Nepal is a very beautiful country which attracts hundreds and thousands of tourists every year. People from so many different countries visit Nepal for different purposes like Trekking, Tours, Travels, Meditation, etc. Getting a VISA on Arrival in Nepal is a crucial step to exploring the wonders of this naturally blessed country.
Besides, regardless of the reason for your Nepal visit, you need to get a Nepal VISA and unlike many other countries, getting a VISA in Nepal is easier and faster. In this country of mountains, tourists from specific countries can get a VISA on Arrival through different immigration offices registered under the Department of Immigration.
What is VISA on Arrival?
A VISA on Arrival is simply a VISA that the travelers can obtain after arriving in the destination country. From the immigration offices under the Department of Immigration, any tourist can get a VISA on Arrival in Nepal. Even though getting a VISA on arrival is easy, it can get a little hectic in the peak season because of the queue of tourists. So, in the peak season, we request the tourists to get a visa from the Nepalese diplomatic missions in your respective countries.
Getting a VISA on Arrival is very easy; but before that here is some more information that you tourists must know.
Necessary Documents for Getting a VISA in Nepal
If you are planning to visit Nepal, you need to acquire a VISA, and to get the VISA, you need some necessary documents. Without all of these documents, tourists might not be able to get a VISA in Nepal at all.
Check out all of the necessary documents for VISA in Nepal:
- Passport
The major thing that a tourist needs to acquire a VISA from any country is a valid passport. In order to acquire the Nepali VISA, tourists must have a passport with at least 6 months of validation.
- VISA Application Form
To acquire the VISA, tourists will have to fill up a VISA Application form. There are two ways to fill out the VISA application form:
- You can either fill up this form by visiting the official website of the Department of Immigration before you arrive in Nepal.
- The form can also be filled through the Kiosk machines that are placed in the airport.
Regardless of how you fill-up the tourist VISA form, you will get a small receipt with a bar code on it. In case you fill out the form online, you need to print the receipt and take it to the immigration desk along with your passport which is valid for at least 6 months. Remember that the receipt only works for 15 days and if you exceed 15 days, you will have to refill the VISA application form.
- VISA Fees
Filling VISA form does require fees. We will also list out the cost of Getting a VISA in Nepal in the lower section of the blog. However, make sure that you carry the appropriate amount of money required to acquire a VISA in Nepal.
- Supporting Documents
Supporting Documents vary as per the nature of the VISA acquired. If you acquire a tourist VISA, you will not require any specific supporting document. However, the authorities at the Department of Immigration have the right to ask you for accommodation bookings and financial means to support your stay in Nepal.
If you are coming to Nepal with a business VISA, you need to have an invitation letter from the organization (based in Nepal). That invitation letter must contain the purpose and duration of your stay in Nepal.
- Other VISA types
Other than the tourist and business visas, the supporting documents can vary as per the purpose of acquiring the VISA. For example, in the case of a student VISA, you may have to show an acceptance letter, academic qualification documents, etc.
Can the Citizens from Every Country Get a Visa on Arrival?
Visa on Arrival in Nepal is provided to tourists from different countries. Even though tourists from so many countries visiting Nepal can benefit from this service, the Nepal Government requests the citizens of some countries to get their visas before they arrive in Nepal.
Here is the list of the countries allocated by the Nepal Government:
- Somalia
- Liberia
- Zimbabwe
- Ghana
- Palestine
- Afghanistan
- Syria
- Iraq
- Swaziland
- Cameroon
- Nigeria
- Ethiopia
- Refugees with Travel Documents
However, if the tourists belonging to the countries listed above possess an official letter issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs Nepal, they can get a VISA on Arrival.
What is a Gratis Visa and who is eligible for that?
Gratis Visa is a type of VISA that is completely free. If you are unaware, let us clarify that acquiring a VISA requires the tourists to pay a certain amount as per the purpose of their stay and the duration of their stay in Nepal. However, to acquire a Gratis VISA, one does not need to pay any fees. Nepal Government offers Gratis VISA only to some categories of people as listed below:
- People who hold the United Nations Laissez-Passer
- For the citizens of the SAARC countries (except the people of Afghanistan) for 30 days
- Chinese people can acquire a Gratis VISA for 150 days
- Any foreigners who are in Nepal for any Diplomatic or official reasons and have an official recommendation letter.
