Is passport required for Nepal?

If you are travelling to Nepal and wondering: is  passport required for Nepal, then the simple and short answer for you is: yes, a passport and visa are necessary to enter Nepal for most international travellers. A valid passport is mandatory for your entry unless you are an Indian national.

Nepal welcomes millions of international travellers every year, and the actual entry requirements for travellers to Nepal vary by their nationality. In this blog, we give you full information on things like: Is passport required for Nepal? Can you hold two valid passports from two different countries while travelling to Nepal? What to do in case of lost or stolen passport in Nepal? Is a transit visa required for a layover in Nepal? As well as everything else related to passport requirement for Nepal

Details you should know before visiting Nepal

Passport requirements for all travellers, do I need a separate passport to travel to Nepal?

All travellers entering Nepal (except Indian nationals) must have a valid passport that meets all of the following requirements at a minimum:

• Your passport must be valid for at least six more months from the date of your entry into Nepal.
• You need one to two blank pages in your passport for immigration stamps in Nepal. Pages labelled ‘endorsements’ will work for these, but please note that pages labelled as ‘amendments’ cannot be used.
• The passport must not have torn pages, water damage, or other physical damage that will make the immigration officers here question its authenticity and legitimacy.

These requirements must be met regardless of whether you are getting here by air or by land. They also apply whether you are obtaining a visa on arrival or have a pre-approved visa. Here is a complete description of tourist visa requirements in Nepal.

The India exception and special provision for SAARC Nations

Indian citizens do not need a passport or a visa to enter Nepal, regardless of if they arrive by air or by road. This exemption is a result of a long-standing open border agreement between the two countries.

The only thing Indian nationals have to produce for entry into Nepal is legitimate documentation that can prove their Indian nationality. This can still be a valid national passport or an Election ID card issued by the Election Commission of India–anything that was issued by the government and can prove that you are indeed a citizen.

The India exception and special provision for SAARC Nations

As for minors (children below 18 years) travelling with parents, they need to show their birth certificate or school identity card. 

Citizens of SAARC countries–which are Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka–also need a visa to enter Nepal. But the good thing here is that they are eligible for a gratis (free) tourist visa for up to 30 days only for the first entry in a visa year (January to December).

It applies to SAARC citizens obtaining a visa on arrival, but for longer stays, you have to pay the standard visa fees.

The one exception here is Afghanistan, as Afghan citizens are not eligible for the free SAARC visa.

Passport validity rules by country of origin

The standard requirement for a passport to be legitimate in Nepal is that your passport must be valid for at least six months from the date of arrival in Nepal. This is for all foreign nationals, except Indian citizens.

Passport Validity rules of 6 months

This six-month validity is strictly enforced by airlines and immigration officers as well as offices, so if your passport expires sooner than this (from your arrival date), you can even be denied boarding onto your flight by your airline before you even leave for Nepal.

The exceptions to this are, of course, Indian nationals who don’t need to carry a passport when they enter Nepal (both by air and by road). As such, if an Indian traveller carries a passport for identification reasons, the six-month validity rule does not apply to them because the passport is not mandatory in the first place.

Unlike some countries that accept three months of passport validity for a handful of nationalities, Nepal maintains the six-month requirement consistently for all foreign passport holders. So, there are no exceptions for shorter validity of passports in Nepal.

Lastly, we advise you that before purchasing flights or making travel arrangements to Nepal, please verify that your passport expiration date is at least six months beyond your planned arrival date. If it is not, please renew your passport before travelling to Nepal for a smooth experience here.

Understanding Visa on Arrival, e-Visa, and eTA

You can get either a Visa on Arrival, an e-Visa, or an Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA) when coming to Nepal. While all three serve the same purpose, there are differences between them.

When we say e-Visa, Nepal does not really issue a traditional e-Visa that you get in countries like Turkey or India, where the entire visa process is online Nepal Touris Visa Form, i.e., you pay fully online and get a final visa document before your departure.

The physical visa (which is a stamp or sticker in your passport) is always issued when you actually arrive in Nepal. This can be via the Tribhuvan International Airport or when you cross a land border to get here. What travellers can do online in advance is complete the pre-registration form, which speeds up this process when you get here.

