Do Indians Need a Visa for Nepal? Accepted Documents, Entry by Air or Road, Children and Rules (2026)

Do Indians Need a Visa for Nepal? (2026 Quick Answer)

No. As of November 2026, the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) says all foreign visitors need a tourist visa except Indian nationals. Indians still need an accepted identity document to enter and exit Nepal.

• Flights: only a valid Indian passport or an original Voter ID with photo, according to the Embassy of India in Kathmandu.
• Not accepted: Aadhaar, PAN card, driving licence and printed e-Voter IDs.
• From 5 November 2026: an Indian government order asks for one ID listed in the Visa Manual, a list the order does not publish.
• Third-country trips through Nepal: a valid passport.

We recommend a passport or an original Voter ID for adults and a passport for children. Visarun helps check documents and arrange visas for your next country. Entry decisions stay with border officials.

Accepted Identity Documents - Passport, Voter ID and Others

For air travel between India and Nepal, the Embassy of India in Kathmandu accepts only two documents:

• A valid Indian passport.
• An original Voter ID card with photograph, issued by the Election Commission of India. A downloaded or printed online Voter ID is not accepted.

Aadhaar, PAN card, driving licence and the Embassy's registration certificate are not accepted. A separate Embassy advisory, not limited to flights, names the same two documents for all India-Nepal travel.

The NTB also rejects Aadhaar but lists extra documents for seniors and children (see below). Where the sources differ, we follow the Embassy.

Since 5 November 2026, a Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) order asks Indians crossing by land or air to show one identity document specified in the Visa Manual. The order does not list them and we found no public copy, so a passport or an original Voter ID remains the practical choice.

Children and Senior Citizens

We could not verify official age rules for Indian children at land crossings. The Embassy's flight list applies to every passenger, so a passport is the safe choice for a child.

• The NTB lists a school principal's ID card for children below 18, which the Embassy does not confirm, so it may work at a land border but should not be relied on for a flight.
• Older guidance from a 2019 media report on a Home Ministry communique about Aadhaar for under-15s and over-65s should not be relied on, as current Embassy and NTB pages say Aadhaar is not accepted.

For people above 65, the NTB adds a PAN card, driving licence or ration card with photo and age confirmation, which may help at a land border at most, not on flights, as the Embassy refuses PAN and driving licences. We recommend a passport or original Voter ID.

If a child has no valid document for the flight home, the Embassy's Emergency Travel ID for a minor needs a birth certificate from a competent authority in India or an Indian Mission (not a hospital certificate) and an Indian parent's passport or Voter ID.

Flying to Kathmandu or Pokhara

Nepal's Department of Immigration has offices at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, Pokhara International Airport and Gautam Buddha International Airport, which the NTB places in Lumbini. For the flight, the Embassy accepts only a passport or an original Voter ID. We found no official airline check-in rules, so we recommend asking your airline before you fly.

Flying on to a third country

The Embassy of India says all Indian nationals need a Third Country No Objection Certificate (TCNOC) to travel from Nepal to a third country. As of November 2026 it is issued in person against the original passport, and the listed fee is NPR 3,290. Listed exemptions include children below 10 and travellers who fly out within 24 hours of arriving in Nepal by air.

India's 2026 order also requires a valid passport and a designated immigration post for Indians travelling to or from other countries through the India-Nepal border. Visarun helps with the visa for that next destination, while the TCNOC comes only from the Embassy.

Lost documents

The Embassy issues an Emergency Travel ID for a one-way flight from Nepal back to India. It is valid for one week and cannot be used to travel from India to Nepal.

Entering by Road - Border Points and Vehicle Permits

By road, the Embassy's ID advisory and the 2026 order apply too. The Consulate General of India in Birgunj lists paired border check-posts, including:

• Raxaul - Birgunj
• Sunauli/Nautanwa - Bhairahawa
• Jogbani - Biratnagar
• Panitanki/Naxalbari - Kakarbhitta
• Nepalgunj Road - Nepalgunj
• Banbasa - Mahendranagar
• Gauriphanta - Dhangadhi
• Jayanagar - Janakpur

Driving an Indian vehicle

According to the Embassy of India, Indian-registered vehicles enter on a temporary pass from Nepal Customs (Bhansar):

• Limit: 30 days in total per calendar year, which cannot be exceeded even on payment of charges.
• Day Pass (Challan): a same-day visit to the nearest Nepali town, without customs duty. The vehicle is registered at the border check post and the pass is returned to Bhansar the same day.
• Longer trips: a pass for a set number of days. The Embassy gives about NPR 100 to 500 per day by vehicle type, but that text dates from 2019, so we recommend confirming the current rate with Nepal Customs.
• The pass is shown to police on request and surrendered on exit. Vehicles without one are treated as smuggled, seized and later auctioned.
• Extensions are requested from the nearest Bhansar before the pass expires.

