Quick answer: Nepal’s Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) system fully launched August 17, 2026. Indian passport holders do NOT need an ETA or visa — India is visa-free for Nepal with passport or voter ID. The ETA is for nationalities eligible for Nepal’s visa-on-arrival — apply at nepaliport-new.immigration.gov.np. VOA allows up to 90 days. 12 nationalities are excluded from VOA and must arrange visas in advance through a Nepali embassy.

Nepal ETA visa 2026 launched on August 17 — Nepal’s Electronic Travel Authorization system is now fully operational, giving eligible foreign travelers a way to complete much of the tourist visa process online before arriving in Kathmandu or at Nepal’s land border crossings. The ETA is not itself a visa — it is an advance authorization that speeds up visa issuance at the Nepali immigration counter for travelers eligible for visa-on-arrival.

The Nepal ETA visa 2026 story has one headline fact that most Indian travelers miss in the coverage: Indian passport holders are exempt from the ETA entirely. India enjoys visa-free entry to Nepal under the bilateral friendship treaty — no visa, no ETA, no application fee. What Indian travelers do need is a valid Indian passport (or in some cases a voter ID), and ideally the digital pre-arrival registration that replaces the old physical arrival card.

For Indian travelers planning Nepal trips — one of the most popular near-abroad destinations for Indian passport holders due to cultural affinity, Hindu and Buddhist pilgrimage sites, and the extraordinary Himalayan landscape — the Nepal ETA visa 2026 development affects your experience primarily through faster immigration processing, not a new requirement. See our Uzbekistan visa free Indians 2026 guide for another recently opened visa-free destination.

What the Nepal ETA Is and Who It Is For

The Nepal ETA visa 2026 system is built around the country’s existing visa-on-arrival infrastructure — the ETA is the digital pre-processing layer added on top of the VOA.

Nepal’s ETA is designed for foreign nationals who are eligible for Nepal’s visa-on-arrival facility. This covers the vast majority of nationalities globally — citizens of most countries can obtain a visa on arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, or at designated land border crossings with India and China, and pay the applicable visa fee at the immigration counter.

The ETA allows eligible travelers to complete the paperwork online before travel — uploading passport details, photograph, travel information, and paying the visa fee — so that the immigration counter process on arrival is faster. Instead of filling in a paper form at Kathmandu airport, presenting it to the officer, waiting for photo upload and data entry, and then paying the fee — all of which takes time per passenger at a busy counter — the ETA-pre-processed traveler arrives with their authorization confirmed and simply needs biometric collection and stamp.

Apply at Nepal’s official NepaliPort immigration portal: nepaliport-new.immigration.gov.np/eta-visa-processing/application. Nepal Immigration recommends traveling with a passport with at least six months of validity.

The 12 Nationalities That Cannot Use VOA or ETA

The Nepal ETA visa 2026 system has a critical exclusion list — 12 nationalities cannot obtain a Nepal visa on arrival and therefore cannot use the ETA system either. Citizens of these countries must arrange a Nepal visa in advance through a Nepali diplomatic mission:

Nigeria, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Eswatini (Swaziland), Cameroon, Somalia, Liberia, Ethiopia, Iraq, Palestine, Afghanistan, and Syria.

Iranian ordinary passport holders are also currently required to arrange a visa before traveling under a separate 2026 restriction.

For travelers from any of these countries planning a Nepal trip, apply through the Embassy of Nepal in your country before departure — the ETA system is not available regardless of your travel purpose or intended stay duration.

How to Apply for the Nepal ETA: Step by Step

The Nepal ETA visa 2026 application process through NepaliPort is straightforward and can be completed within 15–20 minutes.

Step 1 — Open NepaliPort. Visit nepaliport-new.immigration.gov.np and select Electronic Travel Authorization.

Step 2 — Enter personal details. Input your full name, date of birth, nationality, and other personal information exactly as they appear on your passport.

Step 3 — Add passport and travel details. Enter your passport number, issue date, expiry date, arrival date, and planned travel information.

Step 4 — Provide purpose of visit. Select your purpose of visit — tourism covers sightseeing, trekking, pilgrimage, and cultural visits — and provide your address or accommodation in Nepal.

