Every trekker we host at Next Trip Nepal asks the same first question: how do I get my Nepal visa? I have met hundreds of guests at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, and I have watched people clear the visa process in 20 minutes and I have watched people lose an hour because they arrived with no cash and no photo. This guide covers everything as it works right now in 2026: the exact fees, the on arrival process step by step, the online form, land border entry points, and extensions.
The short answer: most nationalities get a tourist visa on arrival in Nepal. It costs USD 30 for 15 days, USD 50 for 30 days, or USD 125 for 90 days, paid in cash. Fill the online form at nepaliport.immigration.gov.np within 15 days before you fly and the airport process becomes much faster.
Table of Contents
- 1 Three Ways to Get a Nepal Tourist Visa
- 2 Nepal Tourist Visa Fees in 2026
- 3 Visa on Arrival at Kathmandu Airport: Step by Step
- 4 Documents You Need
- 5 Entry Points Where the Visa on Arrival Is Issued
- 6 Nationalities Not Eligible for Visa on Arrival
- 7 Who Gets the Visa Free of Charge
- 8 Extending Your Tourist Visa in Nepal
- 9 Practical Answers From the Arrival Hall
- 10 FAQs About the Nepal Tourist Visa
- 10.1 How much is the Nepal tourist visa in 2026?
- 10.2 Can I get a Nepal visa on arrival?
- 10.3 Does Nepal have an eVisa?
- 10.4 What documents do I need for a Nepal visa on arrival?
- 10.5 Can I pay the Nepal visa fee by card?
- 10.6 How do I extend a tourist visa in Nepal?
- 10.7 How long can I stay in Nepal on a tourist visa?
- 10.8 Do children need a Nepal visa?
- 10.9 Do Indian citizens need a visa for Nepal?
- 10.10 Which visa should I get for a two week trek in Nepal?
Three Ways to Get a Nepal Tourist Visa
1. Visa on arrival. This is what almost all of our guests use. You land at Tribhuvan International Airport, fill the application (or show your online form receipt), pay the fee in cash, and get the visa stamped in your passport at the immigration desk. The same service exists at the official land border crossings.
2. Online form before arrival. Nepal does not issue a full electronic visa. What the official portal at nepaliport.immigration.gov.np gives you is a completed application with a barcode receipt, valid for 15 days from submission. You still pay and receive the visa on arrival, but you skip the form filling queue, which matters in October when several wide body flights land within the same hour.
3. Nepali embassy or consulate. If your nationality is not eligible for a visa on arrival, or you simply prefer landing with the visa already in your passport, apply at the Nepali diplomatic mission in your country before you travel.
Nepal Tourist Visa Fees in 2026
| Visa type | Duration | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Tourist visa on arrival | 15 days | USD 30 |
| Tourist visa on arrival | 30 days | USD 50 |
| Tourist visa on arrival | 90 days | USD 125 |
| Extension | 15 days minimum | USD 45 |
| Extension | each extra day beyond 15 | USD 3 per day |
| Late renewal fine | per day of overstay | USD 5 per day |
Pick the duration against your real itinerary. A 14 day Everest Base Camp trek plus arrival and departure days needs more than 15 days in the country, so the 30 day visa is the right choice for most trekking guests. The fee is the same whether you get the visa at the airport or at a land border, and it is not refundable once paid.
Visa on Arrival at Kathmandu Airport: Step by Step
This is exactly what happens after you leave the plane at Tribhuvan International Airport:
| Step | What you do | Time in low season |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fill the application at the electronic kiosks, or skip this if you brought the printed online form receipt | 5 to 15 minutes |
| 2 | Pay the visa fee in cash at the payment counter and keep the receipt | 5 to 10 minutes |
| 3 | Queue at the immigration desk with passport, receipt, and form; the officer stamps your visa | 10 to 30 minutes |
In the October and November peak the total can stretch past an hour when multiple flights arrive together. Our advice to every guest is the same: fill the online form before flying, carry the exact fee in US dollar notes, and keep one passport photo in your hand luggage. The kiosks take a webcam photo, but machines fail and a physical photo has saved more than one of our arrivals.
Documents You Need
A passport valid for at least six months beyond your arrival date, one passport size photo, the completed application form or the barcode receipt from the online portal, and the visa fee in cash. That is the whole list. No invitation letter, no booking confirmation, and no bank statement is asked from tourists.
Entry Points Where the Visa on Arrival Is Issued
| Region | Entry point |
|---|---|
| By air | Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu (the main gateway) |
| By air | Gautam Buddha International Airport, Bhairahawa and Pokhara International Airport (limited international flights) |
| Eastern Nepal | Kakarbhitta, Jhapa (India border) |
| Central Nepal | Birgunj, Parsa (India border) |
| Western Nepal | Belahiya, Bhairahawa (India border) |
| Mid western Nepal | Jamunaha, Nepalgunj (India border) |
| Far western Nepal | Mohana, Dhangadhi and Gaddachauki, Mahendranagar (India border) |
| Northern border | Rasuwagadhi and Kodari (China border) |
If you are crossing overland from India after a longer South Asia trip, the process at the land borders is the same form, same fees, cash only. Carry US dollars, because the smaller border posts are far stricter about currency than the airport.
