What documents do I need to travel to Nepal?
Most travellers get a Nepali tourist visa on arrival with a passport valid for six months and the fee in US dollars. Here is the trip1 checklist for entering Nepal.
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Entering Nepal - what you need
Nepal is one of the more relaxed countries in the region to enter, because most nationalities are handled at the border rather than at an embassy. Keep your trip1 booking confirmation handy, since the arrival form asks for your address in Nepal.
- A passport valid for at least six months from your arrival date, with a blank page for each stamp.
- A passport-sized photo, which speeds things up at the visa counter.
- The visa fee in US dollars cash, which matters most at land borders.
- A completed arrival form, which you can fill in online in advance or at a kiosk in the arrivals hall.
- An address in Nepal for your first night, which your trip1 booking confirmation covers.
How the Nepal visa on arrival works
Visas on arrival are issued at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu and at several official land crossings, including Kakarvitta, Biratnagar, Birgunj, Belahiya near Bhairahawa, Gadda Chauki near Mahendranagar and Timure. Check the current list with Nepal's Department of Immigration before you rely on a crossing.
Fees are around US$30 for 15 days, US$50 for 30 days and US$125 for 90 days, each covering multiple entries within that window. The airport queue can take a while at busy times, so completing the online application in advance is worth the few minutes.
At land borders, bring US dollars in cash. Cards and other currencies are often refused, and there is rarely a cash machine close enough to rescue you. At Kathmandu airport cards are accepted, with US dollars cash as a backup.
Important: Make sure an immigration officer stamps you in. If your passport has no Nepali entry stamp, you will not be allowed to leave the country until the paperwork is corrected.
Who cannot use visa on arrival
Indian nationals do not need a visa for Nepal at all, although you still need accepted photo identification to cross the border.
A small group of nationalities cannot use visa on arrival and must apply at a Nepali diplomatic mission before travelling. That list changes, so check Nepal's Department of Immigration site if you are not sure where your passport sits.
Tourist visas cap out at 150 days in any calendar year. Extensions are handled by the Department of Immigration in Kathmandu or Pokhara, and overstaying carries a daily fine on top of the extension fee.
Checking into a hotel in Nepal
Nepali hotels and trekking lodges ask for your passport at check-in and log the details for guest registration. Bring the passport itself, because a photo on your phone is often refused.
Your trip1 booking confirmation is what proves you have somewhere to stay, and it is also the address you write on the arrival form. Save it offline, because mobile data gets patchy outside the Kathmandu Valley.
Some hotels ask for a payment card at check-in to cover extras such as meals or laundry. That is the hotel's own security hold and is separate from how you paid for the room on trip1.
Entering Nepal - FAQ
Yes, but you can get it on arrival. British citizens need a tourist visa, which is issued at Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport and at official land crossings. You can fill in the visa form online up to 15 days before arrival to save time, or get the visa in advance from the Nepal Embassy in the UK.
A Nepal tourist visa costs US$30 for 15 days, US$50 for 30 days or US$125 for 90 days, each allowing multiple entries. The fee is the same for most nationalities. Cards are accepted at the airport, but carry US dollars in cash as a backup, and bring cash if you cross by land.
Yes. You can complete the arrival and visa form online on the Department of Immigration's site up to 15 days before you arrive, then pay and collect the visa at the airport. The submission is valid for 15 days, so do it close to travel. Kiosks in the arrivals hall are the alternative, but the queue is slower.
Yes. US citizens need a tourist visa, and like most nationalities they can get it on arrival at Kathmandu airport or an official land crossing, or arrange it in advance at a Nepali embassy. Make sure an officer stamps your passport, because without a Nepali entry stamp you will not be allowed to leave until it is corrected.
Your passport should be valid for at least six months from the date you enter Nepal, with a blank page for each stamp. A passport-sized photo also speeds things up at the visa counter. Your trip1 booking confirmation gives you the first-night address the arrival form asks for.
Up to 150 days in a calendar year in total. You choose 15, 30 or 90 days on arrival and can extend with the Department of Immigration in Kathmandu or Pokhara. Do not overstay: the UK government calls it a serious offence that can bring large fines or imprisonment.