Visa-free countries for Nepali passport holders in 2026: complete list with stay duration

Nepali passport holders can visit 38 countries without a visa or with visa-on-arrival in 2026. Verified list with stay durations and entry rules.

Last verified: June 29, 2026. Visa rules change frequently — always confirm with the destination country’s official embassy before booking.

How the Henley Index sees the passport

Nepali passport holders have visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to around 38 destinations in 2026, ranking 95th on the Henley Passport Index. The practical reach extends to over 60 destinations when you include the eVisa category.

Visa-free countries

These countries let you enter without applying for a visa. You receive a stamp on arrival.

• India — Free entry by land or air. No visa, no fee. Nepali nationals can also work in India under a 1950 treaty.
• Maldives — Free 30-day VOA. Need return ticket.
• Bhutan — No visa required. Pay Sustainable Development Fee of approximately $200/day for non-South-Asian rates, but Nepali nationals pay reduced regional rate (check current Tourism Council of Bhutan rules).
• Dominica — 21 days visa-free.
• Haiti — 90 days.
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines — 30 days.
• Trinidad and Tobago — 90 days.
• Niue — 30 days.
• Micronesia — 30 days.
• Vanuatu — 30 days.

Visa-on-arrival countries

You can get a visa stamped at the airport. Fees vary; carry US dollars in cash.

• Bolivia — VOA for 30-90 days, $30. Yellow fever certificate required.
• Cambodia — VOA for 30 days, $30 cash.
• Cape Verde — VOA €25.
• Comoros — VOA $50, 45 days.
• Djibouti — VOA for 1 month.
• Ethiopia — eVisa or VOA $50.
• Gabon — VOA available with pre-approval.
• Guinea-Bissau — VOA.
• Indonesia — Paid VOA 500,000 IDR, 30 days.
• Iran — VOA at IKA airport, €75 for 30 days.
• Jordan — VOA at Amman / Aqaba, 40 JOD.
• Laos — VOA $40-45 for 30 days.
• Madagascar — VOA $35.
• Myanmar — VOA $50 at major airports.
• Palau — VOA $100.
• Qatar — Free VOA for 30 days. Need return ticket + hotel.
• Rwanda — VOA $50, 30 days.
• Samoa — Entry permit 60 days.
• Senegal — Visa-free 90 days (sometimes listed under VOA).
• Seychelles — Free visitor permit, 90 days.
• Sierra Leone — VOA $80.
• Sri Lanka — eTA $50, 30 days.
• Tanzania — VOA $50, 90 days.
• Timor-Leste — VOA $30, 30 days.
• Togo — VOA, 7 days extendable.
• Uganda — eVisa or VOA $50, 90 days.
• Zimbabwe — VOA $30 single / $75 KAZA.
• Thailand — VOA 2,000 THB for 15 days (recent reinstatement).

e-Visa countries (apply online before travel)

Quick online applications, usually approved within 1-3 days.

• Australia — Subclass 600 eVisa.
• Bahrain — eVisa $20-100.
• Egypt — eVisa $25.
• Georgia — Visa-free 365 days for Nepali nationals (recent agreement — verify on Georgia MFA site).
• Kenya — eTA $30.
• Kyrgyzstan — eVisa $52.
• Malawi — eVisa $75.
• Oman — eVisa OMR 5-20.
• Sri Lanka — eTA $50.
• Turkey — eVisa $43 if you hold valid Schengen/US/UK/Ireland visa.
• Uzbekistan — eVisa $20, 30 days.
• Zambia — eVisa $50.

Before you book — checklist

• Passport validity — most countries require 6 months remaining beyond travel dates. Some (Mauritius, UAE) require a full year. Renew well in advance.
• Yellow fever certificate — required for entry to many African and Latin American destinations if you’ve recently been in a yellow fever zone.
• Return ticket + accommodation proof — required by many visa-free/VOA destinations. Have printed copies at immigration.
• Sufficient funds proof — Mauritius asks for $100/day; UAE may ask AED 3,000 cash; some Schengen states require €50-100/day evidence.
• Travel insurance — mandatory in many destinations. Compare options in our insurance guides.

What changed in 2025-26

• Kenya moved from VOA to mandatory eTA in early 2024.
• Sri Lanka reinstated eTA fees after a brief free-entry experiment.
• Thailand ended its temporary visa-free trial; back to standard VOA from 2025.
• Indonesia reinstated paid VOA after the pandemic-era free entry ended.

The practical reach

Combining visa-free, VOA, and eVisa categories, the practical destination count climbs to roughly 68 countries — a meaningful improvement over the headline 38 visa-free + VOA destinations.

If you’re considering longer-term mobility, look at our guides on work visa pathways and visa comparison.

Bottom line: with planning, the passport gets you to most of Africa, parts of Asia, the Caribbean, and the Pacific — plus eVisa access to Europe, Australia, and key Gulf states.

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Common questions from Nepali passport holders

What’s the deal with India for Nepali nationals?

Nepali nationals can enter India without a visa under the 1950 Indo-Nepal Friendship Treaty. You can work, study, and reside in India indefinitely (with practical limits on government jobs). Indian nationals get the same in Nepal. Carry your Citizenship Card or passport at the border.

Can I extend visa-on-arrival in Thailand?

The 15-day Thai VOA can be extended once for 7 days at a Thai immigration office (1,900 THB). The 30-day visa-exempt entry (when reinstated) can be extended 30 days for 1,900 THB. Get to immigration before your stamp expires.

Why does Bhutan have a different fee structure for Nepali nationals?

Bhutan classifies Nepali nationals under regional rates rather than international tourist rates. The Sustainable Development Fee is significantly lower — verify current rates with the Tourism Council of Bhutan website before booking.

Practical tips before you board

• Carry US dollars in cash — many VOA destinations (Cambodia, Laos, parts of Africa) won’t accept Nepali rupees at immigration. Carry small bills.
• Get yellow fever vaccination if you’re traveling to East/Central Africa or Bolivia — it’s required for entry, and the certificate is lifetime-valid.
• Print all documents — return tickets, hotel reservations, insurance certificates. Some officers won’t accept phone-displayed copies.
• Travel insurance is required in Thailand, parts of Schengen, and increasingly across Southeast Asia. Don’t skip it — uninsured medical emergencies abroad can ruin you financially.
• Check whether you need a transit visa — for many routes through London, Dubai, or Doha, even airport transit requires advance approval depending on your final destination.

The Nepal passport compared with regional neighbours

Nepali passport ranks 95th globally on Henley 2026, with about 38 visa-free or VOA destinations. Indian passport ~58 destinations (rank 80); Bangladeshi ~40 (rank 92); Sri Lankan ~40 (rank 95). The 1950 India treaty makes the Nepali passport practically much more useful within South Asia than the Henley number suggests.

For broader long-term mobility, work visa pathways to OECD countries lead to permanent residency and citizenship over 5-8 years — see our work visa guides.