Nepal Passport for Study Abroad: Application, Fees and Renewal

Why Do You Need a Nepal Passport to Study Abroad?

You need a valid passport for your university application, English test, student visa and travel, so get it before anything else.

Don’t wait for your offer letter. A spelling mistake or an old passport can slow down your admission, NOC application, bank papers and visa. Your name and date of birth should be the same on your passport, school records and forms.

The passport is the first step for students going from Nepal. Our guides to study in Canada from Nepal and study in Australia from Nepal show what comes next, and our study abroad document checklist covers the other papers.

Where Can You Apply for a Passport in Nepal?

For regular service, apply at the district or area administration office that issued your citizenship, and for urgent service, go to the Department of Passports.

The Department of Passports keeps these 2 routes separate. Your district office only gives regular service, and the Department in Tripureshwor, Kathmandu only gives urgent service.

These are the usual times, not a promise. So don’t book a flight or a visa slot until your passport is in your hand.

What Documents Do You Need for a Nepal Passport?

You need your form with its barcode, your original citizenship, your National ID number, your old passport if you have one, and proof of payment.

• Your application form with the barcode and QR code, printed if you can
• Your original citizenship certificate or original minor ID
• Your current or expired passport, if you have held one
• Your National Identity Card or its number
• A bank voucher or cash receipt for the fee

The National ID number is mandatory if you are 16 or over and apply in Nepal. You don’t need to bring a photo, as the centre takes it. If your address differs across papers, see our address verification document guide. If a form asks for your postal code, use our Nepal postal code finder.

How Do You Apply for a Nepal Passport Step by Step?

You fill in the form online, book a slot, and then go to the office in person for checks, photo and fingerprints.

1. Keep your papers beside you. Enter details from your originals, not from memory.
2. Use the official portal. Start on the e-passport pre-enrolment portal, and avoid sites that promise fast slots.
3. Choose your type. This means first issue, renewal, or lost or damaged. A wrong choice can mean a new form.
4. Choose your pages. The 34-page book is enough for most students. The 66-page book only gives you more pages for a higher fee.
5. Book your office and time. Make sure you can use that office and can come with your originals.
6. Fill in and submit. For place of birth, the Department says to write the district where you were born.
7. Attend in person. Staff check your papers and take your photo, fingerprints and signature.
8. Check before you sign. Read your name, surname, birth date, birthplace and citizenship details. Compare your Bikram Sambat date with our Nepali date converter.

Then track your status and collect your passport when you are told it is ready. Take your form and citizenship with you.

How Much Is the Nepal Passport Fee?

Urgent service at the Department costs Rs 12,000 for 34 pages and Rs 20,000 for 66 pages, and regular service costs less.

These figures are on the official passport fee page. Urgent service adds Rs 7,000 on 34 pages and Rs 12,000 on 66 pages. So a regular 34-page passport works out at Rs 5,000. Confirm the 66-page regular fee at your office before you pay.

How Do You Renew a Passport in Nepal?

You choose Renewal on the same portal and follow the same steps, and you then get a new book with a new number.

Take your citizenship, National ID number, old passport and payment proof. The Department says the new passport shows your old number. If your old passport has a valid visa, you can generally carry both, but check this with the country concerned.

Renew early if your passport may run out during your study, or if it is damaged or short of pages. Don’t rely on a general 6-month rule, as each country sets its own. After you renew, tell your university and update your forms, because your number has changed.

What If Your Passport Is Lost, Damaged or Has a Mistake?

Apply again through the correct option, because the details in an issued passport can’t be corrected.

The Department says you don’t need a newspaper notice or a police report to replace a lost passport. A lost passport is reported through INTERPOL, so you can’t travel on it, even if you find it again. If you do find it, have it cancelled at the office.

If an issued passport has an error, you apply for a new one. It is free if the office made the mistake, and you pay the normal fee if the mistake was yours. Fix your other papers first if they are the problem. Our guide to the birth certificate for study abroad explains how to fix an error in that record.

What Passport Details Do Universities and Visa Offices Check?

They check that your name, birth date, passport number and expiry date match your other papers exactly.

Upload a clear copy of the full information page. If you renew after you get an admission letter, tell your college straight away. Each of the 4 main countries has its own passport rules, so read your own list:

• Canada: the Canada student visa requirements, as a short passport can limit your permit
• Australia: the Australia student visa requirements
• UK: the UK application guide
• USA: the F-1 student visa guide

Your passport also goes with you to health checks and biometrics in Nepal. If you are unsure, our counselors in Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Chitwan, Itahari and Pokhara can check your papers, so talk to a Goreto counselor.