Kathmandu, 13 August: The government is set to conduct regular monitoring to ensure that the stay of foreign nationals in Nepal remains disciplined and in accordance with the law. The government plans to closely monitor the facilities provided to foreigners residing in Nepal, as well as their conduct and activities, and to adopt a policy of deporting those found involved in unlawful activities.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Home Affairs and Department of Immigration are working under an integrated framework to implement the principles of good governance and transparency and to ensure that foreign nationals residing in Nepal comply with immigration regulations.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, amid the recent conflict in West Asia, Nepal has introduced a policy restricting visa-on-arrival facilities for citizens of 13 countries, including Iran. To ensure a respectful stay for foreigners visiting Nepal for legitimate purposes, the Department of Immigration has also emphasized the effective implementation of its Foreigners’ Movement Management Information System.
Director General of the Department of Immigration Ram Chandra Tiwari said that stricter controls have been introduced over the entry and departure of foreign nationals because the issue is directly linked to national security.
“In the past, it was difficult to monitor foreign nationals due to the absence of an effective monitoring system. Now, we have started stronger regulation by tracking the activities of foreigners entering Nepal through the online foreigner management information system,” Tiwari said.
The system has been equipped with technology to record and monitor the movements of foreign nationals. So far, around 1,600 institutions, including hotels and tourism agencies, have been connected to the system.
Increase in Deportations
According to the department, the arrival of a total of 182,000 foreign nationals was confirmed through the system during the past year. The system has also established coordination with institutions providing services to foreign nationals at the local level.
Tiwari said that in the past, inadequate monitoring had resulted in cases where foreigners travelled to districts and failed to return or could not be properly tracked. The department has now appointed an assistant chief district officer in each district as a focal person to strengthen monitoring.
Monitoring at Tribhuvan International Airport has also been intensified. Tiwari said 781 foreign nationals were denied entry and sent back from the airport during the last fiscal year after suspicious activities were detected.
Similarly, the visas of 20 foreign nationals who had applied for study visas using forged documents from Valmiki Vidyapeeth were cancelled, and they were deported from Nepal.
A total of 143 foreign nationals have been subjected to legal action and deported. This includes 40 foreigners who violated visa regulations, 20 involved in offences related to the use of forged passports and visas, two who violated deportation orders, and 81 who were found guilty by judicial or quasi-judicial bodies.
Tiwari said foreign nationals who violate Nepal’s immigration laws or become involved in illegal activities are fined in accordance with the law and deported.
Foreign nationals staying illegally in Nepal have also faced action under immigration laws. A total of 523 foreigners were deported in 2025, while 217 have been deported so far in 2026.
The government has waived visa fees and fines for 16 foreign nationals who were in prison because they could not pay the required fees and penalties, and their deportation process has been initiated. Similarly, preparations are underway to waive fees and fines and deport 90 foreign nationals under the protection of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
According to the department’s annual report, a total of 2,267 foreign nationals were deported from Nepal during the five-year period from 2021 to 2025, an annual average of 453 deportations. The highest number during the period was recorded in 2022, when 570 foreigners were deported, while the lowest was recorded in 2021, with 218 deportations.
The number of deportations increased by 15 percent in 2025. Looking at the 12-year period from 2014 to 2026, the highest number of foreign nationals deported in a single year was recorded in 2018, when 638 foreigners were deported.
Chinese Nationals Top Deportation List
By nationality, Chinese citizens account for the highest number of deportations from Nepal, with 695 people deported. They are followed by 191 citizens of the United States and 145 citizens of Bangladesh.
Approximately 74 British nationals and around 72 Pakistani nationals have also been deported from Nepal.
Rising Number of Foreigners Entering on Other Visas
The Department of Immigration estimates that the number of foreign nationals entering and staying in Nepal on visas other than tourist visas is also increasing.
In 2021, a total of 150,964 foreign nationals entered Nepal. The number increased significantly in subsequent years, reaching 614,875 in 2022, 1,014,896 in 2023, 1,147,582 in 2024 and a record 1,168,112 in 2025.
Director General Tiwari said monitoring foreigners entering Nepal through open borders remains a major challenge.
“Monitoring those who enter Nepal through open borders is challenging. Another challenge is identifying those who entered Nepal in the past and have remained undocumented. However, we are confident that we will be able to establish records of everyone within the next few years,” he said.
The department estimates that the number of foreigners entering Nepal on other types of visas has been increasing by around four percent annually. Such visas are increasingly being used for business investment, employment in development and construction projects, and educational exchanges.
The number of foreigners entering Nepal illegally through the borders with India and China is recorded separately.
Nepal currently has 16 official entry points under the Department of Immigration, including three international airport entry points and 13 land-based border points.
