{"url":"https://www.ecotournepal.com/blog/nepal-visa-on-arrival-2026","representations":{"html":"https://www.ecotournepal.com/blog/nepal-visa-on-arrival-2026","markdown":"https://www.ecotournepal.com/blog/nepal-visa-on-arrival-2026.md","json":"https://www.ecotournepal.com/blog/nepal-visa-on-arrival-2026.json"},"page":{"kind":"post","path":"/blog/nepal-visa-on-arrival-2026","title":"Nepal Visa on Arrival: The Complete 2026 Guide","description":"How Nepal's visa on arrival works in 2026: the Kathmandu airport steps, current fees, cash vs card, extensions, and a timing trick for a near-300-day stay.","hero":{"eyebrow":"Visas & Permits","image":"https://amplify-ecotournepal-saru-ecotournepalmediabucketf-2rwlchiydjqx.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/media/people-standing-in-line-for-visa-emmigrant.avif","imageAlt":"Travellers waiting in the immigration queue for a Nepal visa on arrival at Kathmandu airport","tagline":"How Nepal's visa on arrival works in 2026: the Kathmandu airport steps, current fees, cash vs card, extensions, and a timing trick for a near-300-day stay."},"sections":[{"id":"article-body","richText":{"type":"doc","content":[{"type":"heading","attrs":{"level":2},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"Quick summary"}]},{"type":"bulletList","content":[{"type":"listItem","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Most nationalities get a tourist visa on arrival"},{"type":"text","text":" at Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) and at major land borders — no embassy visit before you fly. A short list of nationalities must apply in advance, so confirm yours before booking."}]}]},{"type":"listItem","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"On-arrival fees (USD):"},{"type":"text","text":" 15 days "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"$30"},{"type":"text","text":", 30 days "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"$50"},{"type":"text","text":", 90 days "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"$125"},{"type":"text","text":"."}]}]},{"type":"listItem","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Bring US-dollar cash."},{"type":"text","text":" The counter is priced in USD and advises carrying cash; card machines work "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"italic"}],"text":"sometimes"},{"type":"text","text":", not always."}]}]},{"type":"listItem","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"You can stay up to 150 days per visa year"},{"type":"text","text":", and the visa year is the calendar year — it resets every "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"1 January"},{"type":"text","text":". Time it right and you can legally chain close to "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"300 days"},{"type":"text","text":" across two visa years."}]}]},{"type":"listItem","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"A few days' overstay"},{"type":"text","text":" after a delayed trek is a minor pay-at-the-counter matter (about "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"$8/day"},{"type":"text","text":"). A long overstay is a different story."}]}]},{"type":"listItem","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"Travelling with us? "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Visa guidance, airport pickup and a pre-trip briefing are part of the package"},{"type":"text","text":" — "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"href":"/contact"}}],"text":"plan a custom trip"},{"type":"text","text":"."}]}]}]},{"type":"heading","attrs":{"level":2},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"Do you need a visa for Nepal?"}]},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"Yes — but for the vast majority of travellers the visa is issued "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"on arrival"},{"type":"text","text":", so there is nothing to organise with an embassy beforehand. You fill a form, pay a fee in cash, and walk to the immigration desk for a stamp. The whole thing is usually quick; the only reliable way to slow it down is to arrive without dollars in your pocket."}]},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"The fee buys a "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"multiple-entry tourist visa"},{"type":"text","text":" for the number of days you choose (15, 30 or 90), so you can pop out to a neighbour like India and come back without buying a new visa."}]},{"type":"heading","attrs":{"level":2},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"The arrival process at Kathmandu (TIA), step by step"}]},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"The airport runs the on-arrival visa as a simple three-desk flow:"}]},{"type":"orderedList","content":[{"type":"listItem","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Fill the forms."},{"type":"text","text":" Complete the Arrival Card and the online Tourist Visa application — either on the Department of Immigration website "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"italic"}],"text":"before"},{"type":"text","text":" you fly (the barcode receipt is valid 15 days) or at the "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"kiosk machines"},{"type":"text","text":" in the arrivals hall. Doing it beforehand skips the kiosk queue."}]}]},{"type":"listItem","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Pay at the bank counter."