Nepal Tourist Visa on Arrival: Costs and Process
What a Nepal tourist visa costs in 2026, how the arrival kiosks work at Kathmandu airport, who is not eligible, and how to extend without a fine.
Photo by Volker Meyer on Pexels
Most nationalities get a Nepal tourist visa on arrival: US$30 for 15 days, US$50 for 30 days, US$125 for 90 days, paid in cash or by card at Tribhuvan International Airport. Fill the kiosk form, pay, queue for the stamp. Budget 45–90 minutes in the October and April peaks.
Planning a trek around it? The Everest Base Camp guide and the trek budget calculator assume a visa long enough to cover the whole itinerary.
What it costs#
| Duration | Fee (US$) | Multiple entry |
|---|---|---|
| 15 days | 30 | Yes |
| 30 days | 50 | Yes |
| 90 days | 125 | Yes |
The days are counted per calendar year, not per visit, and the clock starts the day you land. A 30-day visa taken on 20 December gives you 30 days that straddle two allowance years.
The arrival process, step by step#
Fill the kiosk form
Touchscreen kiosks sit before immigration. Scan your passport, answer the questions, and keep the printed receipt — you cannot pay without it. Doing this online within 15 days of arrival saves this queue.
Pay the fee
Cash in US dollars is fastest. Cards work but the terminals fail often enough that carrying the exact fee in dollars is worth it. Other major currencies are accepted at a poor rate.
Queue for the stamp
Hand the receipt, the payment slip and your passport to the immigration desk. This is the slow queue. Flights from Doha, Dubai and Kuala Lumpur land together in the early morning.
Extending without a fine#
Extensions are handled at the Department of Immigration in Kalikasthan, Kathmandu, or the Pokhara office. The fee is US$45 for 15 days and US$3 a day after that, with a minimum of 15 days. Apply online first and bring the printout; walking in without it means a second trip.
Overstaying costs US$5 a day on top of the extension fee and must be settled at the airport before departure, which is not where you want to discover it.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get the visa before I fly?
Yes, at any Nepali embassy or consulate, and it saves the airport queue. The fee is the same. The online pre-arrival form is not a visa — it only skips the kiosk step.
Do I need a passport photo?
The kiosk takes your photo, so no. Bring two spare passport photos anyway — trekking permits need them.
Does a trekking permit need a specific visa length?
No, but your visa must cover the whole trek. Permit checkposts do check the expiry date, and the Everest and Annapurna routes have several.
Sources and last verified#
- Department of Immigration, Nepal — fee schedule checked 1 November 2026.
- Tribhuvan International Airport arrivals process, observed October 2026.
Trekking writer and route researcher
Nitesh has walked the Khumbu, Annapurna and Manaslu routes across four seasons and keeps a running record of teahouse prices, permit changes and flight costs from each trip. He writes the route breakdowns here and re-checks every price table before each trekking season.
- Walked Everest, Annapurna and Manaslu circuits
- Wilderness First Responder (WFR)
- Based in Kathmandu since 2019
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