Regular Visa Services Reinstated For Foreigners In Nepal

Nepal announces resumption of  regular visa services for foreigners, who currently are residents ofthe country. The decision came after more than a month since it was suspended in order to contain the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic.

This move along with the decision of reopening flight services allowing a limited number of international and domestic flights from July 1 as the rate of reported COVID cases have started to decline. Since pat two weeks, the country has been slowly unlocking the restrictive measures 

Many foreign passport holders in Nepal could not have their visas regulated as they could not reach the immigration offices due to the lockdown enforced since late April to contain the pandemic. All the visa services were suspended since May 20.

As the lockdown imposed by the government has been eased and domestic and international flights have resumed, it has been decided to resume regular visa services from July 2 by strictly adhering to the health and safety protocols issued by the government, said a notice by the Department of Immigration on Thursday.

Foreign nationals with valid visas of Nepal until April 28 and who are departing from the country by July 8 shall have their visas regulated without any charges at the time of departure from the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, reads the notice.

However, foreigners who are departing from Nepal but applying for visa regulation after July 8 will have to pay all the regular visa fees and late fees, according to the notice.

In view of the ongoing prohibitory orders imposed by the government to contain the spread of the coronavirus, foreign visitors can have their visas extended up to 210 days from the previous limit of 150 days, according to the notice. 

(With PTI Inputs)