US citizens reportedly came close to topping the list of foreign nationals overstaying their visas in Nepal, with 54 such individuals being deported in 2024, according to Nepal’s Department of Immigration. Last year’s data, as cited by NepYork, shows that Chinese nationals led the stats as 141 foreign nationals of Chinese origin were deported due to the same violation.
Following the two examples, Bangladeshi citizens were the third-highest group, with 51 individuals, to be deported from Nepal in 2024. 30 Pakistani and 27 British nationals followed suit after having overstayed their visas. Among the various types of visas offered to foreign nationals, tourist visas remain the most common, which are generally issued for 15, 30 or 90 days. The longest stay allowed at the popular destination in a calendar year extends to 150 days. Visa on arrival is available at Tribhuvan International Airport or other entry points.
US govt on Nepal travel
Tourist travelling to Tibet requires a special permit. On the dual nationality front, the official US govt website says, “Nepal does not recognize dual nationality. Accordingly, when a Nepali citizen naturalizes as a US citizen, he/she loses his/her Nepali citizenship. Some travelers who have tried to maintain both US and Nepali passports have faced difficulties entering or exiting Nepal.”
As of February 2025, the US Department of State shared that foreign travellers must arrive in Nepal on a tourist visa. They can convert their visa to a different category after arrival. “Non-tourist visa issuance has been known to take months to process and stays beyond 150 days on a tourist visa will lead to deportation with overstay fines and penalties,” the official Travel.State.Gov website states.
Repercussions of overstaying visa
It is also to be noted that the Department of Immigration headquarters in Kathmandu is the only office that can extend all categories of visa. Overstaying beyond expiration date can result in heavy fines, arrest and detention pending formal deportation proceedings. A ban on re-entry may also follow. The Department of Immigration of Nepal states that failure to extend a visa before it is expired will result in a USD 3-per-day fine. Authorities also attributed the surge in foreign nationals to individuals choosing Nepal as a hideout after alleged involvement in criminal activities.
According to the Nepal Tourism Board’s latest numbers, 121,800 international travellers visited the country in March 2025. 21,412 arrivals from India led the list, while 11,443 visitors from China ranked second. At No. 3, 11,012 American tourists came next. Thereafter 8,889 visitors from Sri Lanka and 5,995 from the United Kingdom also recorded huge numbers.