Nepal Tourist Visa
A fee-based tourist visa issued on arrival or online in 15, 30 and 90 day versions, capped at 150 days a year.
The ceiling is the part people miss. Nepal does not sell a 150 day visa. You buy up to 90 days and extend in blocks, and the total in the calendar year cannot exceed 150.
Programme snapshot
| Item | Current rule |
|---|---|
| Main audience | All foreign nationals except Indian citizens |
| Route family | Visa-free entry, not residence |
| Validity | 15, 30 or 90 days per entry, multiple entry |
| Stay per entry | 15, 30 or 90 days |
| Threshold | USD 30, USD 50 or USD 125 for 15, 30 or 90 days, 2026. No financial proof |
| Renewal | Extension at the Department of Immigration in Kathmandu or Pokhara, USD 3 per day, 15 day minimum, to a maximum of 150 days in a visa year |
| Settlement | None |
| PR clock | None. Tourist days build nothing |
| Citizenship clock | None |
| Family | No. Each dependant needs their own tourist visa and pays the same fee |
| Local employment | No |
| Tax headline | 150 days is below the 183 day residency threshold, so most tourist stays are non-resident. Confirm with a Nepali adviser |
| Processing | On arrival at Tribhuvan, Pokhara or Gautam Buddha airports, or online before travel |
Application flow
- Choose the duration you need. A 90 day visa at USD 125 is cheaper than three 30 day visas.
- Apply online before departure or at the airport kiosk, then pay in hard currency at the bank counter or by card.
- Enter. The stamp states your expiry date, and that is what matters, not the visa you paid for.
- To stay longer, apply at the Department of Immigration before the stamp expires. Extensions are sold in blocks with a 15 day minimum.
- Count your days in the calendar year. At 150, leave and do not re-enter until January.
Good fit
Travellers, trekkers and anyone on a two to six week trip. Also people doing a first scouting visit before a longer route, since it needs no sponsor and is issued at the airport.
Poor fit
Anyone intending to live in Nepal. The cap is hard, the extension counter can refuse or delay, and no amount of tourist history converts into residence. Remote workers who assume the tourist visa covers them are working illegally, and anyone needing a bank account or a lease in their own name will find it insufficient.
Watchpoints
- The 150 days are per visa year, and the visa year is the calendar year. Nepal counts January to December, not 365 days from arrival, so arriving in October leaves roughly 90 days, not 150.
- A 90 day visa plus 60 days of extension costs about USD 305. That is USD 125 plus 60 days at USD 3 from the published rates. The extension is not automatic.
- Overstaying is USD 5 a day on top of the extension fee. Long overstays escalate to detention, deportation and a re-entry ban.
- Multiple entry does not reset the cap. Days after a re-entry still count against the same annual 150.
- Working on a tourist visa is illegal, including remote work for foreign clients. No digital nomad category exists to switch into. The scheme has been announced since 2023 and was still not operational in October 2026.
- Buy the longest visa you can at the airport. The extension counter is discretionary.
Sources
- Department of Immigration, visa fees and documents, checked 2026-10-22
- Nepal Tourism Board, tourist visa guidance, checked 2026-10-22
- Department of Immigration, visa information, checked 2026-10-22