Nepal

Nepal · Asia · updated 21.09.2026

Nepal is a South Asian country outside the EU and outside the Gulf, with a narrow system of long-stay visas: the work visa is issued under the general “non-tourist visa” category and requires a separate permit from the Government of Nepal for paid employment (via the Department of Labour), issued for no more than 1 year at a time; the business visa for investors — up to 5 years; the Non-Resident Nepali (NRN) visa — up to 10 years, but available only to people of Nepali origin or citizens of Nepal who have long lived abroad; the residential visa for investors of USD 100,000 or more, or for persons of international standing, is issued by the Department of Immigration for the first year and then renewed annually, without automatically becoming a permanent status — Nepali law has no permanent residence permit in the European sense. Naturalisation to Nepali citizenship is available in practice almost exclusively to persons with a special contribution to the country's development, requires 15 years of residence, knowledge of Nepali or another language used in Nepal, and renunciation of prior citizenship; dual citizenship is not permitted in any form. An expedited route to citizenship through marriage exists only for foreign wives of Nepali citizens, not for foreign husbands of Nepali female citizens. Seismic hazard here is not a technical detail but a systemic fact: the country lies in the collision zone of the Indian and Eurasian plates, INFORM rates the earthquake component at 9.8 out of 10, and the 25 April 2015 Gorkha earthquake (M7.8) claimed almost 9,000 lives and damaged a significant part of the historic building stock of the Kathmandu Valley. At the same time, the country holds several UNESCO World Heritage sites (the Kathmandu Valley, Lumbini — the birthplace of Buddha, Chitwan National Park), and the cost of rent and living is lower than the regional average.

Some descriptions for this country are still Russian only: 91% translated. Numbers, prices and timelines are complete.

Entry

Entry rules depend on citizenship. Choose a passport to see the requirement for that one.

Work and visas

Visa speed: The Immigration Rules set a general decision time for visas issued on the recommendation of the relevant authority — as a rule, within 7 days of the date the recommendation is registered (s. 12(4) of the Immigration Rules 2051). The processing time for the work permit itself from the Department of Labour, which precedes the application for the “non-tourist” work visa, could not be confirmed from official sources.

Visa types: Non-tourist visa — s. 8 of the Immigration Rules 2051 (1994). The main employment category is sub-clause (e) — for foreigners who have received permission from the Government of Nepal to work for remuneration at a Nepali firm/company/association/enterprise (the permit is issued by the Department of Labour under the Labour Act). The same general category, but under other sub-clauses of s. 8, is used to issue visas to spouses of Nepali citizens (h), NGO staff (k1), diplomatic-mission and international-organisation personnel (b, f), and others. Issued for no more than 1 year at a time, renewable as needed (s. 8(2)). · Business visa — s. 9 of the Immigration Rules. For foreigners licensed to invest in a trading or industrial enterprise in Nepal, for investors in export trade from Nepal, and their authorised representatives. Issued for no more than 5 years at a time, renewable (s. 9(2)). · Study visa — s. 7 of the Immigration Rules. For foreigners and their family members who have received approval from the Government of Nepal to study, teach, or conduct research at an educational institution in Nepal. Applicants not admitted under a scholarship/inter-university agreement/from SAARC countries must confirm an income of USD 3,000 or more a year for themselves and USD 2,000 or more for each family member. Issued for 1 year at a time (for technical fields — for the whole duration of study at once, s. 7(3a)). · Non-Resident Nepali (NRN) visa — s. 10A of the Immigration Rules; s. 11 of the Non-Resident Nepali Act 2064 (2008). For a foreign citizen of Nepali origin (the person themselves, or their father/mother/grandfather/grandmother, was a citizen of Nepal) or a citizen of Nepal who has lived abroad for 2 years or more for work/business/a profession and has obtained an NRN identity card, and members of their family. Issued for no more than 10 years at a time, renewable as needed. · Residential visa — s. 11 of the Immigration Rules. For persons of international standing; persons with an outstanding contribution to Nepal's economic, social, or cultural development; foreign investors who have invested a lump sum of USD 100,000 or more (or the equivalent in convertible currency) in an industrial enterprise in Nepal, and members of their families; or foreigners with no business in Nepal who confirm their readiness to spend USD 20,000 or more a year in Nepal. Issued by the Department of Immigration with the approval of the Ministry of Home Affairs only for the first year, then renewed annually by the Department (s. 12(1)(h)) — that is, it does not automatically become a permanent status.

