Getting into Nepal & Visa Information

As Nepal is a landlocked country, one can enter Nepal either through roadways (via China or India) or airways. For now, Kathmandu is the only international airport, Tribhuvan International Airport. There are several daily international flights landing on this airport. Most of the nationals can get their visa after arriving at the international airport in Nepal, however few nationals have to get their visa before leaving their home country. Therefore, make sure to collect all the necessary information before planning a trip to Nepal.

Thai Airways operates daily flights to/from Kathmandu and Bangkok. Likewise, Qatar Airways has a daily flight between Doha and Kathmandu, with other connecting flights to/from Europe and America. And, Gulf Air connects UAE and Kathmandu, with similar connecting flights to/from Europe and America. Apart from those, Air China runs flights between Lhasa and Kathmandu, with connecting flights to/from mainland China. Whereas, Austrian Airlines have a direct flight to/from Vienna and Kathmandu once a week, and India offers frequent flight to its major cities.

These are the entry points for land entry - between Nepal and India

  • Kakarbhitta and Jogbini – eastern part of Nepal
  • Birgung – Central part of Nepal
  • Belari, Nepalganj, Dhangadi and Mahendranagar in Western part of Nepal
  • Between Nepal and Tibet China
  • Kodari and Kerung in the central part of Nepal

Please follow these simple procedures for Tourist Visa on Arrival at the airport (TIA)  if you have not acquired Visa prior to boarding the plane.

1st  Step

Fill in ' Arrival Card 
Fill in Online ‘Tourist Visa ‘form ( you can fill it up  prior to your arrival  visiting our official website  Department of Immigration / fill it up using Kiosk machines upon your arrival at the airport).  If you fill it from the website, you will get submission Receipt with barcode, please print it out and bring it along for acquiring visa. It works for fifteen days and becomes invalid then after.  If so, you will have to fill it up again.

2nd  Step  
Make payment  at the bank according to your visa requirement ( 15/30/90 Days)
Get the receipt
While you can use different modes of payments (at visa fees collection counter), we advise you to carry some cash to be on the safe side.

On Arrival Visa Fee at Entry Points

15 Days – 30 USD

30 Days – 50 USD

90 Days – 125 USD
3rd Step  

Proceed to the Immigration Desk with your online form,  payment receipts and your passport
Hand in your documents to immigration officer for visa processing. He/she issues visa to you upon his/her satisfaction.
Visa Extension Fee 

Tourist visa extension is done for minimum 15 days with USD 45 and USD 3 per day for additional days.
In the case of delay less than 150 days additional USD 5 per day as late fine.

Gratis Visa (Visa for Free)

Gratis Visa is issued free of cost in case of following categories of Visa applicants:

Children below 10 years except US citizens
Up to 30 days for SAARC Citizen (except Afghanistan) visiting Nepal for the first time in a given visa Year.  Afghan citizen are eligible for Gratis Visa on Arrival only upon the recommendation of Department of Immigration. If you are an Afghan citizen, you can request concerned institution inviting you to Nepal for necessary paperwork with Department of Immigration to get you Gratis Visa 'On Arrival'.
Non Residential Nepalese(NRN) card holder ( issued by MoFA /Nepalese diplomatic missions abroad)
Chinese Nationals
Officials from China, Brazil, Russia and Thailand do not need Entry Visa based on reciprocal visa waiver Agreement

Visas of all kinds including ‘Gratis’ issued at the Airport are Tourist Visas. Contact Department of Immigration for extending your visa or changing the category of your visa. Tourist Visa extension can be done from Immigration Office, Pokhara too. Non tourist visa extension can be done only at Department of Immigration (if eligible) for a period of maximum one year (except business visa).