Learn who qualifies for a business visa in Nepal, the approvals and documents, official fees, application steps and renewal rules.
A business visa in Nepal is mainly for a foreign investor in a Nepalese industry, the investor’s authorised representative and eligible family members. It is not a general visa for anyone visiting Nepal to explore opportunities or work for a Nepalese company.
For the usual foreign-investment route, the applicant first establishes the investment and industry position, obtains a visa recommendation from the Department of Industry, and then applies to the Department of Immigration. The legal basis comes from section 30 of the Foreign Investment and Technology Transfer Act, 2075 and rule 9 of the Immigration Rules, 2051.
Business visa in Nepal at a glance
| Question | Quick answer |
|---|---|
| Who generally qualifies? | Foreign investors, qualifying authorised representatives and eligible family members |
| Recommendation authority | Department of Industry or another responsible line agency |
| Visa authority | Department of Immigration |
| Maximum validity | Up to five years at a time, subject to the recommendation and continuing eligibility |
| Main prerequisite | A qualifying foreign investment supported by the required company, industry and investment records |
| Can a foreign employee use this route? | Not merely because the employer has foreign investment; employees and technical specialists ordinarily follow the applicable non-tourist visa and labour-approval route |
| Government fee | Depends on the applicable investment band; official Department of Immigration publications currently contain conflicting fee information |
| Renewal | Continuing eligibility and updated recommendation, tax, investment and operating records are generally required |
Who qualifies for a business visa in Nepal?
The primary applicant is normally one of the following:
- A foreign investor with an approved and continuing investment in a Nepalese company or industry.
- An authorised representative appointed by a foreign investor.
- An eligible family member of the investor or authorised representative.
- In certain cases, a foreign person conducting qualifying export business in Nepal.
Section 30 of the Foreign Investment and Technology Transfer Act provides for a business visa for a foreign investor or one authorised representative while the prescribed minimum investment is maintained. For this purpose, family members include the person’s spouse, parents and minor children. The Act permits the facility for up to two people, plus their family members, where the investment exceeds the prescribed amount. Foreign Investment and Technology Transfer Act, 2075, section 30
The more detailed investment conditions appear in rule 13 of the Foreign Investment and Technology Transfer Rules, 2077. Where approved foreign investment is NPR 100 million or more, the rule allows a business visa for up to two investors or authorised representatives and their families after 25% of the approved investment has been brought into Nepal.
The Department of Industry also states that the visa period it recommends may depend on the investment level, financial performance, employment, tax paid and the investment sector. A five-year visa is therefore a permitted maximum, not an automatic entitlement. Department of Industry visa recommendations
A foreign employee, consultant or technical expert does not become eligible merely because the employer has foreign shareholders. Foreign specialists and managerial or technical employees ordinarily follow the non-tourist visa and labour-approval route described in sections 27 and 30(5) of the Foreign Investment and Technology Transfer Act, 2075.
What must be completed before the visa application?
A business visa is normally a later stage of the foreign-investment process. The investor should first settle four connected matters:
- Foreign-investment approval.
- Incorporation of the Nepalese company.
- Tax registration.
- Registration of the industry with the responsible authority.
The Department of Industry presents these as the standard sequence for establishing a new foreign-invested industry. It also states that cash investment should be brought through the proper banking channel into the company’s name. Department of Industry foreign-investment procedure
As reviewed on 28 August 2026, the Department of Industry continues to publish a general minimum foreign-investment threshold of NPR 20 million per foreign investor. An important exception applies to eligible information-technology investment through the automatic route: the Department’s official investment guidance states that no minimum foreign-investment threshold applies to qualifying IT investments under that route. This exception should not be extended to other industries merely because the business uses technology. Department of Industry, Foreign Investment in Nepal 2024, page 6
If the investment approval is not yet complete, review the foreign direct investment process before preparing the visa file. The proposed activity, foreign shareholding, investment amount and approval route must agree across the FDI approval, company documents and industry registration.
After incorporation, the industry-registration application normally uses the FDI approval letter, certificate of incorporation, memorandum and articles, and any environmental approval required for the activity. Department of Industry industry-registration guidance
Approval on paper is not the only issue. For its visa recommendation, the Department of Industry asks for evidence of investment in the industry and information about the industry’s operating status. Department of Industry visa recommendations
Documents required for the Department of Industry recommendation
The first application goes to the Department of Industry or another responsible line agency. For the usual Department of Industry route, its current citizen charter lists the following documents for a new industry:
- The prescribed application.
- A copy of the industry-registration certificate.
- Evidence of investment in the industry.
- A copy of the applicant’s passport and latest Nepal visa.
- A progress report explaining the industry’s operating status.
- An inspection report where the Department considers one necessary.
The Department’s published administrative target for this recommendation is three to seven days, and its citizen charter lists no Department of Industry fee for the recommendation. This is an administrative target for a complete file, not a guaranteed end-to-end processing time. Department of Industry citizen charter
Additional documents apply where the applicant is not the investor personally:
- An authorised representative should provide the investor’s authorisation and the representative’s passport details.
