Nepal News

Nepal is preparing a system that would allow foreign visitors to use their phones for certain identity checks during their stay. Passport and visa information displayed in the immigration app could be accepted instead of the physical passport for some procedures, including hotel check-ins and domestic flights. The project is also designed to help authorities locate and assist travelers more quickly in an emergency, an issue brought into sharp focus by the devastating floods of August 26, 2026.

Nepal now allows travelers to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) before departure, pay the required fees online, including by international bank card, and obtain their authorization electronically. After a relatively low-key rollout, VisasNews tested the entire process to see how it works in practice.

Nepal plans to fully roll out its e-Visa system on August 17, 2026. Travelers will be able to receive their visa by email before departure, although authorities have not announced a broad phaseout of visas on arrival.

After several days of unrest in Kathmandu and the reopening of Tribhuvan International Airport on September 10, Nepalese authorities announced the implementation of a free visa regularization program for tourists whose visas expired after September 8, 2025.

As Nepal faces a period of unrest marked by protests, curfews, and the temporary closure of Kathmandu’s international airport, several foreign governments are advising travelers to exercise increased caution.