Indian citizens do not need any visa for permission to enter Nepal and they can also reside permanently there as Nepali citizens with no restrictions. Even Flights are also fully permitted from India to Nepal but there has not been permission given for the inbound flight rout from the west. This permission we gave because of Article 7 of the 1950 Indo-Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship which also allows free movement of people between India and Nepal on a reciprocal basis.
Till date, Indian citizens can enter Nepal by using any of the acceptable documents including Voter ID card with visible photograph, Indian Passport, the Registration certificate issued by Indian Embassy and in the case of an emergency temporary ID card is issued by Indian authorities to its citizens for crossing the border.
Nepal is now seeking for approval from Indian authorities for a project to start an inbound flight route which will be diverted through the west in order to improve aviation services in the country. According to a senior official, the Civil Aviation office plans to construct one more airport as two airports are currently under construction.
Any foreign national can obtain a tourist visa on arrival except the holders of refugee travel documents and citizens of some of the countries. Also, the travelers with temporary passports are not allowed unless they have a temporary passport issued by a European Union member country.
Currently, flights are commissioned into Nepal from India are from Patna in Bihar. As the existing airport in Kathmandu has become very congested, super specialty airports are to be constructed in the southern part of Nepal, near Pokhara which is a popular tourist destination.
Visa is the travel authority obtained prior to any journey and in a few countries, the facility of visa on arrival is available. Indians traveling to foreign countries know that some countries- for allowing entry to the travelers- insist for certain minimum period of passport validation and this should be obtained from travel agent or Embassy. Indian who are traveling on the employment visa require ECR category of passports and POE clearance from the Ministry of Overseas Affairs for certain countries. And even for re-entering into the country the Indian national requires valid Indian passport or travel document which should be issued by the Government of India.
Nepal has almost completed the Gautam Buddha Airport by end of 2018 in the southern part of the country which will cost around $80 million. Nepal is also constructing a $260 million airport at Pokhara. This airport at a appear tourist destination is set to be completed till 2021. Also, a second international airport is in the planning stage.
Nepal is one of the most valuable neighboring countries of India because of its peaceful nature. India should extend a hand to help them considering their economic condition without affecting India’s border security.
