Everything you need to know about the Nepal visa.
Nepal issues its tourist visa in three ways: at an embassy before you leave, online with the eVisa, or on arrival. We explain the differences, and how to save time at the airport.
- 15, 30 or 90 days
- Multiple entry
- Passport valid 6 months
- Payable online
Compare the three visasExtend your visa
Getting your visa
Our recommendation
Most travellers
The visa on arrival
Issued at Kathmandu airport, in Pokhara, Bhairahawa and at the land border posts. Nothing is mandatory before you leave, but you can fill in the form and even pay online to save time on the spot: on arrival you then go straight to the immigration desk, exactly as with the eVisa.
Three possible options:Everything on the spotOnline formForm + online payment
10 min to 1 h 30See the visa on arrival
The eVisa (ETA)
Same form and same price as the visa on arrival paid online, with one difference: immigration reviews your file before you leave (a few hours to three working days) and sends you a QR-coded authorisation, valid 6 months. At the airport, the same direct walk to the immigration desk. Note: the number of eVisa applications accepted each day is capped, for all travellers combined.
≤ 3 working daysSee the eVisa steps
Mandatory for 13 nationalitiesAfghanistan, Cameroon, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Ghana, Iraq, Iran, Liberia, Nigeria, Palestine, Somalia, Syria, Zimbabwe
The embassy visa
Obtained before departure from a Nepalese embassy or consulate, in person or by post. Same price, about 5 working days. Visa sticker in the passport or QR-coded authorisation, depending on the embassy, valid 6 months. Essential if your passport is not eligible for visa on arrival, or if you want to leave with peace of mind.
≈ 5 working daysSee the embassy procedure
Comparison
| On arrivalArrival | eVisa (ETA)eVisa | At the embassyEmbassy | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open to all nationalities | No13 nationalitiesAfghanistan, Cameroon, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Ghana, Iraq, Iran, Liberia, Nigeria, Palestine, Somalia, Syria, Zimbabwe must go through an embassy | No13 nationalitiesAfghanistan, Cameroon, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Ghana, Iraq, Iran, Liberia, Nigeria, Palestine, Somalia, Syria, Zimbabwe must go through an embassy | Yes |
| Paperwork before departure | Possibleonline form and payment, optional | Yes | Yes |
| Passport to hand in | No | No | Yesin person or by post |
| Time to obtain | on the spot, 10 min to 1 h 30 depending on preparation10 min to 1 h 30 | a few hours to 3 working days≤ 3 working days | ≈ 5 working days≈ 5 working days |
| Online payment | Yesoptional | Yes | No |
| Daily cap on applications | No | Yes | No |
| Skips the airport kiosks | Possiblewith the online form | Yes | Yes |
| Skips the payment counter | Possiblewith online payment | Yes | Yes |
| Skips the immigration desk | No | No | No |
| Validity before entry | 15 daysonline form: 15 days | 6 months | 6 months |
| Multiple entry | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Free: children under 10, SAARC, China | Yes | Yes | Yes |
At Kathmandu airport
Three steps on arrival
After the jet bridge, Tribhuvan's immigration hall runs three steps in a row. The more you prepared online, the less time you lose.
- 1 / 3
Visa application
The self-service kiosks
The computers are on the right as you enter the hall. You type in your details (identity, passport, address in Nepal, duration), your photo is taken, the machine prints a form with a barcode. This is the longest queue when several flights land at once. The printer sometimes fails: take a photo of the final screen, it is accepted at the payment counter.
10 to 40 min depending on traffic - 2 / 3
Payment
The payment counter
The payment counters are at the far left of the hall. You hand over the form (the duration, 15, 30 or 90 days, was chosen at the kiosk or online) and pay. US dollars in cash preferred; other major currencies accepted at the day's rate, card not always accepted.
5 to 20 min - 3 / 3
Immigration
The immigration desk
Passport, form and payment receipt. The officer checks, takes your photo (and sometimes your fingerprints), then sticks the visa in your passport. Check the duration before you walk away.
5 to 15 min