The visa procedure in Nepal is known for its confusion, and, well, it's kind of confusing. You arrive at Tribhuvan International Airport after a long-haul flight, tired, and find that there are kiosk machines waiting for you with slow Internet access, paper forms, a bank counter, and an immigration queue in a terminal meant for far fewer passengers than are present.

Understanding the system prior to boarding will make it very easy to handle. This guide cuts away from all the blanket info and gives you in-depth knowledge of what to expect, how much time you'll save, what the hidden costs are, and what goes wrong if it goes wrong.

What Type of Traveler Are You? 

Not all nationalities experience the same. It has a four-tier system in place, and knowing which tier applies to you makes all the difference in preparation.

Tier 1 — No Visa Required: Indian Nationals

As per the Indo-Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship, 1950, Indian citizens are allowed to enter Nepal with no visa requirement whatsoever. It is still essential to have an acceptable ID, however:

• Valid Indian passport, OR
• Photo-bearing Voter ID card issued by the Election Commission of India

A birth certificate, Aadhaar card, or a driving license will not be considered at immigration. Enforcement may be a little lax at a land border, but don't depend on it.

Tier 2 — Free Visa on Arrival: SAARC Countries and China

Tourist visa is free for the citizens of Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and China. There are some differences to note:

• Visitors from SAARC countries: Free 30-day visa (One per calendar year). A second visit this year will incur normal charges.
• For Chinese nationals: The free visa period is not only 30 days but 15 or 30 days, with no limit on the fee waiver once a year. It's a lot more generous than people think!

Both still go through arrival paperwork as all others do. The fee is just $0!

Tier 3 — Visa on Arrival, Standard Fees: Most of the World

Most of Asia, most of Latin America, all EU countries, citizens of the USA, UK, and Canada can get a tourist visa on the spot at the airport or at the specified land borders. No Embassies, no prior approval.

All tourist visas are multiple-entry visas, which means that you can go back and forth to India and Tibet and come and go for the duration of your visa without paying another entry fee.

Tier 4 — Must Apply Before Arrival: Embassy Visa Required

Visa on arrival is not available to citizens of the following countries at any time: Citizens of the following countries are not eligible to obtain a visa on arrival at any time: A visa must be stamped before traveling, and you have to visit the Embassy or Consulate of Nepal in your country:

• Nigeria, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Cameroon
• Ethiopia, Liberia, Somalia, Eswatini (Swaziland)
• Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Palestine

The list may be updated in accordance with Nepal's political and security policies. Please check with immigration.gov.np before making flights. Those on this list and those who arrive at the airport with a VISA on arrival will be sent away.

The Online Pre-Registration Trick (Most Travellers Skip This)

This is the one thing you will find in all this guide that really helps you: Nepal's online pre-arrival form saves you up to 90 minutes at the airport, and virtually no one outside the frequent travellers is aware of it.

How It Works

• Visit nepaliport.immigration.gov.np prior to your flight
• Type in your personal information
• Submit a digital passport-sized photo
• The system generates a barcode receipt — print it or save it on your phone

Once you reach the station, that barcode means you don't even need to line up at one of the kiosks; you can just walk up to the payment counter. In the high trekking season (September to November, March to May), there are several international flights landing in close proximity, and the line of kiosks can reach 60-90 minutes. The online receipt does away with that altogether.

Important details:

• The barcode will be valid for 15 days from submission. Don't complete weeks early
• There is no additional fee for the online form (same as on-arrival)
• This is not an e-visa, but is a form of visa that eliminates the need to line up at a kiosk upon arrival, but still requires payment and stamping.

If the portal is down or you've lost the key, the kiosks in the arrivals hall do the same. Simply include the wait time in your expectations!

Step-by-Step: The Airport Visa Process at Tribhuvan International

There are numerous steps involved in the process of getting an Airport visa at Tribhuvan International Airport. The Airport Visa Process at Tribhuvan International Airport is a multi-step process.

Step 1 — Get Your Barcode Receipt

The first step is to obtain a barcode receipt. First, get a barcode receipt.

• If you filled out the online form, avoid all of the kiosks and proceed directly to the payment counter.
• If you didn't: Go to the self-service kiosk machines in the arrivals hall. Use the touch screen to enter passport information, and you'll take a digital picture (or if you have your own picture, skip this; it saves NPR 500 and 10-15 mins).

BONUS: Take a picture of your kiosk slip as soon as it prints. Occasionally, printers jam and when the barcode is damaged, a photo of it on the phone has been accepted by payment staff.

Step 2 — Pay at the Bank/Payment Counter 

Inform the payment counter that you have a barcode receipt and are paying for 15, 30 or 90 days.

Cash (USD) is king. Card machines are available and more prevalent in the year 2026 than prior to that, but "network error" is still a common phenomenon for Visa and Mastercard. They accept payment in euros, GBP and AUD, but USD is best.

Carry up-to-date, crisp bills. Old or worn-out notes are sometimes rejected.

An immediate official payment receipt will be provided.

Step 3 — Immigration Officer Counter

Hand the officer:

• Your passport (min. 6 months validity, at least one blank page)
• The payment receipt
• One passport-sized photo (colour, light background)
• Your arrival card (handed out on flights or available in the arrivals hall)

The officer reviews everything, enters your details, and stamps the visa directly into your passport. No interview, no additional questions in most cases.

Step 4 — Baggage Claim and Exit 

Your visa is active from the time it is stamped. Pick up your bags, pass through customs, and you're out.

