Quick summary
Tribhuvan International Airport’s own guidance puts Nepal’s visa-on-arrival processing at under an hour in normal conditions, with peak tourist periods the main caveat. The single biggest lever is timing: the online tourist visa form stays valid for 15 days if unused, so filing about 14 days before departure keeps it live when you land.
Not every passport qualifies. Twelve listed nationalities, plus refugees holding travel documents, must arrange a visa before boarding. Nepal’s reported full digital switch from 17 August 2026 still lacks a government notice confirming it.
For US and Canadian travelers bound for Nepal, arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM) means three separate stages, not a single line. As of 30 October 2026, the practical lever is when you file the online tourist visa form.
File too far ahead and the form lapses before you land. The consequence is more paperwork in the arrivals hall. Get the sequence right and KTM is routine. Timing makes the difference.
Form timing, barcode and bank payment
Nepal’s online tourist visa form has a fixed shelf life. Once submitted, it holds for 15 days if unused. That is the validity window, not an indefinite head start. After it closes, the form must be completed again at the airport.
Entry begins with the online form and arrival-card submission. Next comes the bank counter, where payment scales to visa duration: 15, 30 or 90 days. Immigration inspection comes last.
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What the KTM visa counter checks
According to Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), processing runs under an hour in normal conditions. Peak tourist periods are the main caveat and can push waits longer. The airport publishes no queue budget for the individual kiosk, bank and immigration stages.
Four things get you through the counter: the printed barcode form, the arrival card, your passport, and exact cash in US dollars. The online form alone does not complete the airport process.
A trekking-operator blog reports kiosk queues exceeding 90 minutes at peak arrivals; no official source confirms a two-hour wait.
For US and Canadian travelers, flight options to Nepal from North America are worth locking in before the visa clock starts.
Who cannot use visa on arrival
Nepal’s visa on arrival is not open to every passport. The restricted nationalities are Nigeria, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Swaziland, Cameroon, Somalia, Liberia, Ethiopia, Iraq, Palestine, Afghanistan and Syria. Refugees holding travel documents are also excluded.
Eligible travelers can still obtain a visa on arrival at the airport. For those excluded from on-arrival processing, the required route is a pre-arrival visa from a Nepalese diplomatic mission abroad.
The restricted list can change, and official pages vary slightly. The names on the twelve nationalities excluded from the on-arrival route matter, not just the number.
What to lock in before departure
The days before you fly are the time for these steps, while the online form is still live. The barcode must also make it onto paper.
- Print the barcode form and keep it with your passport and arrival card, inside its validity window so it is live when you land.
- Carry exact cash in USD for the bank counter, where payment is scaled to a 15, 30 or 90-day visa.
- Check your nationality against the restricted list on Nepal’s latest immigration notice before departure.
- Confirm the digital rollout with Nepal’s Department of Immigration, since the reported 17 August 2026 switch lacks a government notice.
The order matters more than the paperwork: form, barcode, cash, then the counter.
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Questions? Answers.
Can all travelers use visa on arrival at Kathmandu?
No. A restricted set of nationalities is excluded from on-arrival processing by Nepal; those travelers must secure a visa before travel.
How long is the Nepal online visa form valid?
Once submitted, the form remains valid for 15 days; after that it expires and must be completed again.
Is the Kathmandu airport visa process always under an hour?
According to TIA it is usually under an hour, though the airport warns that busy periods can stretch queues longer.
Do travelers pay the visa fee online before arrival?
No guaranteed pre-payment flow exists; the airport guidance and airline checklist indicate payment happens within the airport process, at bank counters scaled to visa duration.
What do I need at the KTM visa counter?
A printed barcode form, the arrival card, your passport and exact cash in USD for the fee, paid at the bank counter by visa duration.