Long-term visas and residence permits

Non-Tourist Visa (Working) — general rate

Work

term 12 morenewabledoes not count toward permanent residencefamily allowedfee $ 75,0processing 1 days

Fee: Item 4 of Schedule 9 knows four rates for a work visa: USD 30 a month for someone working directly in an institution or project of the Government of Nepal; 50 for someone working in a non-governmental organisation running its business on direct contributions of a donor country under an agreement between that country and the Government of Nepal; 20 for someone who has obtained a labour permit for contract work for the state or a wholly state-owned organisation, and for Chinese nationals who have been doing business in Nepal since 1989; and 75 for everyone else. On top of the rate an entry fee is charged: USD 20 for a single entry and USD 60 for multiple entries. The fee is counted by the month: a period shorter than 15 days is charged as 15 days, and a period from 15 days to a month as a full month (item 12 of Schedule 9). Schedule 9 to the Immigration Rules 2051 as replaced in full by the Ministry of Home Affairs notice in the Nepal Gazette (vol. 69, no. 16, part 3) of 30 Asar 2076 — 15 July 2019.

official source · read 2026-08-23

Non-Tourist Visa (Working) — government office or project

Work

term 12 morenewabledoes not count toward permanent residencefamily allowedfee $ 30,0processing 1 days

Fee: on the same terms as the ground above.

official source · read 2026-08-23

Non-Tourist Visa (Working) — donor-funded NGO

Work

term 12 morenewabledoes not count toward permanent residencefamily allowedfee $ 50,0processing 1 days

Fee: on the same terms as the ground above.

official source · read 2026-08-23

Non-Tourist Visa (Feasibility Study)

Other

term 6 morenewabledoes not count toward permanent residencefamily allowedfee $ 75,0processing 1 days

Fee: on the same terms as the ground above.

official source · read 2026-08-23

Non-Tourist Visa (Press)

Work

term 4 morenewabledoes not count toward permanent residencefamily allowedfee $ 15,0processing 1 days

Fee: USD 15 a month (item 4(ग) of Schedule 9). On top of the rate an entry fee is charged: USD 20 for a single entry and USD 60 for multiple entries. The fee is counted by the month: a period shorter than 15 days is charged as 15 days, and a period from 15 days to a month as a full month (item 12 of Schedule 9). Schedule 9 to the Immigration Rules 2051 as replaced in full by the Ministry of Home Affairs notice in the Nepal Gazette (vol. 69, no. 16, part 3) of 30 Asar 2076 — 15 July 2019. The “Visa Information” page of the same department prints USD 10 a month instead — the rate of the previous version.

official source · read 2026-08-23

Non-Tourist Visa (Relation)

Family

term 12 morenewabledoes not count toward permanent residencefamily allowedfee $ 10,0processing 1 days

Fee: USD 10 a month for immediate relatives and USD 25 for relatives of the foreign spouse of a Nepali citizen (items 4(ख) and 4(च) of Schedule 9). On top of the rate an entry fee is charged: USD 20 for a single entry and USD 60 for multiple entries. The fee is counted by the month: a period shorter than 15 days is charged as 15 days, and a period from 15 days to a month as a full month (item 12 of Schedule 9). Schedule 9 to the Immigration Rules 2051 as replaced in full by the Ministry of Home Affairs notice in the Nepal Gazette (vol. 69, no. 16, part 3) of 30 Asar 2076 — 15 July 2019. The “Visa Information” page prints USD 5 a month instead — the rate of the previous version.

official source · read 2026-08-23

Non-Tourist Visa (Marriage to a Nepali citizen)

Family

term 12 morenewabledoes not count toward permanent residencefamily allowedfee $ 15,0processing 1 days

Fee: USD 15 a month (item 4(ङ) of Schedule 9). On top of the rate an entry fee is charged: USD 20 for a single entry and USD 60 for multiple entries. The fee is counted by the month: a period shorter than 15 days is charged as 15 days, and a period from 15 days to a month as a full month (item 12 of Schedule 9). Foreign women who married Nepali citizens and received a free visa under the Foreigners Rules 2032 before the Immigration Rules 2051 came into force pay no visa fee for as long as the marriage lasts (item 4(ञ) of Schedule 9). Schedule 9 to the Immigration Rules 2051 as replaced in full by the Ministry of Home Affairs notice in the Nepal Gazette (vol. 69, no. 16, part 3) of 30 Asar 2076 — 15 July 2019.

official source · read 2026-08-23

Study Visa (degree programme)

Study

term 12 morenewabledoes not count toward permanent residencefamily allowedincome from $ 3 000 a yearfee $ 30,0processing 1 days

Fee: Item 3 of Schedule 9: USD 30 a month for a degree programme, 75 for a non-degree programme, 50 for those coming to teach and to do research. Individual countries have their own rates: Bangladesh USD 15 a year, the Maldives 25 a year, Bhutan 15 a month, Sri Lanka and Pakistan free of charge (their family members USD 10 a month). On top of the rate an entry fee is charged: USD 20 for a single entry and USD 60 for multiple entries. The fee is counted by the month: a period shorter than 15 days is charged as 15 days, and a period from 15 days to a month as a full month (item 12 of Schedule 9). Schedule 9 to the Immigration Rules 2051 as replaced in full by the Ministry of Home Affairs notice in the Nepal Gazette (vol. 69, no. 16, part 3) of 30 Asar 2076 — 15 July 2019.