Nationalities Not Eligible for Visa on Arrival
Citizens of the following countries must obtain their visa from a Nepali diplomatic mission before travelling: Nigeria, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Eswatini, Cameroon, Somalia, Liberia, Ethiopia, Iraq, Palestine, Afghanistan, Syria, and holders of refugee travel documents. If this list touches you, contact the nearest Nepali embassy well before booking flights, and confirm the current rule with the Department of Immigration, because eligibility lists change without much announcement.
Indian citizens do not need a visa for Nepal at all. They can enter and stay with a valid passport or other accepted identification.
Who Gets the Visa Free of Charge
Nepal issues a gratis tourist visa to children below 10 years of age, to SAARC citizens for their first 30 days in a visa year (Afghan nationals need a prior recommendation from the Department of Immigration), to Non Resident Nepali card holders, and to Chinese nationals. Everyone in the gratis category still needs the visa itself; only the fee is waived.
Extending Your Tourist Visa in Nepal
Plans change in the mountains, and extending is routine. You extend at the Department of Immigration office in Kalikasthan, Kathmandu, or at the immigration office in Pokhara. The minimum extension is 15 days for USD 45, then USD 3 for each additional day. Apply through the same online portal first, then visit the office with your passport to complete it. Two rules matter: a tourist can stay a maximum of 150 days in Nepal in one calendar year, and overstaying costs USD 5 per day in fines plus real trouble at departure. If your trek runs long because of weather, extend before the visa expires, not after.
Practical Answers From the Arrival Hall
Payment is cash. US dollars are the safest currency, and euros, pounds, and most major convertible currencies are generally accepted at the airport counters. Card payment exists at Tribhuvan but fails often enough that we tell every guest to treat it as unavailable. Bring clean, undamaged notes; torn dollars get rejected.
If you are trekking with us, the visa is the only document you arrange yourself. Trekking permits are our job. For restricted routes we handle the paperwork after you arrive, which is one reason our guests only need the 30 day visa and a passport to start walking. See how the whole process fits together in our guide on how to book the Everest Base Camp trek and the full Everest Base Camp trek cost breakdown.
Planning the trip itself? Start with our top 10 treks in Nepal, the best beginner friendly treks, or our Nepal family trip guide if you are travelling with children. Timing your visit around festivals is worth it too; here are the main festivals of Nepal. And when your dates are set, reach us on WhatsApp at +977 9869225929. Booking with us needs no advance payment; you confirm first and pay after you arrive in Kathmandu.
FAQs About the Nepal Tourist Visa
How much is the Nepal tourist visa in 2026?
USD 30 for 15 days, USD 50 for 30 days, and USD 125 for 90 days, paid in cash on arrival. The fees are the same at Tribhuvan International Airport and at land borders, and they are not refundable once paid.
Can I get a Nepal visa on arrival?
Yes. Most nationalities receive a tourist visa on arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu and at official land border crossings. A short list of nationalities must apply at a Nepali embassy instead, including Nigeria, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria.
Does Nepal have an eVisa?
No. Nepal offers an online application form at nepaliport.immigration.gov.np that you submit within 15 days before arrival, but the visa itself is still issued and paid for when you land. The online form only removes the form filling step at the airport.
What documents do I need for a Nepal visa on arrival?
A passport with at least six months validity, one passport size photo, the application form or online barcode receipt, and the fee in cash. Tourists are not asked for invitation letters or bank statements.
Can I pay the Nepal visa fee by card?
Treat card payment as unreliable. A card option exists at Kathmandu airport but fails frequently, and land borders are cash only. Carry the exact fee in US dollars; euros, pounds, and other major convertible currencies are generally accepted at the airport.
How do I extend a tourist visa in Nepal?
Apply online, then visit the Department of Immigration in Kalikasthan, Kathmandu, or the Pokhara immigration office. The minimum extension is 15 days for USD 45, plus USD 3 per additional day. Extend before your current visa expires; overstaying is fined at USD 5 per day.
How long can I stay in Nepal on a tourist visa?
A maximum of 150 days in one calendar year, counting all tourist visa days and extensions together. The counter resets on January 1.
Do children need a Nepal visa?
Yes, every traveller needs a visa, but children below 10 years of age receive it free of charge. They still go through the same application and stamping process at immigration.
Do Indian citizens need a visa for Nepal?
No. Indian citizens can enter Nepal without a visa using a valid passport or other accepted identification, with no fixed stay limit under the open border arrangement between the two countries.
Which visa should I get for a two week trek in Nepal?
The 30 day visa at USD 50. A 14 day trek plus arrival, departure, and buffer days almost always crosses 15 total days in the country, and the 15 day visa leaves no margin for flight delays or weather days in the mountains.
