Travel guide · Nepal
Nepal Visa for SAARC Citizens
SAARC nationals get a free 30-day gratis Nepal visa once a year — issued at immigration, no fee for the first visit.
Citizens of fellow SAARC countries get a special deal entering Nepal: a free (gratis) 30-day tourist visa for their first visit each calendar year. The visa is still issued at immigration with the standard form and passport check, but no fee is charged — a regional courtesy reflecting South Asia's close ties.
The short answer
Nationals of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka receive a gratis 30-day tourist visa at Kathmandu airport and major land borders, free for the first visit in the year. Bring a passport valid for six months and a passport photo; no fee is due for the gratis visa. Indians are a separate case — they need no visa at all. For further visits in the same year, or stays beyond 30 days, standard fees usually apply. As always, confirm current rules before travel.
Who qualifies
The SAARC bloc has eight members. For the gratis visa specifically:
- Eligible for the free 30-day visa: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Pakistan, Sri Lanka.
- No visa required at all: India (full freedom of movement under the open border).
- Host country: Nepal.
The gratis benefit applies to ordinary tourist travel; other visa categories follow their own rules.
How the gratis visa works
At immigration you complete the same arrival form as any other visitor and present your passport. Because the visa is free, you skip the bank-counter payment step that other nationalities go through — but the officer still records and stamps the visa, so keep your passport and photo ready. The 30-day clock starts on the day of entry, and the visa is multiple-entry within that window.
If you need longer than 30 days, you can extend at the Department of Immigration in Kathmandu or Pokhara for a daily fee, up to the overall 150-day annual cap. See our Nepal visa extension guide for the process and costs.
How SAARC rules compare
The gratis 30-day visa sits between the two extremes of Nepal's system: more generous than the paid tourist visa on arrival that most Western nationalities buy, but short of the full visa-free movement that Indian citizens enjoy. For the complete cross-nationality breakdown, see our Nepal visa rules by nationality hub.
Before you go
Once inside, getting between Kathmandu, Pokhara and the borders is easy — our guide to getting around Nepal covers buses, shared jeeps and domestic flights. Because gratis arrangements rest on regional agreements that can be revised, and because the once-a-year condition is applied at the officer's discretion, reconfirm the current policy with the Nepal Department of Immigration before you travel.
Frequently asked questions
Which countries are SAARC for the Nepal gratis visa?+
The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) members are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. For the free 30-day gratis tourist visa, this applies to nationals of those countries other than India, since Indians need no visa at all to enter Nepal.
Is the Nepal visa really free for SAARC nationals?+
Yes. SAARC nationals are entitled to a gratis (free) 30-day tourist visa for their first visit in a calendar year. The visa is still issued at immigration with the usual form and passport check, but no fee is charged. Confirm the current policy before travel, as gratis arrangements can change.
Can SAARC citizens get the free visa more than once a year?+
The gratis 30-day visa is generally for the first visit in a calendar year. For subsequent visits in the same year, or for longer stays, standard tourist visa fees usually apply. Check the latest rules with the Nepal Department of Immigration, as practice can vary.
Do Bhutanese and Indian citizens follow the same rule?+
Indians need no visa whatsoever and have full freedom of movement, so the gratis visa does not apply to them. Other SAARC nationals, including Bhutanese, Bangladeshi, Maldivian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan and Afghan citizens, receive the free 30-day gratis visa subject to the usual immigration check.
