Heading to Nepal? Everyone needs a visa (except Indian nationals), but luckily it’s an easy process. Here’s the latest information on obtaining a tourist visa and how it works for visa-on-arrival (the easiest way to get your tourist visa).

Getting Your Visa-On-Arrival

In the arrivals hall, you’ll find electronic kiosks that read your passport, take your photo, and print out a completed form. Take your completed form to the payment counter where you'll pay for your visa, and then head to the immigration line for "Visa on Arrival".

Be sure to have the following items handy:

  • Cash to pay the visa fee (preferably USD, especially at land crossings, but you can also pay with EUR, CHF, GBP, AUD, CAD, HKD, SGD, and JPY);
  • A passport that is valid for at least six months.
  • Note that the following nationalities cannot obtain a visa-on-arrival: AFG, IRQ, CMR, GHA, SOM, SWZ, PSE, ZWE, NGA, ETH, and LBR.

Expert tips

Fill out your disembarkation card on the plane so you can quickly move through the queue in the arrivals’ lounge. Also, completing the visa form online prior to arrival should also save some time as there's a limited number of electronic kiosks. Finally, ask your hotel or kimkim specialist for the best address details as this information is often not easy to find.

Getting Your Visa Online

Since 2014, you can apply for a tourist visa online within 15 days of your date of arrival in Nepal. You’ll need the address of your hotel and a recent digital version of a passport-sized photo that you can upload to the application. Once you’ve submitted the form, print out the confirmation receipt and show this to the Immigration officer upon arrival along with your passport and the proper amount to pay for your visa.

To apply online, click here: http://online.nepalimmigration.gov.np/tourist-visa

Getting Your Visa at a Nepali Embassy

Prior to departing your home country, you can apply for a Nepali visa at the local Nepali Embassy or by mailing your application to them well in advance. 

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Getting Your Visa at a Land Border Crossing

There are also Immigration Offices at all of the land border crossings that are open to foreigners. You'll be able to apply and receive a visa at these border crossing, as well. 

Price & Duration

There are three options for the length of a tourist visa (for nationals of SAARC countries, the first 30 days is free):

Duration of Stay Price
15 days $30 USD
30 days $50 USD
90 days $125 USD
Multiple-entry $25 USD (Useful for going back-and-forth between Tibet & India)

Extending Your Visa

You can extend your Nepal visa for up to 150 days at the Immigration Department in Kathmandu or Pokhara. It costs $30 for 15 days and $2 per day after that. Usually, the turn-around is the same day, and you’ll need to submit your passport, extension fee, one photo, and the application extension form to complete the process.

Additional Expert Tips

  • It’s a good idea to bring 4-5 passport photos from home as they come in handy for official documents or purchasing sim cards;
  • Kathmandu's airport has bank counters where you can exchange currencies;
  • Having a couple photocopies of your passport is always handy while traveling;
  • While there are various payment methods now available in the airport along with the visa application kiosks, malfunctions can occur and we strongly recommend that you carry the correct money (US$ is recommended) and a passport photo with you just in case.