official source · read 2026-08-23

Study Visa (non-degree programme)

Study

term 12 morenewabledoes not count toward permanent residencefamily allowedincome from $ 3 000 a yearfee $ 75,0processing 1 days

Fee: on the same terms as the ground above.

official source · read 2026-08-23

Study Visa (teaching and research)

Study

term 12 morenewabledoes not count toward permanent residencefamily allowedfee $ 50,0processing 1 days

official source · read 2026-08-23

Business Visa — personal investment above one crore rupees

Investment

term 60 morenewabledoes not count toward permanent residencefamily allowedfee $ 200processing 1 days

Fee: USD 200 for a one-year visa. Item 5(क) of Schedule 9: USD 20 a month for a visa shorter than a year, 200 for a one-year visa, 500 for a five-year one. Item 5 of Schedule 9 states the threshold as a magnitude word: “one crore rupees”, that is ten million. Both of the department’s current pages, the fee table and the citizen charter, print this threshold as “over 100 million rupees” and the exemption threshold as “1,000 million”: the crore has been converted into millions with an error of one order of magnitude. The older “Visa Information” page names the thresholds correctly (10 and 100 million) but with the old rates. The threshold has not been put into the numeric field: expanding a magnitude word would mean passing our own arithmetic off as the source. Schedule 9 to the Immigration Rules 2051 as replaced in full by the Ministry of Home Affairs notice in the Nepal Gazette (vol. 69, no. 16, part 3) of 30 Asar 2076 — 15 July 2019.

official source · read 2026-08-23

Business Visa — personal investment of one crore rupees or less

Investment

term 60 morenewabledoes not count toward permanent residencefamily allowedfee $ 400processing 1 days

Fee: USD 400 for a one-year visa. Item 5(ख) of Schedule 9: USD 35 a month for a visa shorter than a year, 400 for a one-year visa, 1,000 for a five-year one. Item 5 of Schedule 9 states the threshold as a magnitude word: “one crore rupees”, that is ten million. Both of the department’s current pages, the fee table and the citizen charter, print this threshold as “over 100 million rupees” and the exemption threshold as “1,000 million”: the crore has been converted into millions with an error of one order of magnitude. The older “Visa Information” page names the thresholds correctly (10 and 100 million) but with the old rates. The threshold has not been put into the numeric field: expanding a magnitude word would mean passing our own arithmetic off as the source. Schedule 9 to the Immigration Rules 2051 as replaced in full by the Ministry of Home Affairs notice in the Nepal Gazette (vol. 69, no. 16, part 3) of 30 Asar 2076 — 15 July 2019.

official source · read 2026-08-23

Business Visa — personal investment of ten crore rupees or more (no fee)

Investment

term 60 morenewabledoes not count toward permanent residencefamily allowedfee $ 0,00processing 1 days

Fee: No fee is charged at all — item 5(घ) of Schedule 9. Item 5 of Schedule 9 states the threshold as a magnitude word: “one crore rupees”, that is ten million. Both of the department’s current pages, the fee table and the citizen charter, print this threshold as “over 100 million rupees” and the exemption threshold as “1,000 million”: the crore has been converted into millions with an error of one order of magnitude. The older “Visa Information” page names the thresholds correctly (10 and 100 million) but with the old rates. The threshold has not been put into the numeric field: expanding a magnitude word would mean passing our own arithmetic off as the source. Schedule 9 to the Immigration Rules 2051 as replaced in full by the Ministry of Home Affairs notice in the Nepal Gazette (vol. 69, no. 16, part 3) of 30 Asar 2076 — 15 July 2019.

official source · read 2026-08-23

Residential Visa (investor of at least USD 100,000)

Investment

term 12 morenewabledoes not count toward permanent residencefamily allowedincome from $ 100 000fee $ 500processing 2 days

Fee: USD 500 on first issue and USD 200 a year on renewal — item 8(क) of Schedule 9. The Department’s citizen charter prints USD 200 a year and USD 100 for renewal instead, while the fee table on the same site quotes a single price of USD 1,200 a year for every residential visa, that is the rate of a different category. The number in this record is taken from the gazette, because the gazette is the version in force. Every month of delay in renewal adds USD 30 (item 13). Schedule 9 to the Immigration Rules 2051 as replaced in full by the Ministry of Home Affairs notice in the Nepal Gazette (vol. 69, no. 16, part 3) of 30 Asar 2076 — 15 July 2019.

official source · read 2026-08-23

Residential Visa (living in Nepal without carrying on business)