Realistic time estimates:

• Quiet day (early morning flights): 20–40 minutes (total)
• Afternoon (several flights landing at the same time) during peak season: 60-90 minutes

Land Entry to Nepal: Borders With Crossing Points

Visa on arrival is valid at all major land crossings if you are travelling overland to India–Nepal. All documents and fees are the same as at the airport.

Main crossings open to tourists (India side):

• Kakarvitta is a part of the connection with Darjeeling and Siliguri (east)
• A road links Birgunj with Patna.
• From Belahiya/Sunauli, trains run to Varanasi and Gorakhpur (most popular).
• These are the western routes that include areas like Nepalgunj, Gaddachauki and Dhangadhi.

From Tibet:

• This is Gyirong/Kerung, which will be operating in 2026, but needs its own China-Tibet permits prior to entry into Tibet.
• Tatopani/Kodari (still closed to tourists after the 2015 earthquake; check its status before making arrangements)

The following are some practical notes for land border crossings:

• It's slower than the airport because of staffing, not because of any different rules in the queue management.
• If crossing on festival weekends or Indian public holidays, then it will require a lot more time.
• As the Nepal visa is multiple-entry, you can visit Nepal from India and again to Nepal without paying for a tourist visa again.

What Is FNMIS? (The New 2026 Hotel Check-In System)

Nepal is fully implementing the Foreign Nationals Management Information System (FNMIS) in its immigration system in 2026. This is a centralized database that connects your visa, accommodation registration and movement in the country.

In practice, it means:

• On arrival at hotels in Kathmandu and Pokhara, your information is input into the system. Your information is entered into the system at check-in in hotels at Kathmandu and Pokhara.
• Please be aware that an FNMIS-generated QR code may be required for check-in
• Most hotels do this automatically when you take your passport to photocopy — it only takes a minute or two when you check in

The system has a real emergency value in a country located in one of the world's most seismically active areas. Authorities will be able to get instant access to the location of foreign nationals in the event of an earthquake. In the eyes of the traveller, it's a minor inconvenience at most.

How to Extend Your Nepal Tourist Visa

Extended visa?Overstaying your visa? Extensions can be obtained within Nepal with a set of rules.

Here are some important points to keep in mind when it comes to visa extensions:

• Total stay (per calendar year): 150 days maximum.
• These are the only two places available: Department of Immigration, Kalikasthan, Kathmandu or Immigration Office, Pokhara.
• Office hours: Sunday–Thursday, 10:00 AM–3:00 PM | Friday, 10:00 AM–1:00 PM | Closed Saturday
• Extension fee: $45/15 days
• This can take up to 1-2 hours to process.

The extension form can be filled out online from the Nepali Port portal before coming to the Office to reduce the time at the counter.

What happens if you overstay?

The fines for overstaying quickly build up, even for a single day, even if it was by mistake:

2 days = $3/day per day extension fee + $5/day overstay fee = $8/day total

No one can leave Nepal until all the fines are paid.

If the overstay has been less than 30 days, the airport immigration counter is able to process the settlement.

In case of a longer overstaying, it is mandatory to visit the Kalikasthan office prior to departure.

Overstays over 150 days: fine of up to NPR 50,000 (~$375) and deportation and prohibitions on entry.

Apply for extensions at least a week prior to the expiry of the visa. There can be a lot of work to get done in the office, and it takes time to process.

Your Tourist Visa Is Not a Trekking Permit

The most costly misconception of first-time visitors to Nepal is this one. Your tourist visa will enable you to enter the country. It does not authorise you to trek restricted or national park areas. The trekking permits are a completely separate document, which is superimposed on the visa.

You'll need this for your route:

• TIMS Card (Trekkers' Information Management System): needs to be taken on most normal routes; can be purchased in Kathmandu.
• National Park Entry Permits (required for Sagarmatha (Everest region), Langtang, Bardia, and others): Tickets are sold at the park entrance or in Kathmandu
• Restricted Area Permits (RAP) (required areas: Upper Mustang, Upper Dolpo, Manaslu, and other sensitive border areas). They are far more expensive (Upper Mustang $500 for the first 10 days), are only available through a registered Nepalese trekking agency and cannot be bought from a counter.

Plan ahead for permits to cover your travel. Many trekkers are surprised at the price, especially for access to restricted areas.

Pre-Departure Checklist: Everything You Need

When you're packing for your trip to Nepal, go through this checklist:

• Passport valid for a minimum of 6 months after the entry date
• A visa stamp in your passport (at least one blank page)
• An online pre-arrival form filled at nepaliport.immigration.gov.np, with a printed or saved barcode receipt, completed and saved online pre-arrival form, returned with a printed/received barcode receipt
• 1-2 passport photos (colour, light background)
• A buffer of USD 50 cash for the visa fee ($50 for 30 days, being the standard tourist visa)
• Arrival card completed (or picked up on board the plane).
• Research and arrange trekking permits (if applicable)
• The Immigration website has been added to the bookmarks: immigration.gov.np

To wrap up, Nepal is indeed one of the more easy countries to enter for most of the nationals. It's a system that gives fifteen minutes' worth of advance preparation for getting on a plane, and it works to punish those who try to figure it all out at the immigration line at 2 AM at the end of a connecting flight from Dubai.

Planning to explore Nepal's mountains, culture, and heritage? Let Nepal Vision Treks handle your trekking permits, itinerary, and local logistics for a hassle-free Himalayan adventure. 

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