Visa for Nepal
You can obtain a visa before you come to Nepal or upon arrival in Kathmandu. You need only to fill in a form and pay a fee (in US dollars cash only), but it takes a bit of time at the airport after you arrive. To obtain a visa for Nepal in advance, write to one of the addresses below for instructions and a form. Fill in the form and return it with the appropriate fee, photos and your passport. If you are making a side trip to India or Tibet and then returning to Nepal, be sure to get a double entry visa. Your passport with a visa stamped in it should be returned to you by mail.
The visa regulations for Nepal are a bit complex. You need to decide what kind of visa to purchase depending on how long you plan to stay in Nepal. Visa fees are:
* 60-day single-entry: US$30
* 60-day double-entry: US$55 (useful if you are making a side trip to Bhutan or Tibet).
* 60-day triple-entry: US$70
* 60-day multiple-entry: US$90
If you have already visited Nepal within 150 days of the same visa year you must pay US$50 for 30 days.
Visa extensions cost US $1 for each day beyond the expiration date of the original entry visa.
Royal Nepalese Embassies and Consulates
* Royal Nepalese Embassy 2131 Leroy Place N.W. Washington DC 20008 USA Tel: (202)667-4550
* Permanent Mission of Nepal to the United Nations 820 Second Avenue, Suite 202 New York NY 10017 USA Tel: (212)370-4188
* Royal Nepalese Embassy 12A Kensington Palace Gardens London W8 4QU England Tel: (01)229-1594/229-6231
* Royal Nepalese Embassy 14-9, Todoroki, 7-chome Setagaya-ku Tokyo 158, Japan Tel: (03)705-5558
* Royal Nepalese Embassy IM Hag 15 D-5300 Bonn 2 West Germany Tel: (0228)343-097
* Royal Nepalese Embassy 45 bis rue des Acacias 75017 Paris France Tel: 46224867
Honorary Royal Nepalese Consul Generals
* Dr. Linda Diane Griffith PO Box 1097 Toowang, Brisbane 4066 Australia Tel: (07)378-0124
* Mr. W.A. Johns Suite 23, 18-20 Bank Place Melbourne, Victoria 3000 Australia Tel: (03)602-1271
* Mrs. Lillian Roberts 4th Floor, Airways House 195 Adelaide Terrace Perth, W.A. 6004 Australia Tel: (09)221-1207
Other Documents
Some other items that you should carry are:
* Your passport and extra photographs
* A vaccination certificate and record of medical history
* Your insurance form (especially insure your camera)
* Travellers cheques (carry a minimum of cash)
* A US$100 bill to be used for emergencies while trekking
* A photocopy of your passport (in case of loss)
Trekking Permits
Starting in the autumn of 1999, trekking permits are no longer required for treks to the Everest region, Annapurna and Langtang.
A trekking permit is still required to visit restricted areas and far eastern and western Nepal. The permit specifies the places you may visit and the duration of your trek. It requires one full day to obtain a trekking permit and involves a lot of queuing and waiting in the Immigration Office unless your agent obtains the permit for you. The cost of the trekking permit is usually included in the trek cost. If you are going to a place where a permit is needed, your travel schedule should include two nights in Kathmandu or Pokhara before the trek so that your trekking permit may be processed. You should keep your passport and air ticket in your hotel safe in Kathmandu during your trek.
A normal trekking permit costs US$5 per week for the first four weeks of trekking and US$10 per week thereafter. Permits for Dolpo and Kanchenjunga treks cost US$10 per week for the first four weeks and US$20 per week thereafter. The exorbitant fees for restricted-area trekking permits are detailed in the section on restricted areas. You must have a valid visa extension for the full period of trekking before you can apply for a trekking permit.
National Park & Conservation Fees
If you trek in the Annapurna, Makalu or Kanchenjunga regiona, you will enter a Conservation Area and must pay a conservation fee of Rs 1000. This is collected at the entrance station. A national park fee of Rs 650 is also collected at the time you enter a national park.
