Update: Nepal Government is currently issuing e-passport in Nepal, so e-passport will be issued to all applicants who either applies for new passport or renews the old MRP passport. You can find the complete tutorial to apply E-Passport in Nepal on our tutorial page.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Passport is considered as one of the official document that is given by the government to identify their citizen which also help the people to travel from one place to another. A passport is considered as the citizenship and as well as the travel document.
The MRP passport contains the personal detail of the owner like name, photo, date of birth father’s name, your address and so on. Well, a passport does not last for the lifetime once we get it. Passport has its validity period and it expires after a certain time. Usually one passport valid for 10 years.
In the context of Nepal passport are optional as our government issue citizenship to us. We can only apply for the passport once we get the citizenship. Nepalese passport also contains the photo of the owner, name, address, father’s name, citizenship number date of issue and date of expiry. In earlier days Nepal government used to issue the handwritten passport to their citizen.
Type of Nepali MRP passport
In Nepal, there are four different type of passport available with the different cover page color.
- Ordinary passport contains green color front cover. This passport is given to anyone who is Nepali citizen wish to get it in order to apply for the abroad and go there.
- Official passport which contains blue color which is given to the government officer in order to travel from one place to another due to the official work. Let us take an example like government officer need to attain the seminar or other programs in other countries than this type of passport are issued. This type of passport is only provided to the government officer.
- Diplomatic passport with red color front cover.
- Travel document with black color.
A Machine-Readable Passport is new in the context of Nepal. It was introduced in the year 2010, when Nepal become the member of ICAO, before that there is handwritten or manual passport available in Nepal. Passports are one of our identity which indicates which country you belong to when you are in abroad.
Those passports which have the machine-readable zone which is usually at the bottom of the identity page which scans the data and identifies your detail so are said MRP passport.
How to apply Nepali passport?
We have already provided the Nepali Passport Form Fill up Online Tutorial. This will guide you on how to fill up online form for Nepali MRP passport.
To get a passport these days we need to Nepali citizen. Once you become the Nepali citizen you can apply for the passport from your district headquarters or from Kathmandu Pararastara Mantralaya. At the time of applying for the passport, you need to have the document like citizenship and MRP size recent photos.
Once you have the required documentation, you need to fill up the form online and submit it to the CDO office with the charge of the passport which may differ according to you are applying.
One that is ordinary passport which you get after 30 and above working days cost Rs. 5000/ whereas if want to apply for the fast track passport than it cost Rs. 10000/-.
How to get MRP in Nepal
We all know how hectic can administrative work be in Nepal. You have to wait for queues, deal with the arrogant officers and of course in many cases no work gets done without middle man.
You have deal with all of that be it while issuing your citizenship certificate, driving license or your passport. Saying from my own experience, there is a long process and if you ask someone there in the office you will only get confusing information. So in this article, I have tried to list the detailed procedure of getting passport.
Required Documents
Before listing out the procedures let me list the required documents. Other than your MRP photo you will require the passport application form. You will have to fill the form online and print it. I will describe how to fill the form in details later on this article. Then you will need your citizenship card. You will need both the original and copy of your citizenship.
Few (at least three) MRP sized photos- Original and copy of your citizenship certificate
- Citizenship certificate of Your Parents
- Print of filled online passport application form (This will include your required details.)
- You need to visit the DOP office Baneshwor or AnamNagar with required materials.
- Then you need to verify your citizenship certificate. Submit your original and copy of citizenship certificate.
- You need to submit all the necessary documents and yes, it can be tedious work. You will even find arrogant officers. Usually you will have to stay in queue in every departments.
- Once all your documents are verified, you will have to make payment. Payment is made through the NMB bank right next to DOP office. Fill the voucher of your required amount and bring one voucher with you.
- You can get your passport same day if you are in a hurry and are willing to pay some extra charge. The payment details are:
- Rs 5000 for regular Collection period
- Rs 15000 to collect it on the same day you have submitted your application
- Rs 12000 to get it the next day
- Rs 10000 to get it after three days of your application
- Finally submit all documents with bank voucher and MRP sized photo.
- On the given date usually of 50 days, you can come and collect your passport. While you go to collect the passport make sure you take some reference as your identity either citizenship or you driving License.
The passport collection time is 10:30 AM to 1:30 PM but on Fridays it is open up to 12:30 PM only. Visit the DOP office on your day of collection and get your passport.
How to fill the passport application form online?
For filling the application form download the form from the link: https://nepalpassport.gov.np/
We have provided the step by step tutorial to apply MRP passport of Nepal.
You must open the form using adobe Acrobat. Once you open the downloaded form, fill in all your details. You can even get all these procedures done by the consultancy outside the CDO office. Once you fill in the form, print it. Since we don’t usually have printer in our house, download the form and get it printed.
Note : Use A4 size paper to print the form.
You can fill the passport application form by yourself from home or you can even find people who will fill it for you outside the CDO.
