NEPAL
Entry
Requirements & Visa Extension
All foreign nationals except Indians need a visa to enter Nepal.
Tourist visas are issued on arrival with a minimum of fuss at
the Kathmandu airport and at official overland entry points. Have
a passport-size photo at the ready, and if possible bring exact
change for the visa fee - in US dollars if you're entering by
air.
Fees may change without warning, but visas currently cost US$15
(or equivalent in other currencies) for fifteen days, $25 for
thirty days ($40 for a double-entry visa), and $60 for a sixty-day
multiple-entry visa. If you plan on border-hopping between Nepal
and India (or Tibet), the double- or multiple-entry option may
save some time and money, but it's not essential as you can get
a re-entry stamp at any official border crossing (same prices
as visas).
Getting a visa from an overseas Nepalese embassy or consulate
will cut down on paperwork on arrival, but it's really only worth
doing if you happen to be in the neighbourhood or if you're one
of those people who has to have everything sorted out before you
go. The fees are supposed to be the same as those given above,
but are actually often higher.
Tourist visas can be extended , up to thirty days at a time, for
a maximum of 120 days in a calendar year (150 days given extenuating
circumstances). Extensions are granted only at the Kathmandu or
Pokhara Central Immigration offices - a somewhat tedious procedure,
especially in high season, when queues can run to two hours or
more, which is why it's best to get the longest visa you think
you'll need right from the start. The cost is US$1 per day, payable
in Nepalese currency only. Submit your passport and one passport-size
photo with your application; instant photos are available from
studios near Central Immigration offices.
The fine for overstaying is double the amount that you would have
paid had you properly extended your visa. However, don't overstay
more than a couple of days, and for heaven's sake don't tamper
with your visa. Tourists have been jailed for these seemingly
minor infractions.
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