Retirement

term 12 morenewabledoes not count toward permanent residencefamily allowedincome from $ 20 000 a yearfee $ 700processing 2 days

Fee: USD 700 on first issue and USD 1,200 a year on renewal — renewal costs more than the first issue; this is not a typo, it is what item 8(ख) of Schedule 9 says. Those who obtained such a visa before the first amendment to the Rules (22.2.2058, 4 June 2001) pay USD 100 a year for renewal. Every month of delay in renewal adds USD 30 (item 13). Schedule 9 to the Immigration Rules 2051 as replaced in full by the Ministry of Home Affairs notice in the Nepal Gazette (vol. 69, no. 16, part 3) of 30 Asar 2076 — 15 July 2019.

official source · read 2026-08-23

Residential Visa (international reputation or outstanding contribution)

Talent

term 12 morenewabledoes not count toward permanent residencefamily allowedfee $ 500processing 2 days

Fee: USD 500 on first issue and USD 200 a year on renewal — item 8(क) of Schedule 9, the general rate for a residential visa; the separate USD 700 and USD 1,200 are set only for the ground under rule 11(1)(e). Every month of delay in renewal adds USD 30. Schedule 9 to the Immigration Rules 2051 as replaced in full by the Ministry of Home Affairs notice in the Nepal Gazette (vol. 69, no. 16, part 3) of 30 Asar 2076 — 15 July 2019.

official source · read 2026-08-23

Non-Residential Nepalese (NRN) Visa

Repatriation

term 120 morenewabledoes not count toward permanent residencefamily allowedfee $ 100processing 2 days

Fee: USD 100 a year for a multiple-entry visa and USD 25 a year for those coming to study (item 7 of Schedule 9). Every month of delay in renewal adds USD 10 (item 14). The “Visa Information” page of the same department claims that the NRN visa is issued free of charge: that is true only of the free tourist visa granted to an NRN card holder on entry, not of the NRN visa itself. Schedule 9 to the Immigration Rules 2051 as replaced in full by the Ministry of Home Affairs notice in the Nepal Gazette (vol. 69, no. 16, part 3) of 30 Asar 2076 — 15 July 2019.

official source · read 2026-08-23

Non-Residential Nepalese (NRN) Study Visa

Study

renewabledoes not count toward permanent residencefamily allowedfee $ 25,0processing 2 days

Fee: USD 25 a year for a multiple-entry visa — item 7 of Schedule 9, the reduced rate for NRN visa/card holders coming to study (the general NRN visa rate is USD 100 a year). Each month of late renewal adds USD 10 (item 14). Schedule 9 to the Immigration Rules 2051, as amended by the Ministry of Home Affairs notice in the Nepal Gazette (vol. 69, no. 16, part 3) of 30 Asar 2076 — 15 July 2019; that notice replaced Schedule 9 in full. The same department's citizen charter prints this rate in the same cell as the general one: “USD 100/year (with MRE). NRN Study Visa: USD 25/year (with MRE)”.

official source · read 2026-09-21

Reciprocity Visa for US citizens (Tourist, 5 years)

Other

term 60 morenewabledoes not count toward permanent residencefamily allowedincome from $ 10 000fee $ 160processing 1 days

Fee: USD 160 for the visa in full. The rate is published in the Department of Immigration’s table of visas and fees as a separate section, “Reciprocity Visa Applicable to US Citizens”; Schedule 9 to the Immigration Rules has no such section.

For citizens of certain countries only.

official source · read 2026-08-23

Reciprocity Visa for US citizens (Study, 5 years)

Study

term 60 morenewabledoes not count toward permanent residencefamily allowedfee $ 160processing 1 days

Fee: on the same terms as the ground above.

For citizens of certain countries only.

official source · read 2026-08-23

Reciprocity Visa for US citizens (Working, 3 years)

Work

term 36 morenewabledoes not count toward permanent residencefamily allowedfee $ 190processing 1 days

Fee: USD 190 for the visa in full. The rate is published in the Department of Immigration’s table of visas and fees as a separate section, “Reciprocity Visa Applicable to US Citizens”; Schedule 9 to the Immigration Rules has no such section.

For citizens of certain countries only.

official source · read 2026-08-23

Reciprocity Visa for US citizens (Press, 5 years)

Work

term 60 morenewabledoes not count toward permanent residencefamily allowedfee $ 160processing 1 days

For citizens of certain countries only.

official source · read 2026-08-23

Programme terms change, and the final decision rests with the consulate or the country migration service. The data is collected from official sources on the date shown and is not legal advice.