The Embassy calls this guidance, not the exact legal position. A May 2026 news report says Nepal Customs now offers an online Temporary Import Vehicle (TIV) declaration, but its fees and whether it is mandatory could not be confirmed.

Trekking Permits and TIMS

Since 31 March 2023, the NTB requires trekkers in specific protected areas to go with a licensed guide and carry a TIMS card issued through a trekking agency. Listed routes include Everest Base Camp, Annapurna Circuit, Poon Hill-ABC, Langtang and Manaslu Circuit.

As of November 2026, TIMS costs NPR 1,000 for SAARC applicants, Indians included, and NPR 2,000 for others, bought through government-registered agencies. The NTB page does not single out Indians, so we recommend confirming your route's rules with the agency.

Park fees for SAARC nationals

• Sagarmatha (Everest) National Park: NPR 1,500 per entry (foreigners NPR 3,000).
• Annapurna Conservation Area: NPR 1,000 per entry (foreigners NPR 3,000).
• Children below 10: free.

Restricted areas, Kailash and Everest climbs

Restricted areas need a Department of Immigration permit, for example USD 50 per person per day for Upper Mustang. Permits are issued only through authorised Nepali agencies, and solo trekking there is not allowed. The checklist is written for visa holders, so Indian trekkers should expect to need a passport.

For Kailash Mansarovar Yatra via Nepal, the Embassy says the Chinese visa comes from the Embassy of China in New Delhi, not Kathmandu, and the travel agent obtains Nepal's Restricted Area Permit.

The Department of Tourism's 2026 royalty table has no Indian or SAARC rate. Foreigners on the Everest normal route pay USD 15,000 in spring, USD 7,500 in autumn and USD 3,750 in winter or summer. The Embassy advises climbers to get rescue and helicopter evacuation insurance and a medical fitness certificate.

Currency, Phones and Practical Rules

• India: the RBI's amended FEMA regulation (notified 28 November 2025, Gazette 2 December 2025) allows Indian notes above ₹100 up to ₹25,000 per traveller, both to Nepal and back.
• Nepal: a Nepal Rastra Bank notice published on 23 July 2026 allows ₹200 and ₹500 notes issued from 9 November 2016, up to ₹25,000 per person.
• Old ₹500 and ₹1,000 notes from before 9 November 2016 cannot be used in Nepal.

Nepal's notice names only ₹200 and ₹500, so we recommend carrying those within ₹25,000 plus smaller notes. According to the same notice, foreign cash above USD 5,000 (for rupees, the equivalent) is declared to customs, a declaration threshold that does not raise the ₹25,000 limit.

Official sources we checked do not describe SIM card rules for Indian visitors, so we recommend asking the operator which documents it needs.

• Pashupatinath Temple is listed as free for Indian nationals by the NTB, which notes that fees may change.
• The Embassy advises against accepting help from strangers who offer good food and hotels at reasonable prices.

Recent Changes (2025-2026)

• 1 September 2025: Everest spring royalty for foreigners rose from USD 11,000 to USD 15,000, according to the Kathmandu Post.
• 2 December 2025: RBI rule on notes above ₹100 (up to ₹25,000 each way) published.
• May 2026: Nepal Customs launched an online TIV vehicle declaration, according to a news report.
• 23 July 2026: Nepal Rastra Bank notice on ₹200 and ₹500 notes up to ₹25,000.
• August 2026: India and Nepal agreed to digitalise cross-border vehicle permits, which the Kathmandu Post described in October 2026 as work under way.
• 5 November 2026: MHA order S.O. 6027(E) in force. It requires a Visa Manual ID for crossings and a passport for third-country travel via the border.

We recommend checking the Embassy of India in Kathmandu and the NTB shortly before travel.

FAQ

Do Indians need a visa for Nepal?

No. Indians need only an accepted ID. For flights, that means a valid passport or an original Voter ID.

Can I travel to Nepal on an Aadhaar card?

No. The Embassy of India and the NTB both say Aadhaar is not an acceptable travel document.

What document does a child need?

A passport is the safe choice. The NTB's school ID may help at a land border, but the Embassy's flight list has only a passport or Voter ID.

Do I need permission to fly from Kathmandu to another country?

Usually yes, a TCNOC issued in person by the Embassy. Under-10s and passengers flying out within 24 hours of arriving by air are listed as exempt.

How much Indian cash can I take to Nepal?

Up to ₹25,000 in notes above ₹100. Nepal accepts ₹200 and ₹500 notes issued since 9 November 2016 within that limit.

Can I drive my own car to Nepal?

Yes, with a Bhansar pass, for up to 30 days in total per calendar year. Without a valid pass, the vehicle can be seized.

How much is the TIMS card for Indians?

NPR 1,000 at the SAARC rate as of November 2026, arranged through a registered agency.

What if I lose my passport in Nepal?

The Embassy can issue an Emergency Travel ID for a one-way flight back to India, valid for one week.

How long can Indians stay in Nepal?

Embassy, Department of Immigration and NTB pages do not state a maximum stay for Indian visitors.