Nepal's Department of Immigration has proposed allowing tourists to use a mobile app displaying their passport and visa data for identity checks and administrative tasks within the country, instead of carrying physical documents.
The proposal awaits approval from the Ministry of Home Affairs. Travelers would still need their physical passport to enter or leave Nepal.
Nepal's Department of Immigration has submitted a proposal to recognize digital passport and visa information shown in a mobile app as official for certain domestic uses. If approved, the app would let travelers present their identity through the phone instead of carrying their physical passport during internal travel and administrative procedures.
The app would be used for hotel check-ins, security checks, currency exchange, domestic flights, trekking agency formalities, and visa extensions. Police and other authorities would no longer automatically require the physical document once a traveler's information is registered. Help desks at international airports would assist visitors with downloading and registration.
The app data would link to Nepal's central immigration database, meaning authorities can verify information against official records rather than simply viewing a stored copy.
The proposal is part of Nepal's Foreign Nationals Management Information System (FNMIS), launched in 2026 to centralize visitor information from visa through departure. The August 2026 floods that killed over 1,400 people highlighted the need to quickly locate foreign nationals during emergencies. Officials said better data systems would have helped locate missing tourists faster.
Over 1,600 service providers already participate in FNMIS, with information on more than 180,000 foreign nationals registered.
The proposal has not yet been approved and no implementation date has been announced. Until official confirmation, continue carrying your physical passport as currently required.
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