Residence and citizenship

Permanent residence after: no permanent status exists
Citizenship after: 15 years
Language: For naturalisation on the general ground (s. 5(4)(a) of the Citizenship Act 2063/2006) — the ability to read and write Nepali or another language actually in use in Nepal. For the expedited naturalisation of foreign wives of Nepali citizens (s. 5(1)), the text of the law contains no separate language requirement.
Dual citizenship: not allowed

Nepali law has no separate “permanent residence permit” status. The Immigration Rules 2051 (1994) provide for a residential visa (s. 11): it is issued to persons of international standing, persons with an outstanding contribution to Nepal's development, foreign investors who have invested USD 100,000 or more in an industrial enterprise in Nepal, or foreigners with no business in Nepal who demonstrate that they spend USD 20,000 or more a year in Nepal. But even this visa is issued by the Department of Immigration, with the approval of the Ministry of Home Affairs, only for the first year (s. 12(1)(h) of the Rules), and is then renewed annually — that is, permanent status does not arise automatically. Separately, there is a Non-Resident Nepali (NRN) visa (s. 10A of the Rules; s. 11 of the Non-Resident Nepali Act 2064/2008) — for foreign citizens of Nepali origin, or citizens of Nepal who have lived abroad for 2 years or more and obtained an NRN card; it is issued for up to 10 years with a right of renewal, but this too is not permanent residency: it is a diaspora status tied to the NRN card, not a route to citizenship. Citizenship by naturalisation (s. 5(4) of the Nepal Citizenship Act 2063/2006) is not a routine route for long-term resident foreigners: it is available only to persons with a special contribution to science, philosophy, art, literature, world peace, human welfare, or Nepal's industrial/financial/social development, and simultaneously requires: at least 15 years of residence in Nepal, the ability to read and write Nepali or another language actually in use in Nepal, employment and permanent residence in Nepal, renunciation of prior citizenship, an impeccable reputation, mental health — and, a rare feature in citizenship laws, reciprocity: the applicant must be a citizen of a country whose law or practice likewise permits the naturalisation of Nepalis. The law provides no ordinary “citizenship after N years of residence” route for foreigners without such a special contribution. A separate, markedly faster route exists only for foreign women married to a citizen of Nepal (s. 5(1) of the Citizenship Act): by application with a marriage certificate and documents showing the start of the procedure for renouncing prior citizenship, with no 15-year residence requirement. The law provides no reverse route — for the foreign husband of a Nepali female citizen: only a foreign wife, not a foreign husband, can obtain Nepali citizenship through marriage. Dual citizenship is not permitted in any form: a citizen of Nepal who voluntarily acquires citizenship of another country automatically loses Nepali citizenship (s. 10(1) of the Citizenship Act), and s. 13 expressly prohibits holding more than one citizenship certificate at the same time; a person entitled by birth to citizenship of both Nepal and another country must, within 2 years of turning 16, choose one citizenship — otherwise Nepali citizenship is deemed lost upon expiry of that period (s. 10(3)).

Documents

Document certification: consular legalisation

The country does not accept apostilles: documents go through consular legalisation in three steps — ministry of justice, foreign ministry, consulate.

Family

Partner

Timeline: The Immigration Rules set a general decision time for visas issued on the recommendation of the relevant authority — as a rule, within 7 days of the date the recommendation is registered (s. 12(4)). The visa for the spouse of a Nepali citizen is issued under the general “non-tourist visa” category (s. 8(1)(h) — upon presentation of a marriage certificate) using a separate application form (Schedule 2(a) to the Rules), with no tie to an external recommending authority, so it is unclear whether this 7-day period applies to it specifically; the Rules do not state a separate processing time for the spousal category.

The visa itself does not confer the right to work: a foreigner obtains the right to paid employment in Nepal on a separate ground — permission from the Government of Nepal to work for remuneration (s. 8(1)(e) of the Immigration Rules), which is not directly linked to the spousal visa. The category under s. 8(1)(h) is available regardless of the applicant's sex: to a foreign woman who has married a citizen of Nepal, and to a foreign man who has married a female citizen of Nepal, alike. This is not the same as naturalisation: the simplified route to citizenship through marriage (s. 5(1) of the Citizenship Act) is open only to foreign wives, not husbands — see residency.citizenshipNote.