},{"type":"text","text":" Take your receipt to the visa-fee counter and pay. Official guidance is that several payment modes are accepted but carrying some cash is advised. In practice, "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"US-dollar cash is the safe default"},{"type":"text","text":" — it sidesteps card-machine outages and poor counter rates."}]}]},{"type":"listItem","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Get the stamp at immigration."},{"type":"text","text":" Hand the officer your passport, the completed form and the payment receipt. Stamp, and you are in."}]}]}]},{"type":"blockquote","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"The single biggest time-saver is having the "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"exact fee in USD cash"},{"type":"text","text":" ready before you reach the counter. Everything else is just paperwork."}]}]},{"type":"image","attrs":{"src":"https://amplify-ecotournepal-saru-ecotournepalmediabucketf-2rwlchiydjqx.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/media/people-standing-in-airport-for-boarding.avif","alt":"Travellers at Kathmandu's international airport after landing"}},{"type":"heading","attrs":{"level":2},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"How much does the Nepal visa cost in 2026?"}]},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"On-arrival tourist-visa fees are charged in "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"US dollars"},{"type":"text","text":":"}]},{"type":"bulletList","content":[{"type":"listItem","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"15 days — $30"}]}]},{"type":"listItem","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"30 days — $50"}]}]},{"type":"listItem","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"90 days — $125"}]}]}]},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"Children under 10 are typically exempt, and SAARC nationals get separate terms. Fees can change, so treat these as current-as-checked and re-confirm on the official "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"href":"https://www.immigration.gov.np/visa-information"}}],"text":"Department of Immigration site"},{"type":"text","text":" before you travel."}]},{"type":"heading","attrs":{"level":2},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"Which visa length should you choose?"}]},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"A simple rule: "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"buy a little more than your planned itinerary"},{"type":"text","text":", because mountain logistics slip. If a Lukla flight or a pass closure pushes your "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"href":"/mountain-treks/everest-base-camp-trek"}}],"text":"Everest Base Camp trek"},{"type":"text","text":" or "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"href":"/mountain-treks/annapurna-base-camp-trek"}}],"text":"Annapurna Base Camp trek"},{"type":"text","text":" by a few days, you do not want to be racing your own visa to the airport."}]},{"type":"bulletList","content":[{"type":"listItem","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"A two- or three-week trip:"},{"type":"text","text":" the 30-day visa ($50) is the comfortable default."}]}]},{"type":"listItem","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"A long trek plus city and culture time:"},{"type":"text","text":" many of our guests run "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"20–25 days"},{"type":"text","text":" end to end, so the 30-day visa still fits with room to spare."}]}]},{"type":"listItem","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"A season-long stay or a workcation:"},{"type":"text","text":" go straight for the 90-day visa, then extend."}]}]}]},{"type":"heading","attrs":{"level":2},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"The 150-day cap — and the ~300-day \"straddle\""}]},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"Here is the rule most guides miss. A tourist visa is capped at "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"150 days per visa year"},{"type":"text","text":", and the "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"visa year is the calendar year (1 January–31 December)"},{"type":"text","text":", counted across all your entries. The cap "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"resets every 1 January."}]},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"That reset is the trick. If you "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"arrive around August"},{"type":"text","text":" and use your 150 days, then on "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"1 January"},{"type":"text","text":" the counter resets and you can extend again into the new calendar year. Timed well, a plain tourist visa gives you close to "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"300 continuous days"},{"type":"text","text":" in Nepal across two visa years — no special long-stay visa required. It is the single most useful thing a long-stay traveller or "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"href":"/work-from-nepal"}}],"text":"remote worker in Nepal"},{"type":"text","text":" can know."}]},{"type":"heading","attrs":{"level":2},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"Extending your visa"}]},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"Extensions are handled in person at the "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Department of Immigration in Kalikasthan, Kathmandu"},{"type":"text","text":" or the "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Pokhara Immigration Office"},{"type":"text","text":" (there is also an online portal). It mirrors the airport: a kiosk to fill the form, then a counter to pay."