Business Visa via Foreign Investment Nepal

The threshold changed over time — not one fixed figure

The current NPR 20 million threshold is the result of a reduction, not the original, unchanging figure set by the 2019 FITTA law.

PERIOD

THRESHOLD

NOTE

Since FITTA was enacted (2019)

THRESHOLDNPR 50 million

deemed overly restrictive for smaller investors

Since the FY2022/23 budget — to date

THRESHOLDNPR 20 million (≈$154,000)

the current general threshold

IT sector, since May 2023

THRESHOLDno minimum threshold

the only full exemption from the general rule

What the process consists of

The government fee scales with the size of the investment — it's not a flat visa charge but a sliding scale tied to the amount.

COST ITEM

AMOUNT

NOTE

Minimum foreign investment

AMOUNTfrom NPR 20 million (≈$154,000)

FITTA 2019, as reduced in 2022/23

Government visa fee

AMOUNTfrom $200–400 per year

depends on the investment size

How the process runs

Registering the company and getting foreign-investment approval

Via the Department of Industry, subject to the NPR 20 million threshold (except IT).

Getting a recommendation letter from the Department of Industry

Takes around 1–2 weeks.

Applying for the Business Visa at the Department of Immigration in Kathmandu

Visa processing itself — 1–2 business days after the letter.

Initial visa for 6 months

The starting term.

Annual renewal up to 5 years total

Conditional on maintaining the investment, tax filings, and Department of Industry monitoring.

A good fit if

You're ready to invest from NPR 20 million (≈$154,000) in a Nepali company — outside the IT sector, which has no threshold at all.

You work in IT — in which case no minimum investment threshold has existed since May 2023.

You're fine with annual visa renewal alongside updated tax and monitoring reports, rather than a single multi-year grant.

You're interested in South Asia for business relocation beyond the more familiar Sri Lanka/UAE routes.

A poor fit if

You're working off the outdated NPR 50 million figure — that threshold applied from 2019 to 2022 and has since been lowered.

You're not prepared for annual renewal with updated tax documents and an investment monitoring report.

You want a visa issued for a long term upfront — the initial grant is 6 months; 5 years accrues only through renewals.

You work outside IT and are counting on there being no minimum threshold — that exemption applies only to IT.

Who runs this programme

Your request goes to two or three firms from this list. You see exactly which ones before it is sent, and you can exclude any of them.

No matching firms in the directory for this category yet — the list is curated by hand and grows over time.

This is an independent list of firms in the market, not our partners — we do not forward requests to them or receive payment for referrals. Contact them directly via the link.

Frequent questions

Why does this page show NPR 20 million, not the NPR 50 million figure often quoted?

Per the available data, NPR 50 million applied from FITTA's enactment in 2019 until the FY2022/23 budget, when the threshold was lowered to NPR 20 million as overly restrictive for smaller investors.

Is it true IT companies have no threshold at all?

Yes — per the available data, the minimum foreign-investment threshold was fully abolished for the IT sector in May 2023; this is the only known full exemption.

How much does the visa itself cost?

Per the available data, the government fee runs from $200 to $400 per year depending on the investment size — it's not a flat amount.

What's the initial visa term?

Per the available data — typically 6 months, renewable annually up to 5 years total.

How long does the whole process take?

Per the available data — 1–2 weeks for the Department of Industry's recommendation letter, plus another 1–2 business days for the visa itself.

Sources

Foreign Invest Nepal — overview of the minimum foreign-investment threshold: the current NPR 20 million threshold under the Foreign Investment and Technology Transfer Act (FITTA), 2019. The threshold's history (raised to NPR 50 million in 2019, lowered back to NPR 20 million via the FY2022/23 budget) and the full IT-sector exemption since May 2023 are corroborated by additional foreign-investment-in-Nepal sources; Business Visa specifics (fees, timelines, the recommendation letter) are per independent legal sources specialising in Nepali immigration↗

Figures are for reference only. Verified against official sources on 27 August 2026. A precise quote is issued by the appointed firm after document review. This material is not legal advice, a public offer or investment advice.