Parents

Partner's parents

Pets

Limit: no limit

The relevant authority is the Animal Quarantine Section of the Department of Livestock Services (dls.gov.np) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development. The legal basis is the Animal Health and Livestock Services Act 2055 (1999) and its Rules 2056 (1999): importing any animal into Nepal requires a veterinary/health certificate, must pass through government-designated Quarantine Check Posts, and is subject to inspection by a quarantine officer (ss. 6–8 of the Rules). The Rules explicitly state quarantine periods for a list of livestock and poultry diseases (foot-and-mouth disease, peste des petits ruminants, sheep/goat pox, classical/African swine fever, and others — 21–40 days, 6 months for contagious bovine pleuropneumonia), but rabies and dogs/cats as a species are not mentioned in this list at all: for “other” diseases, the Rules leave the quarantine period to be determined by the quarantine officer based on the incubation period (s. 6(4)) — that is, the text of the Rules contains no fixed number of days for pets. A rabies-antibody titre testing requirement (FAVN/RNATT) for dogs and cats was not found in the sources checked. No separate page or guide aimed at pet owners could be found on dls.gov.np: the quarantine section (dls.gov.np/pages/47/) describes the unit's functions and the commercial import/export of livestock, with no separate procedure for the dogs/cats of tourists and relocators; the official nepalimmigration.gov.np site consistently returned 500 Internal Server Error at the time of checking (30 July – 2 August 2026). Because of the general veterinary-permit system, with no publicly described simplified route for pets and no officially confirmed numeric thresholds, the verdict is difficult: no explicit ban on importing dogs/cats was found, but nor is there a clear, officially described path. quarantineDays, rabiesTiterRequired, prepTimeMonths, and the cost have been left blank as unconfirmed.

Safety

Climate

10J

13F

17M

20A

21M

23J

23A

22S

20O

16N

12D

Quality of life

Life expectancy: 70.6 years

Cities

Kathmandu

tech hub

862 400 residents

$ 180

1 bedroom, per month

The capital of Nepal, the country's largest city, in the Kathmandu Valley — the political, economic, and cultural centre, the only city with an international airport (Tribhuvan).

2 bedrooms $ 254 · estimate3 bedrooms $ 329utilities $ 31,9ticket $ 0,20monthly pass $ 9,78

To buy, per m²: centre $ 2 304 · suburbs $ 1 340

High seismic hazard: the Kathmandu Valley suffered heavy damage in the 25 April 2015 Gorkha earthquake (M7.8), even though the epicentre was further west; dense historic building stock raises the risk in the event of aftershocks. Severe seasonal air pollution, especially in the dry months (November–March).

+The country's largest labour market and business centre, the main concentration of IT and outsourcing companies

+The only city in the country with an international airport

+Several UNESCO World Heritage sites right in the city and nearby (the Durbar Squares, Swayambhunath, Pashupatinath, Boudhanath)

−High seismic hazard and dense historic building stock

−One of the most air-polluted urban agglomerations in South Asia, especially in the dry season

−Chronic road congestion, limited road infrastructure

Pokhara

513 504 residents

$ 113

1 bedroom, per month

Nepal's second most populous city, on the shore of Lake Phewa at the foot of the Annapurna massif — the country's main tourism and trekking hub.

2 bedrooms $ 158 · estimate3 bedrooms $ 204utilities $ 38,7ticket $ 0,21monthly pass $ 19,9

To buy, per m²: centre $ 1 813 · suburbs $ 617

Seismic hazard is lower than in Kathmandu, but remains significant for Nepal as a whole; risk of landslides in the hilly terrain around the city during the monsoon rains.

+The country's second-largest labour and services market, oriented toward tourism

+The starting point for treks in the Annapurna region, with an international airport

+Cleaner air and a calmer pace of life than in Kathmandu

−The economy depends heavily on the seasonality of the tourist flow

−Risk of landslides in the surrounding hills during the monsoon season

−Fewer jobs outside the tourism and services sectors than in Kathmandu

Lalitpur

294 098 residents

$ 117

1 bedroom, per month

One of Nepal's largest cities, a historic part of the Kathmandu Valley agglomeration (the former city of Patan) — a centre of Newar art and crafts with a city administration separate from Kathmandu.

2 bedrooms $ 165 · estimate3 bedrooms $ 214utilities $ 9,10ticket $ 0,15monthly pass $ 10,6

To buy, per m²: centre $ 2 108 · suburbs $ 1 195

The same high seismic hazard as Kathmandu: the city lies in the same valley and suffered damage in the 2015 earthquake, including damage to Patan Durbar Square.

+Part of a single agglomeration with Kathmandu, with calmer development and lower density in some districts

+Patan Durbar Square and a well-developed craft tradition (bronze casting, thangka painting)

+Headquarters of a number of international organisations and missions

−The same seismic hazard and air pollution as Kathmandu, owing to the shared valley

−Utility payments per livingcost.org are noticeably lower than in Kathmandu and Pokhara — this may reflect the limited sample of the source rather than a real difference in tariffs

−Infrastructure is partly shared with Kathmandu, which complicates a clear-cut assessment of transport accessibility

Bharatpur

369 268 residents

$ 54,6

1 bedroom, per month

The administrative centre of Chitwan district, Nepal's third most populous city and the gateway to Chitwan National Park — a UNESCO World Heritage site home to a population of one-horned rhinoceroses and Bengal tigers.

2 bedrooms $ 77,4 · estimate3 bedrooms $ 100utilities $ 17,1ticket —monthly pass —

To buy, per m²: centre — · suburbs —

Seismic hazard is lower than in Kathmandu and Pokhara, but remains noticeable in the wider Nepali context; the lowland location raises the risk of monsoon flooding from rivers flowing down from the Chure hills.

