The visa will be retained upon arrival, but tourists will be offered a new way to apply for it.
Nepal will launch an electronic visa system (e-Visa) on August 17, 2026. The main goal of the visa reform is to eliminate the need for guests to wait for a visa sticker to be printed and pasted into their passport at the airport or embassy, according to Nepal's Immigration Department. At the same time, the launch of electronic visas does not cancel the issuance of visas on arrival, the agency assured.
You can apply for an electronic visa to Nepal by submitting an online application on the portalhttps://nepaliport-new.immigration.gov.np. The applicant must provide passport information, travel dates, address in Nepal and attach a photo, after which they must pay the visa fee with a bank card (Russian cards are not accepted in Nepal).
They promise to send you an electronic visa within 24 hours. It must be printed out and presented at the reception and passport control. The e-Visa to Nepal is valid for six months from the date of issue.
The cost of an e-visa to Nepal will be the same as the visa on arrival: $ 30 for a 15-day stay, $50 for 30 days and $ 125 for 90 days.
Not only Everest: why Russian tourists go to Nepal
Nepal is a country in South Asia, in the heart of the Himalayas, located between the two largest countries in the region: it borders China (Tibet Autonomous Region) to the north, India to the east, south and west.
Nepal has eight of the fourteen highest peaks in the world, including Everest.
According to Corona Travel's observations, Nepal maintains a stable, albeit small, audience in the Russian market. The volume of bookings for tours to Nepal is significantly lower than for popular Asian destinations such as Japan, China, Vietnam or Thailand. As a rule, tourists plan their trip in advance: the route requires careful preparation and convenient connecting air transportation.
There is a growing interest in excursion programs without extreme trekking, designed for a wider range of travelers.
Corona Travel assessed Nepal's visa innovations as a positive, but not revolutionary step for the Russian market. Nepal is a niche destination, and the advent of an e–visa will not be a driver of demand, experts say.
"Russians go to Nepal for trekking in the Himalayas, immersion in Buddhist culture and wildlife. This is a destination for the motivated, not the mass traveler," Corona Travel comments.
The visa remains on arrival: how to pay for it for a Russian tourist
For Russian tourists traveling to Nepal, visa processing on arrival remains the most in demand. This is the easiest and most familiar entry method available at Kathmandu International Airport.Before traveling, you can fill out an electronic questionnaire on the official portal in advance to reduce the time required to complete the formalities at the airport, but the visa itself is issued already at the border crossing.
There are two options available for paying for a visa on arrival.
The first is online in advance through the official government portal using a bank card.The Nepalese authorities recommend carrying cash in case of technical failures during non-cash payments, Corona Travel said.
The second one is directly at Kathmandu airport. After filling out the questionnaire, payment is made in the bank window, then the tourist passes through passport control.
How much does a trip to Nepal cost with or without a flight
The cost of tours to Nepal for August 2026 starts from 1500-2000 dollars (122-165 thousand rubles at the current exchange rate of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation) per person for a one-week program without airfare.
Taking into account connecting flights via Istanbul, Doha, Dubai or Sharjah, the budget for a full-fledged trip is usually 2200-3000 dollars (180-245 thousand rubles). per person.
If the route includes domestic flights, for example, to Pokhara, safari in Chitwan National Park, accommodation in 4-5* hotels or individual escort, the cost of a tour to Nepal may be higher."The main share of the cost of traveling to Nepal is formed by air travel, while the excursion program within the country remains attractive in terms of price and experience. It is this, and not the visa format, that continues to determine the demand for tours to Nepal," Corona Travel summarizes.
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