you even more. Here’s a process through which you can apply for a visa for Nepal.
- Use the Official Online Portal: You can apply your Nepal visa online at https://nepaliport.immigration.gov.np/. This is the official portal run by Nepal Immigration for visa applications, including pre-arrival forms. Fill in your personal details, hit the submit, and print it.
- Fill out online Before You Fly: Some travelers like to fill out the online visa form before departure. You’ll see a confirmation slip/receipt and bring it with you. It doesn’t automatically give you a visa, but it speeds things up when you arrive in airport.
- At the Airport (Visa on Arrival): If you didn’t pre-apply for visa then you don’t have to stress because you can still fill out the visa form on a kiosk at Tribhuvan International Airport or other entry points. You need to pay and get stamped.
- At a Nepal Embassy or Consulate: If you are planning to stay is longer for business, student, or official purposes, apply through the online portal and submit the printed form with required documents at the embassy before travel.
Quick Tips
- Print your online visa confirmation and save it on your phone too.
- Some travelers say the online form sometimes lags, so keep calm if the system gets slow because you can always finish visa-related work at the airport.
- Be aware of other e-visa sites. The official portal is the one run by Nepal Immigration (nepaliport.immigration.gov.np).
Required Documents for Nepal Visa
There is no big paperwork for a Nepal Visa but there are some things that you must not miss. Immigration is don’t done without these documents. They are:
- Valid Passport: It must be valid for at least 6 months. Blank pages are needed in the passport.
- Passport-Size Photo: One recent photo with a clear face. White background in the photo works best.
- Completed Visa Application Form: A visa application form is needed, which can be filled out online or at the airport kiosk. If you filled it out online before you fly, bring the printout or screenshot.
- Visa Fee Payment: Cash in USD is safest. Cards work at major airports, but systems might fail sometimes.
- Travel Details: Details of your travel, like arrival date and duration of stay, where you’re staying, and hotel name or trekking plan helps the most.
- Tip: For most travelers applying for a Nepal tourist visa on arrival, these documents are enough.
Visa Extension in Nepal
If your plan changed and you decide to stay in Nepal for a longer time, you can also extend your Nepal tourist visa easily. Here’s the information for the visa extension:
Where to Extend?
You can visit the Immigration Office in Kathmandu or Pokhara to extend your visa. You can do it yourself, too.
Who Can Extend?
Mostly, tourist visa holders can extend their visa. Other visa types follow different rules.
What is the cost of the extension?
The cost of the extension of a visa is around USD 3 per day. Minimum extension is usually 15 days. Payment can be done in USD or local currency.
How Long Can You Stay?
You can stay in Nepal for a maximum of 150 days in one visa year. After that, you must leave Nepal.
What You Need for a visa extension?
You’ll need a passport, a visa extension form, a photo, an extension fee, and sometimes your hotel details too.
Nepal Visa Information for SAARC & Special Nationalities
Not everyone follows the same visa rule in Nepal. Nepal keeps it a little different here for some countries.
- SAARC Nationals: Citizens from some SAARC countries get a free Nepal visa for limited number of days, but conditions apply here. You need to check before flying because rules change.
- Indian Citizens: No visa needed for Indian citizens. An Indian passport or a valid ID is enough to enter Nepal. It is easy, smooth, and long stays are allowed.
- Special Nationalities: A few countries cannot get a Nepal visa on arrival. They must apply in advance through a Nepalese embassy or consulate because there are no exceptions at the airport.
Common Mistakes to Avoid during the Nepal Visa
Most visa problems come with small mistakes, but these are easy to avoid if you know them.
- If the Passport Validity is too short and less than 6 months left, then a big problem might occur because immigration won’t change the rules.
- Thinking Online Form Is the Visa: No online form is a visa. Filling out online doesn’t mean approval. You’ll get the visa on arrival in airport.
- Choosing the Wrong Visa Type: This is a big mistake. For example, you are trekking on a business visa but volunteering on a tourist visa, then this is not a smart move. You need to pick correctly.
- Overstaying than your Visa: Even one extra day counts in Nepal. If you overstay than your visa date, then you need to pay fines.
- Not Carrying Cash for Visa Fees: Cards fail sometimes because systems go down. Cash in USD might help you.
- Last-Minute Extensions: If you want to stay extra days in Nepal, then extend your stay early because immigration offices close on holidays, and you might pay a fine.
Final Thoughts on Nepal Visa Information
Getting a Nepal visa is easy if you know the steps. Online form or visa on arrival both work here. You need to pick the right visa type. Carry your passport, photo, and fees. You can also extend if you want to stay longer in Nepal.
Nepal welcomes travelers from around the world. Mountains, culture, and adventure of Nepal is all waiting. But skipping visa preparation is a big headache. Follow the rules mentioned in this blog avoid common mistakes. And you’ll have a smooth entry to Nepal. Remember to check SAARC rules, keep documents ready, and use the official portal (https://nepaliport.immigration.gov.np/) for online forms. It is quick, simple, and safe. If you want to know any other information related to the Nepal visa, you can also feel free to contact Himalayan Partner anytime.