Visa on Arrival

Visa on Arrival is the standard way for most foreign nationals to obtain a tourist visa for Nepal. It is available at Tribhuvan International Airport and many land border crossings, including Kakarvitta, Birganj, Belahia (Bhairahawa), Jamunaha (Nepalgunj), Mohana (Dhangadhi), and Gadda Chauki (Mahendranagar).

The process you have to follow upon arrival is:

• You should complete the online Tourist Visa form from the Department of Immigration website (or use the kiosk machines at the airport)
• Then you pay the fee in cash (USD is recommended) at the bank counter there
• Then move to the immigration desk with your form, payment receipt, and passport
• You receive the visa stamp there and can now enter Nepal legally.

The processing time for this can take between 20 minutes and an hour. This depends on the season and the length of the queue. The queues are longer during the months of October and November, which are the peak trekking seasons here.

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Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA)

The Government of Nepal introduced the Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA) in 2024 to replace physical visa stickers and handwritten visas for those who were applying through the Nepali diplomatic missions abroad.

The eTA is not a separate type of visa but rather an electronic authorisation that is issued by a Nepali embassy or consulate before you travel to Nepal.

Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA)

Travellers who get an eTA still need to receive their physical visa stamps on their passports upon arriving in Nepal. The eTA is just proof that your visa has already been approved and you have paid for it in advance.

It also speeds up your process of getting the stamps when you get here.

Features of eTA:

• It is issued by Nepali diplomatic missions (not directly from the online portal alone)
• Its processing usually takes about two working days 
• It is valid for your entry into Nepal for six months from the date of its issue
• You need to upload a recent passport-size photo and a copy of your passport. The file size should not exceed 4 MB.

When to apply for an eTA:

• If you want to avoid long queues at the airport when you get to Nepal. This is especially during the peak trekking seasons here
• If you prefer to secure your visa before departure instead of leaving it as a task to do when you get here
• If you want to reassure your airline at check-in that you have already secured your visa. This avoids any unnecessary mishaps

The online pre-registration is not an e-Visa

If you search for information on Nepal visa online, many sources call the online pre-registration system an ‘e-Visa’ and don’t explain it further. This is technically incorrect. 

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1. You complete the online Tourist Visa form
2. Then you print the barcode receipt
3. Remember to bring this receipt when you travel to Nepal
4. Pay the fee and get your visa stamp on arrival to Nepal.

Please note that the barcode receipt that is generated from this online form is valid only for 15 day. If you do not travel within these 15 days of completing the form, you have to submit a new application.

The common misconception about the Nepal visa

By now, you should be clear on the fact that Nepal does not have a fully online e-Visa. If you see websites offering a ‘Nepal e-Visa’, they are providing one of two services. Either help with the online pre-registration form or they are processing an eTA through a Nepali consulate.

The term ‘Nepal e-Visa’ can be a little misleading because the physical visa is always issued when you arrive on Nepali soil.

Which one should you choose?

With so many ways to get your visa for Nepal, you may be confused about which one is for you. Don’t worry, we have you covered. For most travellers, the approach we recommended is:

1. You should complete the online pre-registration form before your departure
2. Print the barcode receipt and bring it with you here
3. Remember to carry USD cash for payment
4. Lastly, show the receipt and get the visa stamped onto your passport on arrival in Nepal

This way, you minimise your waiting time for the stamp when you get here and also avoid the additional steps and fees of obtaining an eTA through an embassy.

However, if you prefer to be sure of your visa approval before you depart and are willing to pay a bit of higher fee, then you should apply for an eTA through the Nepali diplomatic mission nearest to you.

We have covered the details of getting a visa in Nepal before, too.

More on Visa on Arrival

Most nationals of Western countries, including the US, Canada, Australia, and EU nations, are eligible for a Visa on Arrival in Nepal.

This includes all European Union nations, the USA, the UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Mexico, Turkey, Brazil, South Korea, Japan, Argentina, Russia, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Chile, among others.