- Children below 10 years of age (Except US citizens)
For any tourists who are coming to Nepal and fall in the above-mentioned category, getting a Gratis VISA in Nepal is very easy. However, we also suggest that visitors be aware of the bondage and other requirements.
Nepal Tourist Visa Fee on arrival
You might be aware of the fact that the Nepal Government issues different types of VISA to people from different countries and also according to the purpose of their visit to Nepal. Only the Gratis Visa is free, otherwise, all the other tourists need to acquire a paid VISA.
The Nepal VISA fees can differ depending upon the duration of your stay in Nepal. Here is a simple breakdown of the fees that you need to pay to get a VISA in Nepal:
- If you require a VISA for 15 days, It cost USD 30,
- For a stay of 30 Days in Nepal, the VISA cost is USD 50
- If you are in Nepal for 90 Days, VISA cost is USD 125.
These are the three standards of VISA on Arrival in Nepal. You can choose any of these three categories and also can extend the VISA if you want after the expiration of the first VISA you acquire.
VISA Extention Fee
As mentioned above, tourists can extend their VISA in Nepal to stay longer than the pre-planned days. However, there are a couple of rules for the extension of VISA which are listed below:
- Tourists can extend their VISA for a minimum of 15 days, which costs them USD 45. On any more extension, the additional cost is USD 3 per day.
- If there is a delay that does not extend from 150 Days, tourists need to pay USD 5 per day as a penalty.
If you want to extend the VISA or change the VISA, you need to contact the Department of Immigration and this can be done from both Kathmandu and Pokhara. However, if you want to extend any other VISA than the tourist VISA, you must visit the Department of Immigration in Kathmandu for at most 1 year (except business VISA).
Officials from Countries that do not require a VISA to visit Nepal
Did you know that the Government of Nepal has tied a reciprocal VISA Waiver Agreement with some of the countries? Because of that agreement, tourists who belong to these countries do not need a VISA to arrive in this country. Check out if you also belong to one of these countries because in that case, you would not require a VISA to explore this beautiful country.
These are the countries:
- Thailand – Exemption up to 90 Days
- Russian Federation – Exemption up to 90 Days
- People’s Republic of China – Exemption up to 30 Days
- The Federal Republic of Brazil – Exemption up to 90 Days
- Myanmar - Exemption up to 90 Days
- Vietnam - Exemption up to 90 Days
- Cambodia - Exemption up to 30 Days
- Mongolia - Exemption up to 90 Days
- Jordan - Exemption up to 90 Days
- State of Israel - Exemption up to 90 Days
- Georgia - Exemption up to 90 Days
- State of Qatar - Exemption up to 90 Days
VISA Entry Points in Nepal
Entering Nepal is possible in seven different ways as of now. One of those ways is the International Airport and six others are the overland borders. Among these overland borders that allow entry into Nepal, seven of them are the Nepal-India border and one is the Tibet Autonomous Region of Nepal.
Here is the list and short descriptions of each of the VISA entry points in Nepal. Also, remember that all of these borders also allow VISA on arrival:
- Tribhuvan International Airport - Nepal's only international airport
First on the list of the VISA entry points comes the Tribhuvan International Airport. This is the one and only International Airport in Nepal. Tribhuvan International Airport has the capacity to handle all the applications like VISA on Arrival Applications and Online Visa Applications. Talking about the processing time, it takes around an hour to process the VISA on arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport.
- Gyring Port: Nepal-Tibet Border
Gyring Port is the only entry point located on the Nepal-Tibet border where travelers can get a VISA on Arrival. Before this border, the Khasa-Kodari Border was active. However, that border does not provide visas on Arrival to the tourists. This entry point is mostly used by tourists who want to end their China exploration or Tibet exploration with a trip to Nepal.
On the Nepali side of this border, you can find buses running from Rasuwagadhi to Kathmandu. If you board on those buses, it takes you around 6 hours to reach Kathmandu which is 120 km far from the border.