}]},{"type":"bulletList","content":[{"type":"listItem","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Cost:"},{"type":"text","text":" "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"$3/day"},{"type":"text","text":", with a "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"15-day minimum"},{"type":"text","text":" (so $45 is the smallest extension)."}]}]},{"type":"listItem","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Multiple re-entry:"},{"type":"text","text":" add about "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"$25"},{"type":"text","text":" if you need it."}]}]},{"type":"listItem","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Ceiling:"},{"type":"text","text":" you still cannot exceed "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"150 days"},{"type":"text","text":" in the visa year."}]}]}]},{"type":"heading","attrs":{"level":2},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"What happens if you overstay?"}]},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"Be honest about the two very different cases:"}]},{"type":"bulletList","content":[{"type":"listItem","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"A short overstay"},{"type":"text","text":" — the classic \"my trek ran two days long\" — is settled at the counter: you pay the "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"extension ($3/day) plus a late fine ($5/day)"},{"type":"text","text":", roughly "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"$8/day"},{"type":"text","text":". Mildly annoying, not a crisis."}]}]},{"type":"listItem","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"A serious overstay"},{"type":"text","text":" falls under the "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Immigration Act 2049"},{"type":"text","text":", which allows fines up to "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"NPR 50,000"},{"type":"text","text":" and, at the extreme, deportation and a re-entry ban."}]}]}]},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"If a flight delay threatens your visa window, sort the extension "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"italic"}],"text":"before"},{"type":"text","text":" the expiry date, not after."}]},{"type":"heading","attrs":{"level":2},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"How we make the visa a non-event"}]},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"Book a trip with EcoTourNepal and the visa stops being something you worry about:"}]},{"type":"bulletList","content":[{"type":"listItem","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"A "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"pre-trip briefing"},{"type":"text","text":" tells you exactly how many dollars to carry and which visa length to buy for your itinerary."}]}]},{"type":"listItem","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Airport pickup is included"},{"type":"text","text":" — after a long flight, a named driver and a vehicle with water and snacks beats haggling for a taxi in a new language."}]}]},{"type":"listItem","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"If your plan needs an "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"extension"},{"type":"text","text":", our admin team handles the legwork; you only appear in person where the law requires your signature."}]}]}]},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"Ready to plan? "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"href":"/contact"}}],"text":"Talk to a Nepal travel expert"},{"type":"text","text":" or "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"href":"/contact"}}],"text":"build a custom Nepal trip"},{"type":"text","text":" and we will handle the rest."}]}]}}],"faqs":[{"question":"Can I get a Nepal visa on arrival, or do I need to apply in advance?","answer":"Most nationalities get a tourist visa on arrival at Kathmandu airport and major land borders. Only a short list of countries must apply beforehand, so check your nationality before you fly."},{"question":"How much is the Nepal tourist visa in 2026?","answer":"US$30 for 15 days, US$50 for 30 days, and US$125 for 90 days, paid in US dollars on arrival. Children under 10 are usually exempt and SAARC nationals get separate terms."},{"question":"Should I bring cash or can I pay by card?","answer":"Bring US-dollar cash. The fee counter is priced in USD and advises carrying cash; card machines sometimes work but are not guaranteed, so cash is the safe default."},{"question":"How long can I stay in Nepal on a tourist visa?","answer":"Up to 150 days per calendar year. Because the cap resets on 1 January, a well-timed entry can chain close to 300 continuous days across two visa years without a special long-stay visa."},{"question":"What happens if I overstay my Nepal visa by a few days?","answer":"A short overstay is handled at the airport counter for about US$8 per day (a US$3/day extension plus a US$5/day fine). Long overstays fall under the Immigration Act and can mean large fines, so extend before your visa expires."}],"cta":{"primary":{"label":"Plan a Custom Nepal Trip","href":"/contact"},"secondary":{"label":"Talk to a Nepal Travel Expert","href":"/contact"}},"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Home","path":"/"},{"name":"Journal","path":"/blog"},{"name":"Nepal Visa on Arrival: The Complete 2026 Guide","path":"/blog/nepal-visa-on-arrival-2026"}],"updatedAt":"2026-06-19"}}