NEPAL - FOREIGN INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Welcome to Foreign Investment Promotion Division Home Page

USEFUL INFORMATION

NEPALI CALENDAR

Nepal fiscal year begins on 16 July and ends on 15 July of the folowing year. The Nepal New Year begins mid-April. The Nepalese months and their equivalent Gregorian calendar months are indicated below:

        Gregorian                       Nepali

Mid April       -       Mid May         Baishak
Mid May         -       Mid June        Jestha
Mid June        -       Mid July        Asadh
Mid July        -       Mid Agust       Srawan
Mid August      -       Mid September   Bhadra
Mid September   -       Mid October     Aswin
Mid October     -       Mid November    Kartick
Mid November    -       Mid December    Marg
Mid December    -       Mid January     Poush
Mid January     -       Mid February    Magh
Mid February    -       Mid March       Falgun
Mid March       -       Mid April       Chaitra

The Nepal Year and the equivalent Gregorian Calendar year are indicated below:

        Gregorian            Nepali
1989/90                         -2046/47
1990/91                         -2047/48
1991/92                         -2048/49

National holidays*

New Year's day                  -Mid April
Buddha Jayanti                  -May
Janai Purnima                   -August
Gai Jatra                       -August
Krishnaastami                   -Aug-Sept.
Indra Jatra                     -September
Dasain                          -Sept-Oct.(7 days)
Tihar                           -Oct.-Nov.(3 days)
Constitution day                -8 Novemeber
HM, King's birthday             -29 December
Prithivi Jayanti                -11 January
Martyr's Day                    -30 January
Basanta Panchami                -February
Democracy day                   -19 February
Shiva Ratri                     -March
Fagu                            -March
Ghode Jatra                     -April
Chaitra Dashami                 -April
Ram Navami                      -April

* Exact dates for certain holidays are announced by HMG at the beginning of each Nepali year.

INTERNATIONAL TIME

Nepal is 5 hours and 45 minutes ahead of Greenwich Mean Time, 15 minutes ahead of Indian Standard Time and 2 hours 15 minutes behind China time.

BANK AND OFFICE HOURS

Government business hours are from 10 am to 5 pm Sunday to Thursday and 10 am to 3 pm on Fridays. In winter, government offices close one hour early, at 4 pm. All offices are closed on Saturdays. Banks do business from 10 am to 3 pm from Sunday to Thursday (winter months until 2:30 pm) and from 9 am to 1 pm on Fridays.

IMMIGRATION

Foreign Visitors other than Indian nationals need valid passports to enter Nepal. Six categories of visa are issued. They are: a) Diplomatic Visa b) Tourist Visa c) Non-tourist Visa d) Residential Visa and e) Interim Visa.
Diplomatic and official Visas are for diplomatic personnel and official missions, and are valid for for specified periods.
Tourists visa valid for 30 days can be obtained from Royal Nepal Embassies and consulates abroad. A 15 day entry visa is given at the point of entry to visitors who do not already hold a visa. The fee for a single entry visa is US$ 20 or its equivalent in any other convertible foreign currency; for double entry US$ 40 and for multiple entries US$ 80. Second and third month visas cost US $ 5 and US $ 10 per week. Foreign person entering Nepal on a tourist visa cannot work for any organization or on an individual basis either for pay or as a volunteer.
Residential visas are issued to individuals wishing to live in Nepal and who have international renown, made special contribution to the economic, social and cultural development of Nepal or have distinguished themselves by contribution in some way to Nepal's progress. Residential visa have to be renewed every year.
Interim visas are issued to transit passenger for a period of one week on payment of US $ 10.
Visitors have to fill up disembarkation and embarkation cards upon their arrival and departure. An airport tax of Rs. 600 has to be paid by visitors before embarkation. The airport tax to SAARC countries is Rs. 500.

TREKKING PERMIT

A trekking permit is required to visit the trekking areas of Nepal. Trekking permits are isuued by the Department of Immigration at Kathmandu and Pokhara.

BCURRENCY

The monetary unit is the Nepalese rupee. Bank notes in the denomination of rupees 1,2,5,10,20,50,100,500 and 1000 are in circulation. Coins from 5 paise to 1 rupee are also in circulation.

FOREIGN CURRENCY

Foreign currency should be exchanged only through authorized dealers, i.e banks and hotels. Foreign exchange encashment receipts are issued when converting foreign currency. These should be retained as they will be required to obtain trekking permits, visa extension and to convert surplus rupees on departure. Upto a maximum of 15 percent of currency exchanged can be reconverted at time of departure.

CREDIT CARDS

Visa, Master Card and American Express are accepted at major hotels, restaurants and carpet shops. The Nepal Grindlays Bank, Nabil Bank and American Express office in Jamal provide services for these cards.

CUSTOMS

All baggage must be declared and cleared through the customs at the port of entry. Foreign visitors can bring in 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars and one bottle liquor duty free. There are restrictions on exporting certain items of archaelogical or historical value, antiques and precious na semi-precious stones. Such items bought by visitors must be checked and cleared by the Department of Archaelogy before shipment out of Nepal.

|Main| |Next|

HMG
Ministry of Industry
Foreign Investment Promotion Division
Singha Durbar
Kathmandu, Nepal
Tel: 216692
Fax: 220319
Tlx: 2610MOI NP

Webmaster: Anita Shrestha, AMAA, INC