- Nepal (Kakarbhitta) - Kakkarbhitta Border
This border is one of the eight Nepal-India borders that offer VISA on Arrival services. On the Indian side, this border lies in the West Bengal or Sikkim States. Besides, this border is also known as one of the famous or highly preferred borders used by the locals of Nepal and India to commute or transport goods from one country to the other.
If you use this border to enter Nepal, you will witness the beauty of Darjeeling (Panitanki) and also get a chance to explore the Chitwan National Park on your way to Kathmandu.
- Behlia, Bhairahawa (Nepal) - India Border
Another highly preferred Nepal-India border lies in the Behlia, Bhairahawa, Nepal. On the Indian side, accessing this border is very easy. However, it takes around 15-17 hours of drive to reach Kathmandu from here. Nevertheless, this is also the quickest way to reach from Kathmandu to New Delhi.
People arriving from Uttarakhand and northwest India prefer this side of the border. So, if you are currently in northwest India and want to visit Nepal, this border can be the best pick.
- Birgunj (Nepal) - India Border
This is probably the most famous and the most highly used border to commute between Nepal and India. The border is situated at Raxaul, Birgunj, and is very close to Kolkata. Through this border, you can also experience a train ride as trains run from Raxaul to the different parts of India continuously.
Besides, reaching Kathmandu from Nepal only takes 6-7 hours of drive, which makes it a favorite Nepal-India border for Nepalese, Indians, and also for the foreigners who enter Nepal from India.
- Jamunaha, Nepalgunj (Nepal) - India Border
Next comes the Jamunaha, Nepalgunj border, which is one of the least preferred entry points to Nepal offering a VISA on Arrival. This border is out of the way on the western side of the country which also makes it quite hard to get. Due to these reasons, international travelers rarely use this border to enter Nepal from India.
- Mohana, Dhangadi (Nepal) - India Border
Another rarely preferred Nepal - India border which is not used by international or even the nationals of Nepal and India. Just like the Nepalgunj border, this border is also less accessible and gets out of the way. Therefore, travelers seek other alternatives to enter Nepal from the Indian side.
All the above-mentioned borders are open for Visa on Arrival. Therefore, if you are planning to visit Nepal, you can enter from any of these borders and explore the amazing vistas and cultural experiences of the country's Himalayas.
Things to Consider Before Getting a VISA in Nepal
Did you understand everything that we have tried to explain about how to get a Nepalese VISA? Getting a VISA upon arrival is relatively easy in Nepal if you understand the criteria set by the Government. Nevertheless, to make it even easier for the tourists to get VISA, here are a few things that Green Valley Nepal Treks suggests to the tourists:
- First of all, the tourists must check whether the residents of the countries they belong to are eligible for getting a VISA on Arrival in Nepal or not.
- Make sure that you possess a valid passport with a validation of up to 6 months.
- Be prepared with the VISA fee (USD preferred) because you need to pay the fee as soon as you reach Nepal's International Airport.
- Remember to carry all the necessary documents before you set off on a journey to Nepal. Missing even a single document can cause issues while acquiring the VISA on Arrival.
- As the fees of VISA depend upon the duration of your stay, we recommend you pre-plan the duration for how long would you stay here.
- Even though it is not necessary, travel insurance might also help a lot of you who are visiting Nepal for adventure and trekking purposes.
- Last but not least, remember to carry some local currency (NPR) as well, which can help you during your stay in Nepal.
Conclusion
Nepal is an amazing country with the potential to lure hundreds and thousands of people every year. With so many white mountains to trek or climb, so many green valleys to explore, and such a wide range of cultures traditions, and religions to explore, a lot of tourists visit Nepal every other second. In 2023, more than one million tourists visited Nepal.
If you are surprised by the number of tourists visiting Nepal, we suggest you do some research about this small but naturally blessed country. Once you do the research, you might need to read the blog again to get an on-arrival VISA in Nepal because just some images and videos of this country, can lure you to book a ticket and immediately fly to Nepal.
If you require any more assistance with getting a VISA in Nepal, feel free to contact Green Valley Nepal Treks as we are ready to help our guests anytime they need any assistance.
For updates, please visit the official page of Nepal Immigration