Nepal Visa for a Retreat: How to Get One

Which visa covers a retreat?

A retreat in the Kathmandu Valley is a short trip for practice: classes, rest, walks through the old quarters and around the stupas. That is tourism in the eyes of Nepal’s immigration rules, so a tourist visa is the right category. It comes in three lengths: 15, 30 and 90 days.

Other visa categories exist for work, study at a Nepali institution and long-term residence. Switching from a tourist visa to one of them is only possible through the Department of Immigration, with supporting papers. None of that applies to a retreat.

Indian citizens are the main exception to the whole process: they need no visa for Nepal and enter with a passport or, coming overland from India, a voter ID card with a photo.

Visa on arrival, embassy or e-visa

On arrival. This is how most visitors do it. The arrivals hall at Tribhuvan has immigration counters and self-service kiosks where the form can be completed, but it is quicker to fill it in at home on the Department of Immigration website, then save or print the confirmation. At the airport you only pay and show your passport. The same procedure applies at the land border crossings open to foreign visitors.

Visa on arrival is available to most nationalities. Citizens of around a dozen countries, mostly in Africa and the Middle East, must get a visa from a Nepali embassy before departure. The list is revised occasionally: Iran was added to it in 2026. If you are unsure about your passport, the department’s website and the Nepali embassy in your country publish the current version.

At an embassy. Nepali embassies and consulates issue tourist visas before travel. People choose this route when they would rather not queue after a long overnight flight, or when they arrive in peak season, when several international flights can land within the same hour.

E-visa. The Department of Immigration announced a full electronic visa system starting in August 2026: you apply online and receive approval by email before you fly. Reports on how the launch has gone are mixed, so check the official site for whether the e-visa is open to your nationality. Visa on arrival has not been withdrawn.

Documents to have ready

The list is short:

• a passport valid for at least six months from the date of entry, with a blank page for the visa sticker;
• the completed form, or the confirmation from the online form;
• a photo: uploaded as a file when you apply online, or a standard passport photo for a paper form;
• money for the fee.

Travel insurance for the whole trip is worth having either way. Border officers rarely ask for it, but private clinics in Kathmandu charge for treatment, and a policy makes an unplanned visit much simpler.

When to fill in the online form

The online arrival form stays valid for 15 days after you submit it. Fill it in a month ahead and it will have expired by the time you land, which means starting again in the arrivals hall. The best moment is a week or two before the trip, once your flights are confirmed.

The form asks for the visa length, your address in Nepal and the purpose of your visit. The address can come from your hotel booking or from the retreat organisers’ confirmation email. The purpose is tourism.

The fee

The fee depends on the visa length: lowest for 15 days, highest for 90. The department revises the amounts from time to time, and travel blogs often keep repeating old figures, so take the current numbers only from the Department of Immigration website. The same page lists accepted currencies and payment methods. Carry enough cash in a major currency to cover the fee even if you plan to pay by card, since the card terminal at the counter is not always working.

How long a visa to choose

Count the whole trip, not just the days of practice. Add a day for arrival and recovery after an overnight flight, a day or two of margin in case the return flight moves, and any time you want to spend in the valley or in Pokhara after the retreat.

If the trip fits comfortably inside two weeks, a 15-day visa is enough. If the margin gets thin, take 30 days from the start. An extension costs you half a day at the immigration office, and overstaying means a fine for every extra day plus delays at departure.

Extending your visa in Nepal

Tourist visas are extended at the Department of Immigration in Kathmandu or at the immigration office in Pokhara. Bring your passport and a photo; the extension fee is charged per additional day. In total, a tourist visa allows up to 150 days in Nepal per calendar year, January to December.

Common mistakes

• Travelling on a passport that expires within six months. Airlines can refuse boarding at the departure or transit airport.
• Filling in the online form too early, so it is no longer valid on arrival.
• Booking a visa that ends on the last day of the retreat. A rescheduled flight then turns into a trip to the immigration office.
• Confusing the visa with trekking permits. National parks and restricted areas need separate permits, but a retreat in the Kathmandu Valley does not.

Retreats with Paramita Yogashala

Paramita Yogashala holds its retreats in the Kathmandu Valley. The Kathmandu Valley retreats page describes the place, and the guide to the best time for a Kathmandu Valley retreat covers the weather and air season by season. Classes are taught in English by teachers from India.

Dates for the next retreats have not been announced yet. You can register interest on the retreats page, and the school will write once the schedule is set, which is also when you will know how long a visa to book. Questions about the trip can go through the contact page.

Questions and answers

What kind of visa do I need for a yoga or meditation retreat in Nepal?

A tourist visa. It covers practice, rest and sightseeing. Other categories are for work, study at a Nepali institution or long-term residence.

Can I get a Nepal visa on arrival?

Most nationalities can, at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu and at land border crossings open to foreigners. Citizens of a short list of countries must apply at a Nepali embassy before travelling, so check that list for your passport.

How long can I stay on a Nepal tourist visa?

Tourist visas are issued for 15, 30 or 90 days and can be extended in Kathmandu or Pokhara, up to 150 days in a calendar year.

When should I fill in the online visa form?

No more than 15 days before you land. The form expires 15 days after you submit it, and an expired form has to be filled in again at the airport.

Do Indian citizens need a visa for Nepal?

No. Indian citizens enter Nepal without a visa, showing a passport or, when arriving from India, a voter ID card with a photo.

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