Nepal's Business Visa route is not limited to the investor named in the investment file. Rule 9 of the Immigration Rules includes authorised foreign investors, their authorised representatives and their families, subject to a recommendation from the concerned agency. It is a role-based route, not a general family or employee visa. For the investor's main route, start with business visa in Nepal.
Who can use this route?
An authorised representative can use the route where the foreign-investor company has actually authorised that person to represent it. A dependant's position flows from the investor relationship. DOI's current service material expressly identifies foreign investors, authorised representatives and dependants; Immigration still makes the visa decision after the recommendation.
The Rules permit a Business Visa for up to five years at a time and extension as needed. “Up to” is a ceiling, not a promise of a five-year grant.
Evidence for an authorised representative
DOI's visa-recommendations service lists an authorisation letter and passport copy for an authorised representative. DOI's Citizen Charter is more specific at the recommendation stage: it lists the representative-appointment letter and company decision. Keep the person’s name, company details and authority consistent across those records, the passport and the investment or industry file.
That evidence explains the person's representative role. It does not turn an ordinary foreign employee into an investor representative. Immigration's current guidance says that only a Working Visa holder may accept employment and work in Nepal. If the intended role is ordinary employment rather than representation of the investor, assess the Working Visa route instead.
Evidence for a dependant
For a dependant, DOI's service page lists a relationship certificate, while the Citizen Charter calls for notarised evidence proving the relationship to the investor. Use the current DOI checklist for the file and ensure the identity and relationship details match the passport records.
The public materials do not support treating any relative, colleague or company employee as a dependant. The relationship evidence is central; a company authorisation letter is not a substitute for it.
The recommendation and visa stages
DOI reviews the recommendation side, taking account of published factors including investment level, financial performance, employment generation, income tax paid and investment area. These are assessment factors, not a published automatic-approval formula. DOI's public Business Visa list also refers to investment proof, industry registration and current-status or progress records.
After the recommendation, the applicant completes the Immigration-side process. Immigration publishes an online application and company, industry, passport and recommendation records for the Business Visa process. A DOI recommendation supports the application; it is not the visa itself. For the investment context behind the file, see foreign direct investment in Nepal.
Validity and practical limits
The Rules allow issuance for up to five years at a time, but the actual period remains for the issuing authority to determine. Documents can also differ between an initial application and an extension; tax-clearance, progress and status records appear on the current public renewal materials.
Do not rely on a published Business Visa fee figure without checking. DOI's Visa Recommendations page, Immigration's Visa Information page and Immigration's Citizen Charter publish conflicting online schedules, so Immigration should confirm the payable amount for the particular application.
Quick role check
| Person and purpose | Evidence that starts the route | Do not assume |
|---|---|---|
| Investor | Investment and company/industry records | A maximum visa period is guaranteed |
| Authorised representative | Company authority, appointment evidence and passport | Authority equals permission for ordinary employment |
| Dependant | Relationship evidence and passport | Every family member qualifies without proof |
Need help reviewing whether the representative or dependant records match the investment file? Business visa support in Nepal can help organise a case for professional follow-up; it cannot guarantee a recommendation or visa outcome.