+One of the country's largest cities, with a lower cost of living than in Kathmandu

+The gateway to Chitwan National Park — a major source of tourism income and employment

+The flat Terai terrain, with a milder winter climate than in the mountain cities

−Rent and utilities data are taken from the neighbouring city of Hetauda — no separate figures were found for Bharatpur itself

−Risk of monsoon flooding on the Terai plain

−Weaker transport links to Kathmandu than the valley's other cities

Lumbini

87 383 residents

The birthplace of Siddhartha Gautama Buddha (Lumbini Sanskritik municipality), a UNESCO World Heritage site in the lowland Rupandehi district — a centre of Buddhist pilgrimage and religious tourism of international significance.

ticket —monthly pass —

To buy, per m²: centre — · suburbs —

Seismic hazard is lower than in Nepal's mountain cities, but remains part of the country's overall high seismicity; the lowland location in the Terai creates a risk of seasonal monsoon flooding and summer heat.

+The birthplace of Buddha and a UNESCO World Heritage site of international religious significance

+A year-round flow of pilgrims and tourists from Buddhist countries

+The flat Terai climate, with no mountain constraints on development

−livingcost.org has no page for the municipality itself or for the district's nearest cities (Siddharthanagar/Bhairahawa, Butwal) — rent and utilities could not be confirmed

−Significantly smaller in population than the other cities on the list — the economy is centred on pilgrimage tourism

−Summer heat and monsoon flooding on the Terai plain

Grocery basket

Bread, 500 g: $ 0,50
Milk, 1 l: $ 0,70
Eggs, 12: $ 1,50
Chicken breast, 1 kg: $ 2,80
Cheese, 1 kg: $ 5,67
Rice, 1 kg: $ 0,76
Potatoes, 1 kg: $ 0,39
Apples, 1 kg: $ 2,01
Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 l: $ 1,48
Total: $ 15,8

The same set for every country, so the comparison is fair.

Cost of living across the country

Rent, 1 bedroom: $ 122 a month
Rent, 3 bedrooms: $ 298 a month
Utility bills: $ 32,1 a month
Home internet: $ 7,68 a month
Monthly transport pass: $ 12,2 a month
Single transport ticket: $ 0,19
Petrol, litre: $ 1,15
Cold medicine: $ 2,41 for a week

Country averages. City prices, where collected, are shown above and are more precise.

Indicators

Life expectancy: 70,6 years2024
Homicides: 2,1 per 100k2020 · data lags behind
Road deaths: 28,2 per 100k2021
Unemployment: 10,5 %2025
Unemployment, ages 15–24: 20,6 %2025
Inequality (Gini): 302022
Health spending per person: $ 84,0 a year
Air pollution, PM2.5: 53,2 µg/m³2023
Access to clean water: 93,6 %2024
Internet, fixed line: 88,7 Mbit/s2026

Governance

Political stability: below average · -0,4
Control of corruption: below average · -0,6
Rule of law: below average · -0,3
Government effectiveness: below average · -0,9

World Bank estimates on a −2.5 to +2.5 scale, higher is better.

Natural hazards

Earthquakes: 9,8 out of 10
River floods: 6,9 out of 10
Coastal floods: 0 out of 10
Tropical cyclones: 0 out of 10
Droughts: 3,7 out of 10
Tsunamis: 0 out of 10

Each value carries the year it refers to. “Data lags behind” means this country's figure was collected noticeably earlier than the rest. Natural hazards use one 0–10 scale and are meant to be compared against each other.

Pros and cons

+A Non-Resident Nepali (NRN) visa for up to 10 years for foreign citizens of Nepali origin, with tax benefits on invested capital (Non-Resident Nepali Act 2064/2008)

+A business visa for up to 5 years for foreign investors and export-trade representatives

+A residential visa for investors of USD 100,000 or more, or for persons of international standing / with an outstanding contribution to Nepal's development

+Several UNESCO World Heritage sites (the Kathmandu Valley, Lumbini, Chitwan National Park) within a compact territory

+Lower cost of rent and living than the regional average

−There is no permanent residence permit in the European sense: the residential visa is issued by the Department of Immigration for the first year, then renewed annually rather than turning into a permanent status

−Naturalisation is not a routine route: it requires 15 years of residence, renunciation of prior citizenship, knowledge of Nepali or another language in use in Nepal, and is available in practice almost exclusively to persons with a special contribution to Nepal's development

−Dual citizenship is not permitted in any form: acquiring foreign citizenship automatically terminates Nepali citizenship (ss. 10(1) and 13 of the Citizenship Act)

−Expedited naturalisation through marriage (s. 5(1) of the Citizenship Act) is available only to foreign wives of Nepali citizens, not to foreign husbands of Nepali female citizens

