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Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal · work sponsored

Working (Non-Tourist) Visa

By · Last reviewed:

Guidance updated 12 September 2026. Full-review date shown above.

The ordinary route for a foreign national taking employment in Nepal. Obtain the labour permit, relevant ministry recommendation and Home Ministry work agreement before the Department of Immigration issues the Working Visa.

Requires sponsorshipDoes not lead to permanent residencyTied to your labour permit and employment - the number of visa days depends on the labour permit issued; renewed while you keep the job.
Processing time
Indicative only. The labour permit, ministry recommendation and visa stages run through different bodies; confirm current timing on the official immigration.gov.np page.
Government fees
Indicative only. Visa fees apply and depend on the labour permit period; refer to the official page for current amounts.
Typical duration
Tied to your labour permit and employment - the number of visa days depends on the labour permit issued; renewed while you keep the job.
Sponsorship required
Yes
Leads to permanent residency
No
Reviewed Department of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs (Nepal) ↗

In short

The ordinary route for a foreign national taking employment in Nepal. Obtain the labour permit, relevant ministry recommendation and Home Ministry work agreement before the Department of Immigration issues the Working Visa. Guidance updated 12 September 2026. Costs, application stages and eligibility conditions are set out with their sources below.

Cite this: https://visaatlas.org/visas/nepal/working-non-tourist-visa#answer

What is the Working (Non-Tourist) Visa in Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal?

Working (Non-Tourist) Visa is a sponsor-led Nepal route. Indicative government fees are Indicative only. Visa fees apply and depend on the labour permit period; refer to the official page for current amounts; indicative processing time is Indicative only. The labour permit, ministry recommendation and visa stages run through different bodies; confirm current timing on the official immigration.gov.np page; typical duration is Tied to your labour permit and employment - the number of visa days depends on the labour permit issued; renewed while you keep the job. This route does not lead to permanent residence.

Primary guidance checked with Department of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs (Nepal) on 1 June 2026.

Overview

The Working Visa is the ordinary Non-Tourist Visa route for employment in Nepal. The Department of Immigration lists the relevant government agency recommendation, Department of Labour work permit, Home Ministry work agreement and employment documents among the required evidence. A tourist stay may be used while arranging the application, but does not authorise working before approval. This is not the only status under which work can ever be approved: a teaching Study Visa has its own Education Ministry, Home Ministry and Labour approvals, while eligible family statuses have separate conditions. Do not treat those exceptions as general permission for students or dependants to work.

Additional sources

Eligibility

Typical criteria

Common blockers

Typical evidence

Application pathway

  1. Check the route fit

    Secure your job or firm offer and confirm which ministry recommendation you will need.

  2. Build the evidence pack

    Apply for the labour permit from the Department of Labour and gather your ministry recommendation.

  3. Submit through the official channel

    Apply at the Department of Immigration for the Working (Non-Tourist) Visa through the official channel.

  4. After approval

    After approval, keep your labour permit and visa valid and renew them while you remain employed.

After approval: prepare for your next step

For Working (Non-Tourist) Visa, use the actual decision and the issuing authority’s instructions to establish what has been granted. A successful application, permission to enter, permission to work and a residence document are not interchangeable.

  1. 1. Check the decision. Confirm the name, passport, status granted, start date and any next action. Resolve an error with the authority before relying on the document for travel or employment.
  2. 2. Establish the travel step. Read any entry window, activation, collection or in-country registration instruction. For an extension or change of status, do not assume leaving the country is required or safe while a further step remains pending.
  3. 3. Confirm what you may do. Agree the lawful start date and onboarding with the employer or sponsor. Check whether the permission names an employer, role or activity before changing the arrangement.
  4. 4. Organise the household. Check each accompanying person’s permission separately, then arrange healthcare, accommodation, access to money and the relevant local registrations. A tax number or bank account does not by itself prove a right to work.
  5. 5. Keep the ongoing conditions visible. Record the actual expiry, renewal process, permitted absences and any duty to report changes. An initial grant does not automatically establish permanent residence or citizenship.
Official Working (Non-Tourist) Visa instructionsBuild my moving plan for this routeMoving to Nepal

Official application links

Where to actually go next

Government links only

These are the official pages to use for this route. Open them before preparing documents: the forms, fees, appointment systems, and sponsor steps can change without warning.

  1. Official guidanceApplicant + sponsor
    Use official Working (Non-Tourist) Visa route page ↗

    Use this official page to confirm requirements and follow the government filing route for Working (Non-Tourist) Visa.

    Department of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs (Nepal) · verified

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Frequently asked questions

Can I work in Nepal on a tourist visa?+

No. You may arrange the application while lawfully staying as a tourist, but must not start employment before the work approvals and correct immigration status are in place. The ordinary employment route is the Working Visa; teaching and other specifically authorised statuses have separate rules.

What do I need before applying for the Working Visa?+

The DOI checklist includes a government agency recommendation, Labour work permit, Home Ministry work agreement, appointment or contract letter and relevant tax-clearance documents. NGO/INGO assignments also require the listed Social Welfare Council evidence. Follow the current official sequence for your employer and assignment.

Can I move to Nepal first and then find a job and apply for the Working Visa?+

You can only apply for the labour permit once you actually have a job or a firm offer, so you cannot secure a Working Visa purely on the intention to job-hunt. A common path is to handle the paperwork while on a tourist visa and then convert to the Working (Non-Tourist) Visa once the job, labour permit and recommendations are in place. Until that conversion you are not permitted to work, so confirm the steps on the official immigration.gov.np page.

Does a Nepal Working Visa lead to permanent residence or settlement?+

No. The Working (Non-Tourist) Visa does not lead to settlement; it is a renewable status tied to your labour permit and ongoing employment and is renewed only while you keep the job. If your goal is long-term residence rather than just employment, you would need to look at a different route and confirm the options on the official immigration.gov.np page.

How long can I stay in Nepal on a Working Visa and can I renew it?+

The number of visa days is tied to the labour permit issued, so the duration depends on your labour permit and employment rather than a fixed term. It is renewable, but only while you keep the job, so your right to stay follows your employment and permit. Check the current terms on the official immigration.gov.np page.

Need tailored advice?

We do not provide legal advice. For an application that depends on your exact circumstances, consult a regulator-listed immigration advisor.

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How we verified this

We check every figure on this page against the primary government source, record the date it was last checked, and re-check it on a regular schedule. Rules change, so always confirm time-sensitive details with the official source before you rely on them. Visa Atlas is an information-only publication and does not give legal advice.

Primary source: Department of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs (Nepal)

Last checked: 1 June 2026

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