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    Nepal Volunteer Visa Requirements: What You Need

    Nepal offers tourist visa-on-arrival for most nationalities and is one of South Asia's most flexible visa regimes. Always confirm with the Nepal Department of Immigration before booking.

    Last updated:

    The short answer

    • Most volunteer trips (under 90 days): Tourist visa-on-arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport or e-Visa.
    • 3-5 months: Tourist visa with extension at Department of Immigration in Kathmandu.
    • Maximum: 150 days per calendar year on tourist visa.

    Verify before booking

    Always check the Nepal Department of Immigration site (immigration.gov.np) and your nearest Nepali embassy/consulate. This page is editorial guidance, not immigration advice.

    Tourist visa-on-arrival

    Available at Tribhuvan International Airport (Kathmandu) and major land borders. 15-day visa: USD 30. 30-day: USD 50. 90-day: USD 125. Pay in USD cash. Bring one passport photo.

    e-Visa (online pre-application)

    Apply at the Department of Immigration's online portal to speed up arrival. Pay on arrival. Saves you queue time but doesn't reduce the fee.

    Visa extension in Nepal

    Extend at the Department of Immigration in Kathmandu or Pokhara. USD 3/day plus a USD 45 admin fee for the first extension up to 30 days. Standard practice for longer placements.

    Common mistakes

    • Overstaying — fines accumulate quickly and can lead to detention.
    • Exceeding 150 days in a calendar year on tourist visa.
    • Forgetting the passport photo for visa-on-arrival.
    • Not having USD cash on arrival.

    Documents to have ready

    • Passport valid 6+ months from entry with one blank page.
    • Onward / return ticket (often checked at airline check-in).
    • One passport photo for visa-on-arrival.
    • USD cash for visa fee.

    Considerations for Nepal

    Editorial summary, not legal or safety advice. Always verify current conditions with your home country's official travel advisory before booking.

    Destination editorial data last reviewed:

    Solo female travelers

    Generally welcoming for solo female travelers, with active expat / volunteer communities in Kathmandu and Pokhara. Trekking placements should be done with reputable companies — verify the trekking partner has a current TAAN licence.

    LGBTQ+ context

    Nepal is one of the more progressive South Asian countries — same-sex relationships are legal and constitutional protections exist. Marriage not recognised but partnership has some legal status. Social acceptance varies between urban and rural areas.

    See our LGBTQ+ research framework →

    Nepal-specific scam and provider red flags

    • Children's homes and 'orphanages' that emerged after the 2015 earthquake to extract foreign-volunteer fees — Nepal is a documented orphanage-tourism case.
    • Trekking 'volunteer' programs that are really paid tours with marketing as charity.
    • Programs that route fees through personal bank accounts rather than registered NGOs.
    • 'Teaching' placements with no curriculum, no qualified local teacher, no defined outcome.

    Questions to ask any Nepal provider in writing

    1. Is your Nepali partner registered with the Social Welfare Council?
    2. Are children at the placement living with their families (preferred) or in residential care (refuse)?
    3. What's the trekking-partner safety record and TAAN licence number?

    Plus the universal questions in our voluntourism red flags guide.

    Next steps for Nepal

    Most volunteers benefit from working through these in order, before contacting any specific provider.

    Compare with other destinations

    If Nepal isn't the only option you're weighing, the destination matcher narrows the field by budget, interests and safety preference.

    Estimate the full trip cost

    Program fee + flights + insurance + visa + in-country + buffer. Most volunteers underestimate the total by 30-50%.

    Verify your shortlisted provider

    Full due-diligence checklist + copy-paste provider email template. Take 10 minutes before you commit.

    Send the question list to the provider

    80+ structured questions covering safeguarding, fees, refunds, insurance, visas, and emergency support.

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    Related guides

    Written by

    Volunteer World Guide editorial team

    Ethical-volunteering research desk

    This Nepal visa requirements page is editorial guidance. Always verify visa, safety and pricing details with the official source before booking.

    Last updated