Do Nepali passport holders need a visa for India?
By Pranav Muley · Software Engineer, Tripmojo · Updated · Reviewed by Simran Raheja
No. Nepali citizens do not need a visa for India, and when entering over the Nepal border by land or air they do not need a passport either. India’s Ministry of Home Affairs accepts a Nepali passport, citizenship certificate, Election Commission voter ID or a limited-validity photo identity certificate from a Nepalese mission. A passport becomes mandatory if you arrive from any country other than Nepal or Bhutan.
Quick facts
Visa-free- Visa required
- No, visa-free entry
- Passport required
- No from Nepal or Bhutan, yes from anywhere else
- Accepted ID from Nepal
- Passport, citizenship certificate, voter ID, or mission-issued photo ID
- Children
- Under 10 no document, 10 to 18 school photo ID with parents
- Length of stay
- No fixed period stated in the official rules
- Cost
- Free
Entry requirements
- Arriving from Nepal by land or air: any one of a Nepali passport, a Nepali citizenship certificate, a voter identification card issued by the Election Commission of Nepal, or a limited-validity photo identity certificate issued by a Nepalese mission in India.
- Arriving from a country other than Nepal or Bhutan, for example flying in from the Gulf or Southeast Asia: a Nepali passport. The citizenship certificate and voter ID are not accepted on those routes.
- Arriving from China, Macau, Hong Kong, Pakistan or the Maldives: a Nepali passport and an Indian visa.
- Children aged 10 to 18 travelling with parents who hold valid documents: a photo ID issued by the school principal. Children under 10 need no document of their own.
What happens on arrival
At a land crossing from Nepal there is no visa and no stamp to apply for. Carry one of the four accepted identity documents and present it if asked. The original document is what counts, so do not rely on a photo or printout of your citizenship certificate or voter ID.
Flying Kathmandu to an Indian airport works the same way: no visa, and any of the four listed documents is accepted at immigration. Airlines check documents at check-in, so have the original with you.
If your routing reaches India from a third country, immigration treats you under the ordinary rule that a passport is mandatory. Entering from China, Macau, Hong Kong, Pakistan or the Maldives also needs a visa, which must be obtained before travel.
Good to know
- Where you fly from matters more than where you are from. The passport exemption is written for entry "over the Nepal or the Bhutan border". A Nepali citizen who flies home from Dubai via Delhi, or returns from Bangkok through Kolkata, is entering India from a place other than Nepal and must carry a passport. The citizenship certificate that works on the Sunauli or Raxaul crossing is not enough on that routing.
- Five departure points turn the exemption into a full visa requirement. The MHA rule names China, Macau, Hong Kong, Pakistan and the Maldives: a Nepali citizen entering India from any of them needs an Indian visa, not just a passport. People working or studying in those places and transiting India on the way home are caught by this most often.
- Leaving India for a third country is its own step. If you entered on a Nepali passport, India may not let you proceed onward to a third country without a No Objection Certificate from the Embassy of Nepal in India. The Bureau of Immigration lists Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE, Oman, Bahrain, Iraq, Libya and Lebanon as destinations where the NOC is mandatory, and notes that it does not apply to people who are only transiting India.
- The mission-issued photo identity certificate is a fallback, not a routine document. The MHA wording is that it is issued by a Nepalese mission in India "when deemed necessary", which is aimed at Nepali citizens already in India who have lost their papers, rather than something to apply for in Kathmandu before a trip.
- Official Indian sources do not state a maximum length of stay or a passport-validity minimum for Nepali citizens. Any figure you see elsewhere, including 180 days, is not in the MHA or Bureau of Immigration text, so treat it as unverified.
Frequently asked questions
Do Nepali citizens need a visa for India?
No. India’s Ministry of Home Affairs states that a citizen of Nepal entering India by land or air over the Nepal border does not require a passport or visa. An accepted identity document is still needed.
Can Nepali citizens enter India without a passport?
Yes, when arriving from Nepal or Bhutan. A Nepali citizenship certificate, an Election Commission of Nepal voter ID, or a limited-validity photo identity certificate from a Nepalese mission is accepted in place of a passport.
Is a Nepali citizenship certificate valid to fly from Kathmandu to Delhi?
Yes. The MHA rule covers entry "by land or air over the Nepal or the Bhutan border", and the citizenship certificate is one of the four listed documents. Carry the original.
Do Nepali citizens need a passport to enter India from Dubai or another third country?
Yes. A citizen of Nepal must be in possession of a passport when entering India from a place other than Nepal or Bhutan. No visa is needed unless you are arriving from China, Macau, Hong Kong, Pakistan or the Maldives.
When do Nepali citizens need an Indian visa?
Only when entering India from China, Macau, Hong Kong, Pakistan or the Maldives. From anywhere else, including Nepal itself, no visa is required.
Do Nepali children need documents to enter India?
Children under 10 need no document. Children aged 10 to 18 need a photo ID issued by their school principal, provided they are travelling with parents who hold valid travel documents.
What is the NOC Nepali citizens need to travel onward from India?
A No Objection Certificate from the Embassy of Nepal in India. The Bureau of Immigration says it is mandatory for onward travel from India to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE, Oman, Bahrain, Iraq, Libya and Lebanon, and that it does not apply to people only transiting India.
Related pages
Sources
Every fact on this page was checked against the official sources below on .
- Ministry of Home Affairs (India) — General Policy Guidelines relating to Indian Visa, para 2 "Identity documents required for citizens of Nepal and Bhutan for travelling to India": no passport or visa needed when entering by land or air over the Nepal or Bhutan border; accepted documents are the Nepalese passport, citizenship certificate, Election Commission of Nepal voter ID, or a limited-validity photo-identity certificate issued by a Nepalese mission in India; children 10 to 18 may use a school-issued photo ID with parents, under 10 need none. Read 2026-08-21.
- Ministry of Home Affairs (India) — same guidelines, para 2(B) to (D): a passport is mandatory when entering India from a place other than Nepal or Bhutan; a visa is required when entering from China, Macau, Hong Kong, Pakistan or the Maldives; onward travel to a third country on a Nepalese passport may require a No Objection Certificate from the Embassy of Nepal. Read 2026-08-21.
- Bureau of Immigration (India) — Travel requirements for Nepal Citizens: NOC mandatory for travel from India to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, UAE, Oman, Bahrain, Iraq, Libya and Lebanon, obtainable from the Embassy of Nepal in India; does not apply to those transiting India. Read 2026-08-21.
Entry rules change without notice and the official source is always the authority. Confirm with the embassy or immigration portal before you book.
