Nepal Visa Cost in 2026: Fees, Extensions, and Free Cases

Nepal visa cost is one of the easier numbers to plan around: for most travelers it is a flat, published fee paid in cash on arrival, with multiple-entry built in. The tourist visa runs USD 30 for 15 days, USD 50 for 30 days, or USD 125 for 90 days (as of June 2026), and a few groups — Indian nationals, young children, most SAARC citizens — pay nothing at all.

This guide breaks down every fee you might hit: the on-arrival tiers, what extensions add, what overstaying costs, and the free cases. If you want the queue tactics and photo rules instead of the money, see our companion post on the Nepal visa on arrival process.

Key takeaways

• The tourist visa costs USD 30 / 50 / 125 for 15 / 30 / 90 days, all multiple-entry (as of June 2026).
• Pay in cash, in major foreign currency — usually USD; rupees are typically refused at the counter.
• Extensions cost USD 45 for 15 days, then ~USD 3/day, up to a 150-day yearly maximum.
• Indian citizens, children under 10, and most SAARC nationals generally pay no visa fee.
• Overstaying inside the 150-day window adds a late fine of about USD 5/day on top of the extension fee.
• Land borders and the airport charge the same fees — location does not change the price.

Nepal tourist visa fees in 2026

Nepal's Department of Immigration sets a single, nationwide fee schedule for the tourist visa. The price depends only on how many days you buy, and all three tiers now come with multiple-entry as standard — so you can hop out to India, Bhutan, or Tibet and return on the same visa without paying again.

| Visa length | Fee (USD, as of June 2026) | Entries | |---|---|---| | 15 days | 30 | Multiple | | 30 days | 50 | Multiple | | 90 days | 125 | Multiple |

A few things worth understanding before you pick a tier:

• The clock starts on arrival, not on purchase. Your days count from the date you enter Nepal. Buying the 30-day visa and then leaving on day 20 simply wastes the unused days; it does not bank them.
• You can top up later. If you buy 30 days and decide to stay longer, you extend in-country rather than rebuying — covered below. So when in doubt, slightly under-buying and extending is often cheaper than buying 90 days "just in case."
• Multiple-entry is automatic. You no longer need to ask for or pay extra for re-entry on the standard tourist visa.

Which tier should you buy?

For a typical two-week trip — say the classic two-week Nepal itinerary — the 15-day visa is tight, because day one is partly eaten by arrival. Many short-trip travelers buy the 30-day visa for the breathing room. Trekkers doing longer Himalayan routes, or anyone combining trekking with budget backpacking around the country, usually start with 30 days and extend, since that often costs less than the 90-day visa for stays in the 45-70 day range.

How to pay — and why cash matters

The most common avoidable hiccup at immigration is payment. The visa counters at Tribhuvan International Airport (and at land borders) want cash in a major foreign currency, with US dollars by far the easiest to use. Officers normally will not accept Nepali rupees or Indian rupees for the visa fee itself, and card acceptance is inconsistent.

Practical money tips:

• Bring the exact fee in small USD notes (e.g. 30, 50, or 125). Change for large bills is not guaranteed.
• Don't rely on the airport ATM to fund your visa — it dispenses rupees, which the visa counter won't take. (For cash strategy once you land, see our Nepal ATM withdrawal guide.)
• Other major currencies (euros, pounds) are generally accepted, but USD avoids any exchange-rate or note-condition disputes.

If you'd rather not handle cash math in the queue, you can complete the visa application form online before you fly, or at the kiosks in the arrival hall — but the fee is still paid in cash at the counter either way.

Visa extensions: the real "long-stay" cost

If your initial visa runs short, you extend at a Department of Immigration office (Kathmandu or Pokhara) rather than buying a new visa. The extension fee structure, as of June 2026, is:

| Extension component | Fee (USD, as of June 2026) | |---|---| | First 15 days (minimum extension) | 45 | | Each additional day beyond 15 | ~3 | | Late fine if you extend after expiry (within 150 days) | ~5 per day |

The hard rule to remember: a tourist can stay a maximum of 150 days within a single calendar year (January 1 to December 31). That cap resets with the new year, but you cannot exceed it in one year by stacking extensions.