- A dependent should provide evidence of the family relationship.
- An operating industry may need its inspection report and updated progress information.
These conditional requirements are also stated in the Department’s visa-recommendation guidance. Its foreign-investment publication additionally says that a first-time visa-recommendation application is made in person and that an extension application should reach the Department 30 days before the existing visa expires. Department of Industry, Foreign Investment in Nepal, page 9
Before filing, compare every capital figure and name across the approval letter, company records, industry certificate, share certificate and investment evidence. An unexplained difference can prevent the authority from confirming who invested, how much was invested and which person qualifies for the recommendation.
Documents required by the Department of Immigration
After obtaining the recommendation, the applicant proceeds to the Department of Immigration. Its published business-visa checklist includes:
- Online application receipt.
- Recommendation from the Department of Industry or responsible line agency.
- Foreign-investment approval letter.
- Company-registration certificate.
- PAN or VAT certificate.
- Share certificate for an equity investment.
- Industry-registration certificate.
- Passport and latest Nepal visa.
- Applicant’s biodata.
- Tax-clearance certificate for a regular or renewal application.
- Industry inspection report and progress report where applicable.
The detailed list is published on the Department of Immigration business-visa information page. Its shorter citizen-charter checklist also requires the online receipt, company and tax-registration records, share certificate, industry certificate, passport, biodata and tax clearance for renewal. Department of Immigration citizen charter
The prescribed application form asks for the applicant’s passport and visa details, intended period of stay, Nepal address, proposed activity and the responsible agency’s recommendation. Immigration Rules, 2051, Schedule 2
Treat the published lists as the minimum file, not a reason to submit inconsistent records. The authority may need further evidence where the investment changed, the company has not started operating, a representative replaced the original investor, or a dependent’s relationship is unclear.
How to apply for a business visa
The standard process is:
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Confirm eligibility for foreign investment. Check that the activity is open to foreign investment and that the correct approval or automatic route applies. The Department of Industry publishes both restricted activities and the general FDI process. Department of Industry foreign-investment guidance
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Complete the company and industry registrations. The visa file should identify the same investor, company, industry, activity and capital structure shown in the approved investment documents. Department of Industry industry-registration guidance
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Prepare evidence of investment and current activity. Obtain the relevant bank, shareholding, accounting, tax and industry records. The Department of Industry expressly asks for proof of investment and a progress or operating-status report. Department of Industry visa recommendations
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Apply for the visa recommendation. The Department’s citizen charter directs applicants to use its Industry Management Information System. Visa-recommendation services are also among the functions of the Department’s One Stop Service Center in Tripureshwor, Kathmandu. Department of Industry One Stop Service Center
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Obtain the recommendation letter. Check the applicant’s name, passport number, status as investor or representative, recommended period and dependent details before using it.
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Complete the immigration application. Submit the online application through the Department of Immigration’s Nepal Immigration portal and retain the receipt.
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Present the immigration file and pay the applicable government fee. Take the recommendation, supporting company and investment documents, passport and current visa records to the Department of Immigration. Its published process assigns business-visa applications to the Business Section. Department of Immigration citizen charter
Do not let the applicant’s existing visa expire while waiting for the recommendation. The recommendation and immigration decision are separate stages, and an online submission does not itself extend lawful stay.
Business visa fees in Nepal
Official Department of Immigration sources currently publish conflicting business-visa fee schedules. The table below follows the replacement Schedule 9 published in the Nepal Gazette on 2076 Asar 30 and the same schedule reproduced in the Department’s newest 2082/83 third-quarter transparency report.
| Investment recognised for the visa | Less than one year | One year | Five years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Less or equal to NPR 100m | USD 35 per month | USD 400 | USD 1,000 |
| More than NPR 10 million but below NPR 100 million | USD 20 per month | USD 200 | USD 500 |
| NPR 100 million or more | No visa fee | No visa fee | No visa fee |
Source basis: . Nepal Gazette notice replacing Immigration Rules Schedule 9, dated 2076 Asar 30, pages 6–8 and
Department of Immigration 2082/83 third-quarter transparency report, page 16 .
The amounts are paid in the equivalent Nepalese currency. The same rates apply to qualifying dependants and authorised representatives within the relevant category. The schedule also places technology-transfer experts and their dependants in the USD 35/400/1,000 category. sourced from:
The Department’s 2082/83 transparency report again records USD 20/200/500 above NPR 10 million, USD 35/400/1,000 at NPR 10 million or below, and no fee at NPR 100 million or above.
However, three current English-language pages on the Department’s website do not agree with one another or with that Gazette schedule. The Department of Immigration visa-information page publishes lower amounts, while its visa-fees-and-documents page and citizen charter shift the investment breakpoints to NPR 100 million and NPR 1 billion.
