Nepal visa requirements for US passport holders

Check your circumstances

Read these conditions alongside the entry rule. Where official guidance does not state a condition, that is not confirmation that no condition applies.

Passport type Conditions to check

Nepal lists visa exemptions only for diplomatic and official or service passports of certain countries, and the United States is not among them. Ordinary US passports need a visa.

Official sources: Department of Immigration, Government of Nepal (immigration.gov.np).

Trip purpose Confirmed for this scope

The tourist visa covers visits; only holders of a Working Visa may accept employment in Nepal. All visas issued at entry points are tourist visas.

Official sources: Department of Immigration, Government of Nepal (immigration.gov.np).

Age Confirmed for this scope

Children under 10 get a free tourist visa of up to 30 days, but the Department states this applies to all nationalities except US citizens.

Official sources: Department of Immigration, Government of Nepal (immigration.gov.np).

Residence Not stated in the cited guidance

The Department states no residence rule for the tourist visa. Visa on arrival is open to every passport except 12 listed nationalities, which do not include the United States.

Official sources: Department of Immigration, Government of Nepal (immigration.gov.np).

Other visas or residence permits Not stated in the cited guidance

No other visa or residence permit changes the tourist visa for US citizens. A separate reciprocity tourist visa is available to US citizens and their dependents.

Official sources: Department of Immigration, Government of Nepal (immigration.gov.np).

Carrier and arrival route Conditions to check

On-arrival tourist visas are issued at Tribhuvan International Airport and the other entry and exit points, but not by the Immigration Office in Pokhara.

Official sources: Department of Immigration, Government of Nepal (immigration.gov.np).

Stay and visa validity Confirmed for this scope

Tourist visas run 15, 30 or 90 days from entry with multiple entries, and can be extended to at most 150 days in a calendar year. A visa from a mission must be used within 6 months.

Official sources: Department of Immigration, Government of Nepal (immigration.gov.np).

Visa on arrival or online before you fly

At Tribhuvan International Airport you fill in the arrival card and the online tourist visa form, either on the Department of Immigration website before you travel or on the kiosks in the arrivals hall. Print or save the submission receipt with its barcode, which is valid for 15 days, pay the fee at the bank counter and then go to the immigration desk with your passport.

You can also apply online for an Electronic Travel Authorization on the NepaliPort portal, pay online and carry the approved visa, or apply through a Nepalese embassy. Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months, and the Department advises carrying some cash at the airport.

Official sources: Department of Immigration, Government of Nepal (immigration.gov.np); Department of Immigration, Government of Nepal (immigration.gov.np).

Fees, lengths and extensions

The tourist visa costs USD 30 for 15 days, USD 50 for 30 days and USD 125 for 90 days, all with multiple entries and counted from the day you enter. The free visa for children under 10 does not apply to US citizens.

You can extend a tourist visa at the Department of Immigration in Kathmandu or the Immigration Office in Pokhara, for USD 3 a day with a minimum of 15 days, up to 150 days in a calendar year. Overstaying costs USD 5 a day, and a visa cannot be withdrawn or refunded once issued.

Official sources: Department of Immigration, Government of Nepal (immigration.gov.np); Department of Immigration, Government of Nepal (immigration.gov.np).

The 5-year reciprocity tourist visa

Nepal offers US citizens and their dependents a reciprocity tourist visa valid for 5 years, with stays of up to 180 days a year, for USD 160. The Department lists a bank statement showing at least USD 10,000, a health insurance certificate and a police report among the documents. It is issued by the Department of Immigration, and all applications go through the NepaliPort portal.

Official sources: Department of Immigration, Government of Nepal (immigration.gov.np).