At the moment, citizens of the following countries are the only ones who compulsorily need to get a visa from a Nepali embassy or consulate before they travel: 

1. Afghanistan
2. Cameroon
3. Ethiopia
4. Ghana
5. Iraq
6. Liberia
7. Nigeria
8. Palestine
9. Somalia
10. Swaziland
11. Zimbabwe
12. Syria
13. Islamic Republic of Iran

Countries are the only ones that compulsorily need to get a visa from a Nepali embassy

Visa fees in USD

Payment Methods, Photos, and Visa extension

You can pay with cash (USD or other major currencies) or credit/debit cards for your Visa on Arrival. While card machines are available at Tribhuvan International Airport, they may not be available at land borders. So we recommend that you carry USD cash for your own ease for land entries.

You also need to submit two passport-sized photographs for the stamp on your passport. For those who run out of their photos, on-site photo services are available at the airport for a small fee. However, bringing your own photos is always the better option as it is more reliable and also saves your time.

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The extension cost you will have to pay is $3 per day for the first 30 days of extension, plus an additional $2 per day tourist fee afterwards.

Passport damage and what counts as unacceptable

Nepal immigration will not accept passports that are damaged. This will apply to you, especially if your passport is found torn, soaked, or damaged. 

These conditions render a passport unacceptable for entry into Nepal.

If your passport has any of these categories of damage, you can be denied entry at the airport or land border of Nepal. To avoid this situation, you will need to get a new passport from your country’s passport issuing authority before travelling to Nepal.

For Nepali citizens, on the other hand, a new ordinary passport can be issued if the one you have right now has become unreadable because it is too old or has become damaged or torn. Please note that damaged passports cannot be renewed and require a fresh application.

Lost or stolen passport in Nepal

If your passport is lost or stolen while you are in Nepal, we advise you to take the following steps immediately.

Lost or Stolen Passport?

Step 1: File a police report

You should report the loss or theft to the nearest local police station as soon as you find out about it. Get a written police report there because this document is required to replace your passport through your embassy and obtain a replacement visa from the Department of Immigration in Nepal.

If you believe your passport was lost at a specific location (hotel, airport, bus station, restaurant), please report the loss there as well–it might help you find it.

Step 2: Contact your embassy or consulate

Once you are done filing the police report, you should immediately contact your country’s embassy or consulate in Kathmandu, then apply for a replacement passport.

The processing time of this varies by nationality. For urgent travel needs, some embassies also issue an emergency travel document that is valid only for a quick return to your home country.

Step 3: Apply for a Replacement Visa

Once you receive your new passport from your embassy, you must have your Nepali visa transferred to the new passport. This is done through the office of the Department of Immigration of Nepal in Kathmandu.

For this, you will need to present the police report from earlier, your new passport, and any available copies of your lost/stolen passport if you have them.

Things to keep in mind

• You cannot simply obtain another visa-on-arrival stamp after losing your passport. For this, you have to go through the proper channels again with the Department of Immigration.
• One tip for you is that, before travelling, make a photocopy of your passport’s photo page and keep it separate from your passport. You could also email a digital copy of it to yourself. This helps your embassy verify your identity and citizenship more quickly.

Passport renewal while in Nepal

Whether or not you can renew your passport while in Nepal depends completely on your country of citizenship. The one thing that is the same for everyone is that foreign nationals cannot renew their passport through the Nepali authorities. You have to contact your own country’s embassy or consulate in Kathmandu for this.

Most embassies in Kathmandu do have passport renewal services for their citizens. The processing times again vary a lot by nationality. 

You will generally need to submit your current passport (if it ia not lost or stolen), passport photos that meet your country’s specifications, the completed renewal application form from your embassy and finally the payment for renewal fees.

Please contact your embassy directly for more specific requirements, information on processing times, and the exact appointment procedures you will have to follow.

A passport with less than 6 months’ validity

You will not be allowed to enter Nepal with a passport having less than 6 months of validity from the date of your arrival in the country.

This rule applies to all foreign nationals (except, of course, Indian citizens, who are not required to carry a passport at all) and is enforced by both the airlines and the Nepali immigration authorities, who check your passport dates.

If your passport has less than six months’ validity, your airline may deny you boarding the plane, and the immigration officers in Nepal will deny you entry. You could be returned to your home country, too.

