How to Get a Nepal Tourist Visa From Pakistan: Free for 30 Days for SAARC Citizens
Nepal lists a free visa of up to 30 days for SAARC citizens. See the fees for 15, 30 and 90 days, the online ETA steps and what to confirm before you fly.
Nepal's immigration department lists a free tourist visa of up to 30 days for citizens of the SAARC countries, which includes Pakistan, on a first visit in a visa year. Longer stays cost USD 30 for 15 days, USD 50 for 30 days or USD 125 for 90 days. You can get the visa at Kathmandu airport or apply online first.
Most Pakistani travellers assume Nepal needs a paid visa and an agent. The department's own pages say otherwise for short trips. This guide shows how to apply for a Nepal tourist visa from Pakistan, what to carry and what to confirm before you book a ticket.
Check whether the free SAARC visa applies to you
The department lists "SAARC citizens (except Afghanistan)" for a free visa of up to 30 days on the first visit in a given visa year. Pakistan is a SAARC member, and the page does not exclude it. Confirm it with the Nepali embassy before you fly.
We read the Department of Immigration of Nepal at immigration.gov.np on 8 October 2026. Its tourist visa page names the free groups: children under 10, SAARC citizens except Afghanistan, Chinese nationals, holders of a Non-Resident Nepali card and some officials. We did not see Pakistan named as excluded.
The word "first visit in a given visa year" matters. A second trip in the same year is not free. The department does not explain the term on the page we read, so ask the embassy how it counts a year. Do not assume it matches the calendar.
The department also says citizens of 11 countries cannot get a visa on arrival and must apply at a Nepali mission. It named Nigeria, Ghana, Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan among them. Pakistan was not among the names we saw, but we did not see the full list, so check that too.
Know the fees for stays longer than 30 days
If you are not using the free visa, or you want to stay longer, the fees are USD 30 for 15 days, USD 50 for 30 days and USD 125 for 90 days. An extension costs USD 3 a day, and a tourist can stay at most 150 days in a year.
| Stay | Fee (official) |
|---|---|
| Up to 30 days, first visit in the visa year, SAARC citizen | Free |
| 15 days | USD 30 |
| 30 days | USD 50 |
| 90 days | USD 125 |
| Extension | USD 3 a day |
The fee is in US dollars. The department says the on-arrival fee is paid at a bank counter in the terminal, and that local payment methods are also accepted. Carry some dollars anyway, and see the rules on how much foreign currency you may carry out of Pakistan before you pack cash.
Apply online first with the Nepal ETA to save time
The department calls its electronic travel authorization, or ETA, the fastest way to get a Nepal visa. You apply online, pay by card and receive the approved eVisa by email. Print it and carry it with your passport.
The ETA page lists these steps. Fill in your personal and travel details. Upload a copy of your passport, which must be valid for more than six months, and a passport photo. Pay online by card. Wait for the approval email. The approved visa stays valid for entry for six months from the issue date.
- Open the Department of Immigration site at immigration.gov.np and choose the online visa or ETA option.
- Enter your details and choose the 15, 30 or 90 day visa. Choose the free visa only if the form offers it for your nationality.
- Upload a clear passport copy and a recent photo.
- Pay by card if a fee applies.
- Print the approval email and carry it with your passport.
We have not tested the online form for a Pakistani passport, so we cannot say which options it shows. If the form does not offer the free SAARC visa, email the department at info@immigration.gov.np before you pay. Its phone number on the site is +977 1 4529660.
Use the on-arrival route at Kathmandu if you did not apply online
At Tribhuvan International Airport you can fill in the arrival card and the online tourist visa form on arrival, then pay the fee at the bank counter and present your papers at the immigration desk. The submission receipt is valid for 15 days.
The department describes the on-arrival process as quick and simple. Queues are the usual risk. Filling in the form at home through the online route removes most of that wait, so use it if you can.
Before you leave Pakistan, expect questions at the airport. Officers check visas and travel papers before the counter, and the FIA document checklist for avoiding offloading lists what to carry. Bring a return ticket, a hotel booking and proof of funds.
Compare Nepal with other easy visa options for Pakistanis
Nepal sits among the cheaper short-trip options. A few other destinations also have an online or on-arrival route for Pakistani passport holders, and each has its own rules, so read the country guide before you choose.
For a beach trip, the guide to the Maldives tourist visa for Pakistanis covers the on-arrival rules. The guide to the Sri Lanka ETA covers another online permit. For a ranking of where the passport travels, see the report on the Pakistan passport ranking.
Check your passport too. Many countries ask for six months of validity, and Nepal's ETA page asks for more than six. If yours is close to expiry, the passport changes that start on 15 October are covered in the report on the end of new machine-readable passports.
Common questions about the Nepal visa for Pakistanis
Do Pakistanis need a visa for Nepal?
Yes. A visa is needed. The department lists a free visa of up to 30 days for SAARC citizens on a first visit in a visa year, so it may cost nothing, but you still get it on arrival or online.
How much is a Nepal visa for a Pakistani?
Possibly nothing for the first 30 days. Otherwise the listed fees are USD 30 for 15 days, USD 50 for 30 days and USD 125 for 90 days. Confirm the free option with the embassy.
Can I get a Nepal visa on arrival with a Pakistani passport?
The department offers visa on arrival at Kathmandu airport and bars 11 named countries. Pakistan was not among the names we saw, but we did not see the full list. Confirm it before you fly.
How long can I stay in Nepal as a tourist?
You can stay up to 90 days on one visa, and extend it at USD 3 a day. The most a tourist can stay in a year is 150 days.
How long is the Nepal ETA valid before I travel?
The department says an issued visa stays valid for entry for six months from the issue date. Your passport should have more than six months left at that point.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked 8 October 2026. The fees, the free SAARC group, the ETA steps and the 11 countries barred from visa on arrival come from the Department of Immigration of Nepal website, immigration.gov.np, which we read on that date. We did not test the online form with a Pakistani passport and did not see the full list of barred countries. Rules and fees can change, so confirm with the Nepali embassy in Islamabad before you pay.
About the author
Senior Writer, Public Services and Technology
Shahid joined us in 2024 as an author. He is a senior contributor to Pakistan's leading technology websites. He writes detailed articles, mostly covering his expertise in the latest tech, mobiles, apps, gadgets, and step-by-step guides. His ideology is to help people understand the latest trends and explain complex methods through very easy-to-understand guides.
