Nepal Visa for Pakistanis 2026: Free 30-Day Visa on Arrival Once a Year (SAARC Rule)
Most Pakistani travellers assume every foreign trip starts with an embassy appointment, a thick file and a long wait. Nepal is a rare exception. Because both countries are SAARC members, a Pakistani passport holder can get a 30-day tourist visa on arrival in Nepal free of charge, once every calendar year. No sticker visa, no interview, no fee for that first visit. For families in Jhelum, Rawalpindi and Lahore looking for an affordable mountain holiday, this is one of the easiest visas the green passport can get in 2026.
What the free SAARC visa actually gives you
The Embassy of Nepal in Islamabad states it plainly: Pakistani passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival, and they are eligible for a free 30-day tourist visa once per calendar year (January to December). The “gratis” visa is issued at the immigration counter at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, or at designated land border posts, in exactly the same way as a paid visa, except that you skip the payment step.
Two limits matter. First, the free entry is once per calendar year, so a trip in December and another in January would both be free, but two trips in the same year would not. Second, it is a tourist visa: sightseeing, trekking and visiting friends are fine, but paid work, volunteering for money or business activity are not permitted on it.
Second visit in the same year? Here are the fees
If you have already used your free entry, or you want to stay longer than 30 days, the standard tourist visa fees apply. Nepal’s Department of Immigration charges US$30 for 15 days, US$50 for 30 days and US$125 for 90 days, all multiple-entry, payable at the airport counter. If you would rather have the visa stamped before you fly, the Embassy in Islamabad issues visas in advance at PKR 8,700 (15 days), PKR 14,500 (30 days) and PKR 36,250 (90 days).
Tourist visas can be extended inside Nepal at the immigration offices in Kathmandu or Pokhara for US$3 per day (15-day minimum), up to a total of 150 days in a calendar year. Overstaying costs US$5 per day on top of the extension fee, and a recorded overstay can make your exit and your next visit harder, so extend before your visa runs out.
Applying in advance through the Embassy in Islamabad
The on-arrival route is quickest, but some travellers prefer a visa in the passport before departure, for example when the airline check-in staff are unfamiliar with the SAARC rule, or when travelling with elderly relatives. The Embassy’s process is fully email-based until the final passport submission:
- Fill the online form at nepaliport.immigration.gov.np and save the confirmation slip
- Email the slip, passport bio-page and CNIC copy to the Embassy
- Attach previous Nepal visas and entry/exit stamps if you have visited before
- Attach a sponsorship letter, or a 6-month bank statement plus hotel booking
- Wait for the Embassy’s reply, usually within about 4 working days
- Submit the original passport in person (Mon–Fri, 9:30am–12:30pm) and collect it when advised
Business visitors should add a no-objection letter from their company; anyone invited to a conference or seminar should attach the invitation. If you cannot appear in person, the Embassy accepts an authority letter with the CNIC copy and phone number of the person collecting on your behalf.
What to carry when you land in Kathmandu
Even for the gratis visa you complete the same arrival form as everyone else, either at the airport kiosks or online up to 15 days before travel. Keep these ready at the counter: a passport valid for at least 6 months with a blank page, one or two passport photos on a white background, your return or onward ticket, and your hotel address. Card machines at the airport are not always reliable, so anyone paying for a second visit or a longer visa should carry the fee in US dollars cash.
Why Nepal makes sense for Pakistani travellers right now
With Schengen fees rising, UAE visit visas only recently resumed for families, and US fees climbing, Nepal offers something different: a mountain destination with no visa fee, no interview and no refusal risk on the first visit of the year. Kathmandu’s heritage sites, Pokhara’s lakes and the Annapurna and Everest trekking routes are all reachable on a modest budget. It is also a useful, low-stress addition to a passport travel history before applying for tougher visas later.
Quick answers
Is the Nepal visa really free for Pakistanis? Yes, for one 30-day tourist visit per calendar year under the SAARC gratis rule. Fees apply to further visits in the same year.
Can I get it on arrival? Yes, at Kathmandu airport and designated land crossings. Pakistan is not on Nepal’s list of nationalities excluded from visa on arrival.
Do I need a bank statement? Not for the on-arrival visa. The Embassy asks for a 6-month statement and hotel booking only if you apply in advance without a sponsor.
Do children need a visa? Every traveller needs their own passport and arrival form. Children under 10 are visa-fee exempt for most nationalities.
Can I extend beyond 30 days? Yes, at US$3 per day in Kathmandu or Pokhara, up to 150 days in a calendar year.
Applying for a visit visa?
Reloaded Visa prepares your complete file and guides you at every step. Free consultation — no obligation.
Visa rules and fees change without notice. Confirm the latest requirements with the Embassy of Nepal in Islamabad or Nepal’s Department of Immigration (immigration.gov.np) before you travel.