Step 5 — Upload documents. Upload a copy of your passport photo page and a recent passport-sized photograph where requested by the portal.

Step 6 — Review carefully. Check every detail before submitting — particularly your passport number, nationality, and travel dates. Errors in these fields can cause immigration delays on arrival.

Step 7 — Pay the visa fee. Complete the applicable visa fee payment online. Nepal’s tourist visa fees are currently USD 30 for 15 days, USD 50 for 30 days, and USD 125 for 90 days for most nationalities.

Step 8 — Save and print. Save or print the ETA/application confirmation and carry it with your passport for presentation at immigration.

What the Nepal Tourist Visa Permits

Nepal ETA visa 2026 tourists can stay for up to 90 days depending on the visa duration obtained. Tourism is the primary permitted activity, along with limited business activities including meetings, conferences, negotiations, contract signing, and visits to business facilities. Employment or productive work is not permitted under the tourist visa — this applies to all visa-on-arrival holders regardless of the ETA pre-processing.

The 90-day maximum stay makes Nepal one of the most generous tourist visa durations in Asia — comparable to Thailand’s 60-day visa-free (now 30 days from September 15) and Vietnam’s 90-day e-visa. For international travelers wanting to trek multiple routes — Everest Base Camp (14 days), Annapurna Circuit (12–21 days), Langtang Valley (7–10 days), Manaslu Circuit (14–18 days), and Upper Mustang (10–14 days) — the 90-day maximum provides genuine flexibility for multi-route itineraries.

What This Means Specifically for Indian Travelers

The Nepal ETA visa 2026 development is primarily relevant to Indian travelers as context — your own entry process is simpler than the ETA system.

For Indian travelers, there is no new ETA requirement. Indian passport holders can continue to enter Nepal without a visa, without paying a fee, and without applying through NepaliPort for the ETA.

What Indian passport holders need for Nepal:

By air (Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu): Valid Indian passport is the standard requirement. Passport should have reasonable remaining validity — while Nepal’s bilateral agreement does not specify a minimum validity period for Indian nationals, having at least 6 months remaining is best practice. Keep your passport accessible through immigration.

By road (Sunauli/Raxaul/Kakarvitta border crossings): Indian citizens can enter Nepal by road with either a valid Indian passport or a valid Indian voter ID card. The voter ID option is unique to the India-Nepal bilateral arrangement and is not available to any other nationality. Nepal Immigration recommends traveling with a passport rather than voter ID for faster processing and for any air travel within Nepal.

The digital arrival card: While the ETA does not apply to Indians, Nepal has been moving toward digital pre-arrival registration for all visitors including Indians — completing any available digital pre-arrival form at NepaliPort before departure may speed up immigration processing, particularly at Tribhuvan Airport during peak season.

Nepal for Indian Travelers: The Practical Guide

Nepal ETA visa 2026 or not, Nepal remains one of the most accessible and rewarding international destinations for Indian passport holders. Here is the practical framework for a Nepal trip from India.

Getting there from India: Air India, IndiGo, SpiceJet, and Buddha Air operate flights from Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, and Varanasi to Kathmandu. Direct Delhi–Kathmandu takes approximately 1.5 hours. Overland from Varanasi by road/bus via Sunauli border crossing is popular for budget travelers — approximately 8–10 hours total journey.

Kathmandu essentials: The UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Kathmandu — Pashupatinath Temple, Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple), Boudhanath Stupa, and the Kathmandu Durbar Square — can be covered across two to three days. For Indian Hindu pilgrims, Pashupatinath is one of the holiest Shiva temples in the world and the primary pilgrimage purpose for millions of Indian visitors annually.

Trekking: Nepal’s trekking infrastructure — teahouse lodges, porter and guide services, TIMS (Trekkers’ Information Management System) cards, and national park permits — is well developed for Indian trekkers who do not need a visa. The Everest Base Camp route from Lukla requires an Everest National Park permit (NPR 3,000, approximately ₹1,850) plus the TIMS card. Book domestic flights to Lukla 4–6 weeks in advance for peak season (October–November, March–April).

