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 six official land crossings: Kakarvitta, Biratnagar, Birgunj, Belahiya near Bhairahawa, Gadda Chauki near Mahendranagar and Timure.
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.
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, most nationalities can get a tourist visa on arrival at Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport and at six official land crossings. A small number of nationalities have to apply at a Nepali mission in advance instead.
Roughly US$30 for 15 days, US$50 for 30 days and US$125 for 90 days. Carry US dollars in cash, because cards and other currencies are often refused at the visa counter.
Six months beyond your arrival date, with at least one blank page for each stamp. Nepal applies this strictly at the visa on arrival desk.
No, Indian nationals do not need a visa to enter Nepal. You still need accepted photo identification, so check the current list on Nepal's Department of Immigration site before you go.
Up to 150 days in a single calendar year on a tourist visa. Extensions are handled by the Department of Immigration once you are in Nepal.
