Nepal visa and permit info

Nepal visa on arrival

At the airport there are several visa choices:

+ 48 hour visa (plus 24 hours free) for $5

+ 15 days for $25 - get this for Tibet expeditions

+ 30 days for $40

+ 90 days for $100 - get this one for Nepal expeditions

Payment by CASH ONLY in any major currency (change is returned in rupees), and you need one passport photo too. Rules give you one day gratis (free) at the end. These are all now multiple entry visas but it is the days from when the visa was issued that are counted, NOT days in the country.

For Tibet expeditions you simply get another visa when you come back into Nepal from Tibet (have a passport photo and cash saved for this).

Permits

We provide all permits for the expedition, including the climbing permit, liaison officer paperwork, national park and conservation area permits. We will need passport photos either prior or on arrival.

Your security

Read our separate Nepal treks security page.

Tibet (China) visa and permit info

Tibet is part of China and is a sensitive region hence the regulations are different from mainland China.

Tibet (Chinese) visa info

To visit Tibet from Nepal for mountaineering requires a special visa. We apply on your behalf. The process is quite involved so we need a copy (color scan or digital picture) of your passport details at least 1 month before the start date, also send us your occupation. Note that the visa is issued at the discretion of the authorities, we cannot be responsible for a refused visa.

Once you arrive in Nepal we take your passport to the Chinese Embassy for the visa to be handed over. This is only possible Monday, Wednesday or Friday morning.

Please note that you do NOT need to acquire a Chinese visa from your country. If you do have one, this will be cancelled when we get the group visa.

Other permits

We take care of all of these for you. These include protected area entry (ie national parks etc) and special permits required in other areas. The peak royalty cost, liaison officer etc is always included, both for BC-ABC services and our professionally lead trips.

Photography

Avoid taking photographs of Chinese soldiers and at the border areas. Many gompas either forbid photography inside or charge sometimes large fees for it - ask first. Outside, no problem.

Political issues

China's policy is to close Tibet to foreigners when there could be trouble. Usually this is with little warning, little is written officially, and they give no idea of when restrictions will end. If there is this sort of event we will come up with a suitable alternative so that you can still take a trekking/expedition holiday.