−Extremely high seismic hazard: the earthquake component of the INFORM index is rated at 9.8 out of 10; the 25 April 2015 Gorkha earthquake (M7.8) claimed almost 9,000 lives and damaged a significant part of the historic building stock of the Kathmandu Valley

−High air pollution: 53.2 µg/m³ PM2.5 nationwide average (World Bank, 2023) — more than double the WHO threshold

Compare with other countries in the region

Afghanistan · Azerbaijan · Bangladesh · Bhutan · Brunei · Cambodia · Hong Kong · India · Indonesia · Iran · Iraq · Japan · Jordan · Kazakhstan · Kuwait · Kyrgyzstan · Laos · Lebanon · Malaysia · Mongolia · Myanmar · Oman · Pakistan · People's Republic of China · Philippines · Singapore · South Korea · Sri Lanka · State of Palestine · Taiwan · Tajikistan · Thailand · Timor-Leste · Türkiye · Turkmenistan · Uzbekistan · Vietnam · Yemen

Other countries in the region: Asia

Afghanistan · Azerbaijan · Bangladesh · Bhutan · Brunei · Cambodia · Hong Kong · India · Indonesia · Iran · Iraq · Japan · Jordan · Kazakhstan · Kuwait · Kyrgyzstan · Laos · Lebanon · Malaysia · Mongolia · Myanmar · North Korea · Oman · Pakistan · People's Republic of China · Philippines · Singapore · South Korea · Sri Lanka · State of Palestine · Syria · Taiwan · Tajikistan · Thailand · Timor-Leste · Türkiye · Turkmenistan · Uzbekistan · Vietnam · Yemen

All countries by region

Official sources

Department of Immigration, Nepal (अध्यागमन विभाग, Ministry of Home Affairs)

The department’s current address is immigration.gov.np. The domain nepalimmigration.gov.np, which stood here until 23.08.2026, does not answer at all (no connection is established on either 443 or 80), and the unavailability of the department’s site recorded at the same time referred precisely to it. The present site is readable with an ordinary request and serves in English the sections “Visa Information” (/visa-information), “Nepal Visa Types & Requirements” (/visa-fees-and-documents) and the citizen charter with the list of services, fees, documents and deadlines (/citizen-charter); the “frequently asked questions” section (/faq) is in Nepali. The visa fee scale in force is Schedule 9 to the Immigration Rules 2051 as amended by the Ministry of Home Affairs notice in the Nepal Gazette, vol. 69, no. 16, part 3, of 30 Asar 2076 (15.07.2019); the department posts it as a scan at immigration.gov.np/doi-notice-file/Notices-202605082108438555.pdf, with no text layer in it. The department posts the Immigration Rules 2051 at immigration.gov.np/doi-notice-file/Notices-202605082109391297.pdf: the text layer there is typed in the Preeti font, that is, unreadable away from the font file. The English translation of the Rules (amended up to and including the fifth amendment, 2064/2008 — the same list of amendments as in the department’s Nepali edition) was read on lawcommission.gov.np through a Wayback Machine archive copy, the snapshot of 03.02.2019 of lawcommission.gov.np/en/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/immigration-rules-2051-1994.pdf; on the commission’s rebuilt site the card for the Rules (content/12428) is drawn by a script and the file attached to it returns 404. The Non-Resident Nepali Act 2064 (2008) is from the same place, the snapshot of 25.11.2018.

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Nepal Law Commission — Nepal Citizenship Act 2063 (2006)

The text of the Nepal Citizenship Act 2063 (2006) was read via an archived copy from the Wayback Machine (snapshot dated 3 September 2018, address lawcommission.gov.np/en/documents/2015/08/citizenship-act-2063-2006.pdf; the direct address of the document has not been re-established on the commission's current, rebuilt site). The last officially confirmed amendment in the available text is from 2064 (2007/08); the provisions of the Citizenship (Second Amendment) Act 2080 (2023), reported by the media, could not be verified against the official primary source.

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livingcost.org — Nepal

Individual city pages were used: /cost/nepal/kathmandu, /cost/nepal/pokhara, /cost/nepal/lalitpur; there is no page for Bharatpur — the substitute /cost/nepal/hetauda was used (see the city description); no suitable substitute was found on the site for Lumbini.

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Department of Livestock Services (पशु सेवा विभाग) — Animal Quarantine Section, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development

Animal quarantine section: dls.gov.np/pages/47/35865569/ (Nepali only). The legal basis — the Animal Health and Livestock Services Act 2055 (1999) and its Rules 2056 (1999) — was read via an archived copy from the Wayback Machine (snapshot of the Rules dated 5 November 2018, address lawcommission.gov.np/en/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/animal-health-and-livestock-services-rules-2056-1999.pdf).

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