Please note that handwritten and manual passports that were issued before 2001 will also not be valid for travel to Nepal, regardless of the validity period mentioned there.

Children’s passports and second or dual passports

Children need their own personal passport to enter Nepal. Every child, regardless of age, must have their own valid passport, and the six-month validity rule applies to children’s passports just like it does to adult passports.

The Indian exception applies here too, as Indian minors who do not have a passport can enter Nepal simply by showing their birth registration certificate.

As for second passports and dual nationals, Nepal does not recognise dual citizenship for its own citizens under the Citizenship Act and the Constitution of Nepal.

Nepal also has a Non-Residential Nepali (NRN) visa and identity card for foreign citizens of Nepali origin, which gives some economic, social, and cultural rights in the country, but this does not equal citizenship or the right to use a Nepali passport. 

Visa on Arrival

Please note that NRNs are still required to obtain a visa to travel to Nepal, like any other foreigner.

Can you hold two valid passports from two different countries while travelling to Nepal?

Yes, you can indeed hold two valid passports if both of those countries permit it. Nepal, however, forbids its citizens from holding another nationality, so holding two passports isn’t legal for Nepali citizens, but many other countries permit their citizens to do so.

Therefore, the answer to this depends on what the laws of your country say on this.

Conclusion: So, is a passport required for Nepal?

Understanding all these passport and visa requirements before travelling to Nepal saves you time, money and stress when you actually arrive here.

For most international travellers, a valid passport with at least six months of validity and one to two blank pages is what you need to have before coming to Nepal. Indian citizens are the only exception here as they do not need a passport or visa to enter Nepal.

All travellers to Nepal should know how they can check their passport’s validity, understand what constitutes a damaged passport and what they can do in case their passport gets lost or stolen. So, plan ahead, carry the right documents and focus on enjoying your trip to the country when you are in Nepal.

This is where we come in.

Why book your trip to Nepal with Access Nepal Tour?

We have been in the trek and travel business in Nepal for over 15 years. So we have expertise in handling everything related to travelling in Nepal, including your visa. We can help you with the process of getting your visa.

Additionally, our staff and guides, who are experts in the industry too, can help you if any problems related to visa arise in the middle of your trip, like losing your passport or id card.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is passport required for travelling to Nepal?

Yes, most international travellers need a passport to travel to Nepal. Indian citizens are exempt from this and don’t need a passport to travel to Nepal.

Is a passport required for Nepal by air?

For all non-Indian nationals, yes, a passport is required for Nepal even when you get here by air. A valid passport for entering Nepal has at least six months’ validity.

What documents do I need to travel to Nepal?

All foreigners (except Indians) need a valid passport (6 months validity) with 1-2 blank pages for stamp and a visa on arrival or a pre-approved visa to travel to Nepal. Indian citizens can simply carry their Election ID or a passport–whatever shows that they are indeed citizens of India.

What should I do if I lose my passport in Nepal?

You should file a police report immediately if you lose your passport in Nepal and then contact your country’s embassy or consulate in Kathmandu for a replacement passport. After that, visit the Department of Immigration to get your visa transferred to the new passport.

Can I renew my passport while in Nepal?

No, foreign nationals cannot renew through Nepali authorities. You have to contact your own country’s embassy or consulate in Kathmandu for this. The processing times for this vary by nationality.

What happens if I overstay my visa in Nepal?

Overstaying your visa in Nepal results in you incurring a fine. The standard penalty for this is USD 3 per day for the period you overstay. Serious or a very long overstay may actually result in legal action, deportation, or future bans on your entering the country.

Do I need a separate visa to trek in Nepal?

No, you don’t need a separate visa to trek in Nepal as the regular tourist visa covers trekking, mountaineering, and sightseeing activities. However, certain restricted areas (such as Upper Mustang, Manaslu, and Dolpo) require you to get special trekking permits from the Department of Immigration in addition to the regular tourist visa.

Is a transit visa required for a layover in Nepal?

This depends on whether you leave the airport or not. If you stay within the airport transit area, then you don’t need a transit visa. However, if you leave it or stay overnight in Nepal, you will need a transit visa. It is valid for one day, and you need to submit proof of your onward travel for it.