Nepal has been thrown away the seven-day quarantine requirement and resumed issuing on-arrival visas to all vaccinated foreign travelers in a bid to bring its virus-ravaged tourism industry back to life. Visitors should have received their last dose of Covid-19 vaccine at least 14 full days prior to entering Nepal. Those who are not vaccinated or partially vaccinated will not get on-arrival visas. They have to get their entry permits from Nepali diplomatic missions, and also spend 10 days in quarantine in government-listed hotels. Before boarding a flight to Nepal, all vaccinated travelers will have to present a negative Covid-19 test result taken 72 hours prior to the departure, and fill up the international travelers’ online form at www.ccmc.gov.np and have a printed copy to apply for on-arrival visa at the airport, according to the travel protocol published by the Tourism Ministry. If they test positive, they will be sent to an isolation center or hospital recommended by the Health Ministry. According to the new rules, if there is no antigen testing facility at the airport or immigration point, foreigners have to undergo the test at the hotel. They will be allowed to leave the hotel if the test comes back negative. “Unvaccinated or partially vaccinated tourists have to mandatorily quarantine themselves at the hotel for 10 days at their own expense. On the 11th day, if they test negative, they are free to travel,” according to the new rule. All expenses for testing for Covid-19, isolation and insurance should be borne by the travelers themselves. Travel and trekking agencies are responsible for enforcing all conditions set by the new rule.
According to the new rule, on-arrival visas have been resumed for non-resident Nepalese or foreigners who are married to Nepali citizens too. If they are fully vaccinated, receiving the last dose at least 14 full days prior to the day they enter Nepal, they are allowed to proceed to their respective destinations. If they are not fully vaccinated or have not had the last dose at least 14 full days prior to the day they enter Nepal, they will be allowed to continue to their respective destinations if their antigen test comes back negative. According to the rules, people returning to Nepal for mourning rituals following the death of their loved ones will be allowed to go to their destinations if their antigen test comes back negative, based on the recommendation of the local government.
Similarly, persons suffering from having illnesses or disabilities and their careers, are allowed to go to their homes directly if their antigen test comes back negative, based on hospital documents and the recommendation of the local government. People aged above 75, their careers and children below five and their careers are allowed to go home following a negative antigen test at the airport, based on the recommendation of the local government. Representatives of diplomatic agencies and their family members have to submit a negative Covid-19 test result taken within 72 hours of departure. The online form at https://ccmc.gov.np/arms/person_add_en.php for their on-arrival visa is mandatory for them as well.
Those who have secured a visa at Nepal's diplomatic missions abroad have to submit a negative Covid-19 report and fill up the form and submit it at the immigration point. If they don't have Covid-19 symptoms after their arrival in Nepal, they will be allowed to go to their destination. Official representatives of diplomatic missions in Nepal, if they are not vaccinated, should quarantine themselves for 10 days at a place recommended by their agency. The government has also opened land entry points for all tourists, including Indian travelers. Travelers entering Nepal through surface routes have to fill up the arrival form and undergo antigen tests. A negative report will allow them to enter Nepal. Except Indians who do not require visas, other visitors should obtain visas from the Nepali diplomatic mission in their respective countries. Similarly, fully vaccinated foreigners transiting to third countries through Kathmandu’s airport, after a short stay in Nepal, have to submit a negative test report 48 hours prior to their departure. The rules say that children below five years of age do not require vaccines and tests. For children between five and 18 years of age, vaccination is not mandatory.
Passengers departing from Nepal have to submit a negative Covid-19 test report taken less than 48 hours before departure or as per the rules of the countries they are travelling to. With cases declining and almost everything opening up, tourism entrepreneurs for quite a while had been mounting pressure on the government to lift the travel ban.