Nepal: visa and entry rules

Nepal's borders: every crossing point

Nepal's land border crossings, grouped by the neighbour they lead to:

Nepal has two neighbours: India and China.

With India: Sunauli - Bhairahawa, the main one on the route from Varanasi; Raxaul - Birganj on the way from Patna; Kakarbhitta in the east, closer to Darjeeling; Nepalgunj and Mahendranagar in the west.

With China: Rasuwagadhi - Kerung, the main working crossing into Tibet; Kodari - Zhangmu, damaged by the 2015 earthquake and operating on a limited basis.

The visa on arrival is not issued at every crossing - on the Indian side it is available at the main ones, while entry on the Tibetan side requires a separate Tibet permit, which can only be arranged through a travel agency.

You cannot enter Tibet independently: the Chinese side admits only organised groups with a guide.

Bringing a car into Nepal

The main direction is from India, via Sunauli or Raxaul.

A carnet de passages is required for temporary import of a car.

You will be told at the point of import how long the car may stay in Nepal. Check with customs beforehand: the periods get revised.

Traffic drives on the left.

An International Driving Permit is required.

The mountain roads are demanding, and in the rainy season some routes are washed out.

Travelling to Nepal with a pet

An import permit is required, arranged in advance with the veterinary service.

The rabies vaccination must be valid on the date of entry.

An international veterinary certificate is required.

Your country's veterinary service will give you the exact list for bringing an animal into Nepal, and the carrier will add rules of its own. Ask both: without the complete set of documents the animal will not be allowed on board.

Overstaying your visa in Nepal

A fine is charged for every day of the overstay and is paid in cash on departure.

The fine is calculated on departure, and you learn the figure at passport control. There is no way to find it out in advance in Nepal: the rates are revised and reference sources disagree. Allow for cash and for extra time.

An extension at the immigration office is cheaper, and it can be arranged in Kathmandu or Pokhara.

The annual ceiling of 150 days matters more than the term of the visa. You can overstay even while extending your stay legally, if the total exceeds that limit within a calendar year.