"Nepal Tourism Year 2011" Guests are Gods

Government of Nepal in consultation with Nepalese travel trade sector and concerned organizations/experts decided on October 25, 2008 to launch a national tourism campaign "Nepal Tourism Year 2011". This announcement reflects the government’s anticipation to bring into Nepal at least one million international tourists by the year 2011 and tourism industry’s exigency to organize a tourism promotion campaign for wider impact.

With the badge of adventure destination glittering and the adage “Atithi Devo Bhava” (Guests are Gods) embedded in our culture, the portfolio of tourism products never cease to mesmerize the visitors. The unparallel cultural, geographical, ethnic and bio diversities of the country allure visitors to Nepal time and again which truly substantiates the spirit of Nepal tourism brand Naturally Nepal, once is not enough !

Nepal Visa

To get a Nepalese Visa for tourism purpose is very easy and invites an absolute minimum of red-tapeism. Tourists of at least 50 different countries that are affiliated to the United Nations have the 'Visa on arrival' facility. The rest will have to procure the advance Visa from the Nepalese Embassy in their respective countries. Residents of many countries in Asia don't even require Visa. In spite of all these, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued the following Visa guidelines for the tourists: -

* The foreign tourist visiting Nepal shall be granted the tourist visa.
* The tourist visa shall be granted for a period in maximum of five months in a visa year.
* A tourist who has departed before the expiry of the period specified in the visa issued in a visa year shall not be allowed to use the visa by adding the remaining period to another visa year.
* If any foreigner who has entered into Nepal towards the end of a visa year desires to spend even the period during which he may stay in Nepal with the tourist visa of the other visa year, he may use such facility. Provided, however, that the computation of the fees for such period shall be made on the basis of the total period of his stay.
* An application for the tourist visa has to be submitted in a particular format that can be obtained from the embassy or downloaded from the site http://www.tourism.gov.np

Travel Documents in Nepal
Traveling in Nepal is not as cumbersome as in some other countries. The visa guidelines are very lenient and so are the documentations. Nevertheless, following documents should be carried while traveling to Nepal: -

* The valid passport and the Nepalese Visa
* Documents certifying points of entry or exit
* Duly filled and attested disembarkation and embarkation forms
* Certification of arrival and departure
* Documents permitting trekking and mountaineering
* Identity and address proof
* Return ticket if you are a tourist

Visa Fees and Requirements

* The fee for a Single Entry Tourist Visa to Nepal for 60 days is US $60 or equivalent foreign currency
* Additional $50 grants Multiple Entry Visas
* Tourist visa can be extended for a maximum of 150 days. Visa extension free for 30 days is US $ 30
* To apply for visa, you will also need a valid passport, and two passport size photos
* Business Visa fee is US$ 100 for one year with multiple re-entry and US$ 250 for five years with multiple re-entry.

More Information

Visit: http://www.nepaltourismyear2011.org/ (Nepal Tourism Board "Naturally Nepal)