A worked example

Suppose you arrive on a 30-day visa (USD 50) and want to stay 60 days total. You'd extend for the extra 30 days: the first 15 cost USD 45, and the next 15 cost roughly USD 3 each (about USD 45 more), so the extension is around USD 90, on top of the original USD 50. That makes a 60-day stay total roughly USD 140 — in the same ballpark as the 90-day visa (USD 125), which is why long-stay travelers often just buy 90 days up front. For the mechanics of doing it in person, our guide to extending a Nepal tourist visa walks through the office visit.

Who pays nothing: free and gratis visas

Several categories of traveler get a free (gratis) visa, which can change your trip math entirely if you're traveling as a family or from a neighboring country.

• Indian nationals — no visa required at all. Under the 1950 Treaty of Peace and Friendship, citizens of India can enter and remain in Nepal without a visa, using a valid national identity document. There is simply no visa cost. (Helpful context if you're weighing a Nepal vs India trip.)
• Most SAARC citizens — a free 30-day visa once per visa year. This covers Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Afghan citizens are the exception: their gratis visa requires prior recommendation from the Department of Immigration.
• Children under 10 — generally receive a gratis visa regardless of nationality. Note that some sources flag reciprocity-based exceptions for certain passports, so if you're traveling with young kids, confirm your specific nationality at the counter or a Nepali embassy in advance.
• Chinese nationals — commonly exempted from the tourist visa fee. As policies of this kind can shift, verify before you travel.

Because these rules carry nuances (and occasionally change), treat the official Department of Immigration site as the final word rather than any single blog — including this one.

Where you can buy the visa

The price is identical everywhere, but availability is not. You can get the tourist visa on arrival at:

• Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), Kathmandu — Nepal's only international airport and the busiest entry point.
• Major land borders with India — including Belahiya (Sunauli), Kakarbhitta, Birgunj (Raxaul), Nepalgunj, Dhangadhi, and Mahendranagar.
• The Tibet–China border at the Kerung/Rasuwagadhi crossing.

A small but important caveat: a short list of nationalities are not eligible for visa-on-arrival and must apply at a Nepali embassy beforehand. If your passport falls in that group, your cost and process are different — check the current exclusion list with the Department of Immigration before booking flights.

Budgeting the visa into your trip

In the context of a whole Nepal trip, the visa is a minor line item — but worth slotting correctly so it doesn't surprise you at the counter. Here's how a few common trips look on the visa line alone (as of June 2026):

| Trip style | Visa choice | Approx. visa cost (USD) | |---|---|---| | Long weekend / short city trip | 15-day | 30 | | Standard 2-3 week holiday | 30-day | 50 | | Long trek + travel (45-70 days) | 30-day + extension | 90-140 | | Extended stay (up to 90 days) | 90-day | 125 |

For the bigger picture — flights, food, guides, and permits — pair this with our Nepal travel budget breakdown and the country-wide Nepal trip cost guide. And remember the visa is separate from trekking fees: routes like Everest or Annapurna add their own trekking permits on top.

Common mistakes that cost money

• Buying 90 days for a 3-week trip. You can't refund the unused time. Match the tier to your actual plan and extend only if needed.
• Arriving with only rupees or only a card. The visa counter wants foreign cash. Carry USD.
• Forgetting the 150-day annual cap. Extensions can't push you past 150 days in a calendar year — plan a border exit and re-entry strategy if you need longer.
• Assuming kids are always free. Under-10 is generally gratis, but verify your nationality's specifics rather than assuming.
• Letting the visa quietly expire. Overstaying adds a daily late fine and, for longer overstays, more serious consequences — extend before the expiry date.

Sources

• Nepal Department of Immigration — Tourist Visa
• Nepal Department of Immigration — Visa on Arrival
• Nepal Department of Immigration — FAQs Related to Arrival to Nepal
• Nepal Tourism Board — Tourist Visa Information
• The Longest Way Home — Nepal Tourist Visa Information, Fees & Forms (2026)
• Pokhara Immigration Office — Tourist Visa Extension