Currency: Nepali Rupee (NPR). Indian Rupees are accepted across most of Nepal — the exchange rate is fixed at INR 1 = NPR 1.6. UPI works in Nepal through the NepaliPay QR system, which is one of the few international destinations where Indian UPI is operational. Keep some NPR for smaller transactions and rural areas.

Best time: October to November (post-monsoon) and March to April (pre-monsoon) are Nepal’s two peak trekking and tourism seasons — clear skies, mountain views, and manageable temperatures. December to February brings cold temperatures at altitude but clear skies and far fewer crowds. June to September (monsoon) sees heavy rainfall, leeches on trekking paths, and limited mountain visibility — avoid unless you specifically want the lush green Kathmandu Valley experience.

For travel insurance covering Nepal trips including trekking at altitude and mountain rescue coverage, SafetyWing Nomad Insurance provides comprehensive coverage at affordable daily rates for Indian travelers.

Nepal ETA Visa 2026 — Indian Traveler vs Other Nationalities	Indians	Other VOA-eligible Nationals	12 Excluded Nationalities
Visa required	No	Yes — VOA or ETA	Yes — advance visa required
ETA required	No	Yes — from Aug 17, 2026	Not applicable
Entry document	Passport or Voter ID	Passport	Passport + advance visa
Maximum stay	No fixed limit (bilateral)	Up to 90 days	As per advance visa
Visa fee	None	USD 30–125 by duration	As per Nepali embassy
Portal	Not required	nepaliport-new.immigration.gov.np	Nepal embassy in home country

FAQs — Nepal ETA Visa 2026

Q: Do Indian passport holders need to apply for the Nepal ETA?

No. Indian passport holders do not need an ETA or visa to enter Nepal. India enjoys visa-free entry under the bilateral friendship treaty between India and Nepal. Indian citizens can enter Nepal with a valid Indian passport for air travel, or with either a valid passport or valid voter ID card for land border crossings. There is no application, no fee, and no advance registration required. Nepal Immigration recommends traveling with a passport rather than voter ID for faster processing.

Q: What is the Nepal ETA and how does it work for other nationalities?

Nepal’s Electronic Travel Authorization system fully launched on August 17, 2026, giving eligible foreign travelers a way to complete much of the tourist visa process online before arriving in Nepal. The ETA is not itself a visa — it is an advance authorization that speeds up visa issuance at the Nepali immigration counter for travelers eligible for visa-on-arrival. Apply at the official NepaliPort portal at nepaliport-new.immigration.gov.np before departure. Nepal’s tourist visa-on-arrival allows stays of up to 90 days at fees ranging from USD 30 for 15 days to USD 125 for 90 days.

Q: Which nationalities cannot get a Nepal visa on arrival in 2026?

Travelers from Nigeria, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Eswatini, Cameroon, Somalia, Liberia, Ethiopia, Iraq, Palestine, Afghanistan, and Syria currently cannot obtain a Nepal visa on arrival and therefore cannot use the ETA system. Iranian ordinary passport holders also require a visa before traveling under a separate 2026 restriction. Citizens of these countries must arrange a Nepal visa in advance through a Nepali diplomatic mission in their home country before travel.

Final Word

Nepal ETA visa 2026 — launched August 17, fully operational, online pre-processing at NepaliPort for visa-on-arrival eligible travelers, 90-day maximum tourist stay, 12 nationalities excluded from VOA — is Nepal’s digital immigration modernization step that makes arrival smoother for the vast majority of international visitors.

Indian passport holders are completely unaffected by the ETA requirement and continue to enjoy the unique privilege of visa-free entry to Nepal by passport or voter ID under the bilateral friendship treaty.

Nepal remains one of the most accessible near-abroad international destinations for Indian travelers — Pashupatinath for pilgrims, Kathmandu’s UNESCO heritage for culture travelers, and some of the world’s greatest trekking routes for adventure seekers, all without a visa, without a fee, and without an application.

Also Read:

• Uzbekistan Visa Free Indians 2026 — 30 Days From August 30
• Bhutan via Air India Drukair 2026 — Single Ticket, No Visa, SDF Guide
• Dummy Ticket Visa Application Indians — Flight Hotel Guide

Official Sources:

• Travelobiz — Nepal Electronic Travel Authorization 2026
• Nepal Immigration NepaliPort — ETA Application