The Gazette and the Department’s newest transparency report provide the stronger basis for the table above. Because the conflicting webpages remain live, applicants should confirm the fee and investment band with the Department immediately before payment.
These are immigration fees only. They do not include company-registration charges, investment-approval costs, banking charges, notarisation, translation, tax, professional fees or other third-party expenses.
Why do some official sources show different business visa fees?
The Department of Immigration currently maintains several live publications that do not agree on the applicable investment bands and charges. Its visa-information page uses different thresholds and rates from those shown on its visa-fees-and-documents page and Citizen Charter.
The table above does not attempt to combine those conflicting schedules. It follows the Gazette-based schedule and the Department’s subsequent transparency report used for this article. The conflicting webpages are disclosed because an applicant may encounter different figures when checking the Department’s website.
For that reason, the payable amount should be confirmed directly with the Department of Immigration before payment, particularly where the investment amount is close to a fee threshold.
These are immigration fees only. They do not include company-registration charges, foreign-investment approval costs, banking charges, notarisation, translation, tax, professional fees or other third-party expenses.
How long can the visa remain valid?
The Immigration Rules permit a business visa for up to five years at a time and allow renewal where the requirements continue to be met. Immigration Rules, 2051, rule 9
That does not mean every applicant receives five years. The Department of Industry says its recommendation period may reflect the investment, financial performance, employment generation, income tax paid and investment area. Department of Industry visa recommendations
The Department of Immigration describes the available periods as at least one month, up to one year, or five years, with multiple re-entry. Department of Immigration visa information
For processing, the Department of Industry’s citizen charter gives a three-to-seven-day administrative target for the recommendation. The Immigration Department’s citizen charter lists same-day processing for a complete business-visa application submitted before 1 p.m. These are separate official targets, not a promise that the entire investment-to-visa route will finish within that period. Department of Industry citizen charter and Department of Immigration citizen charter
Company, investment, tax or inspection issues can extend the practical timeline substantially because they must be resolved before the responsible authority can support the visa.
How renewal works
A business visa depends on a continuing investment and a current Department of Industry recommendation. The Foreign Investment and Technology Transfer Act provides that FDI approval remains valid while the investment continues, subject to the statutory grounds on which it becomes inactive. Foreign Investment and Technology Transfer Act, 2075, section 43
For renewal, expect to update the following:
- Passport and current visa.
- Department of Industry recommendation.
- Tax-clearance certificate.
- Industry progress report.
- Inspection report where required.
- Current investment and shareholding evidence.
- Company records affected by any change in ownership or representation.
The Department of Industry’s current citizen charter distinguishes between industries that have begun operating and those still under development, and it calls for progress, inspection and tax records according to the industry’s status. Department of Industry citizen charter
The Department’s investment publication instructs applicants to seek the recommendation 30 days before the existing visa expires. Department of Industry, Foreign Investment in Nepal, page 9 The Immigration Department separately lists tax clearance and a progress report among its regular or renewal requirements. Department of Immigration visa information
Thirty days is therefore a sensible minimum filing point, not a waiting period to aim for. Begin earlier if the tax clearance, inspection or shareholding records are not ready.
Common mistakes that delay the application
The most frequent problems can be prevented before the recommendation application is submitted:
- Applying before the investment structure is complete. A company certificate alone does not establish business-visa eligibility.
- Using the investor route for an employee. A foreign manager, consultant or technician may need a non-tourist visa and labour approval instead.
- Naming an informal representative. The authorisation should clearly identify the representative and match the investment and company records.
- Submitting inconsistent capital figures. Approved investment, inward investment, paid-up capital and shareholding are different figures and should not be substituted for one another.
- Treating every checklist item as universal. Relationship evidence applies to dependants; authorisation applies to representatives; inspection and renewal documents depend on the industry’s stage.
- Leaving tax or company records until renewal. The Department may assess tax payment, financial performance and operating progress when deciding the recommended period.
- Relying on a single online fee table. Live Department of Immigration publications currently show inconsistent investment thresholds and business-visa charges. Check the source basis used for the fee schedule and confirm the applicable amount with the Department immediately before payment.
- Waiting until the visa expires. Late regularisation can involve the original visa charge plus an additional charge under Schedule 9 of the Immigration Rules, 2051.
Plan the recommendation before the immigration filing
The central question is not simply whether the applicant owns shares. It is whether the investment, company, industry and applicant records support the same legal route and whether the Department of Industry is prepared to recommend the requested person and period.
Company Darta Nepal can assist with reviewing the foreign-investment position, organising the recommendation documents and coordinating the business-visa application process. Government authorities retain responsibility for the recommendation and visa decision, and approval cannot be guaranteed.
Disclaimer : This article provides general information about the usual foreign-investor route and is not legal advice. Requirements may differ for an authorised representative, dependant, export business, technology-transfer specialist, foreign employee or investment handled by another line agency.