One more thing while you print your application form. Print the application form without any modifications in the original layout.
Visit CDO in Baneshwor
Once you fill the passport application and print out the filled copy. You need to submit it to the CDO in Baneshwor. It is the same office from where you issued your citizenship. Before you leave for the office you need to know the office working hours so that you won’t have to return without getting your work done.
The regular office hours is 8 AM to 2 PM while in Friday it operates for 8 AM to 1 PM. There is public holiday in Saturday.
Processing fee for Passport
- Regular processing for passport is Rs 5000 and you get it 2 months after you apply for it.
- You can get your passport in 3 days if you pay Rs 10000 for the same passport.
- Similarly, to get it the next day you need to pay Rs 12000.
- If you need it the same day you will have to pay Rs 15000.
Remember all the passports are same, the price is different as per the time. This system has been introduces for people who have emergency.
About MRP Photo
Remember your MRP photo is not as regular passport size photo. You need a very clear photo without makeup and any jewelleries. Your face should be seen clearly and both your ears should show in the photo. So make sure you get your photo clicked from a experienced photograph. Don’t try to save some money by doing it yourself.
Procedure to follow in the office
Here is the detailed procedure what you need to do when you go to the CDO with your printed application form. Make sure to go the office with all the required documents.
With all the documents you have go to citizenship verification: room no. 105. You need to prove your identity by submitting your original citizenship card along with its copy. There are high chances you will have to wait in queue.
I don’t understand why government offices are always so crowdy. It could be because of ineffective management of the office or carelessness of the staffs.
Anyways when your turn comes the officer will attest your citizenship and sign in a copy of your citizenship. This completes work in room 105. Now you head to room no 107.
Document verification
Now all the process are just concerned with verifying your documents. Now in room 107 all your documents will be verified. The officer will sign all your documents and you now go to room no 106.
When you go to room no. 106 same process will repeat. You documents will be signed by another officer.
Then to room no. 303. In this room as well the officer will sign your documents.
Payment procedure
Now it is time to make payment. There is bank next to the office. You will have to pay for your processing fee through the bank. Fill the voucher and fill in the required processing fee. For normal Rs 5000.After depositing the money your task is almost done.
Now again go to room no 107 and leave your photo there. Then also leave all the copies of your required documents. You will get date of when you can collect your passport. Make sure to keep the bank voucher with you. You will need these while collecting your passport.
On the day of Passport collection
Go to the office on the given date. For regular one you will have to go 50 days after you apply for passport. And for other ones you can get it earlier.
When you go to take your passport you need some documents to prove your identity ,it could be your citizenship or even driving license will work.
How to find your serial number
To get your passport you need your serial number. Find your serial number it will be written in a paper and the would be glued somewhere. You can ask guard for the help. The serial number will be based on the date you applied for your passport.
Get in queue once you find your serial number and give your voucher to the officer. You will then get your passport.
You are still not done you need to get signature on the new passport as well. For that, go to room no 106.
Now, you are finally done.
How powerful is the Nepali passport?
Well, Nepali passport is not definitely the strongest one. But it ranks 86th most powerful passport. With Nepali MRP passport you can travel to 39 countries without prior visa.
Countries you can travel with Nepali passport
You need a passport to travel different countries. You don’t need a passport to travel inside your own country but if you want to go abroad like Canada USA Australia and so on then we definitely need a passport where we need to stamp visa for which purpose you are traveling to those countries.
There are different types of visa available like study visa, working visa, visit visa, business visa and other different kinds. You need to get the visa according to your need and then only can travel to those countries by taking the passport. Nepalese people do not need visa or passport to travel to its neighboring country India. Except for India, you need a passport to travel all other countries from Nepal. Even though we need passport some countries provide visa on the immigration at the airport whereas for some countries we need to get the visa beforehand.
Nepali passport is treated as a weakest passport in the world having on arrival visa for only 37 countries. Nepal is ranked as a sixth weakest MRP passport of the world after five countries namely Afghanistan, Somalia, Iraq, Pakistan and Eritrea. Nepalese need visa for all countries except 37 countries listed over here.
- Bolivia
- Cambodia
- Cape Verde
- Comoros
- Djibouti
- Dominica
- Gambia
- Guinea-Bissau
- Haiti
- India
- Kenya
- Laos
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Maldives
- Mauritania
- Mauritius
- Micronesia
- Mozambique
- Myanmar [Evisa]
- Pakistan
- Palau
- Philippines
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Samoa
- Seychelles
- Singapore
- Sri Lanka [Electronic Travel Authorization]
- Tanzania
- Timor-Leste
- Togo
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
Nepalese can travel to these countries listed above easily just by issuing a plane ticket and having sufficient fund on their pocket for the stay.
Different countries listed above have different rules and regulations for the time duration of stay over their countries. Bolivia, Gambia, Haiti, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Malawi, Madagascar and Mauritius allows 90 days stay over their country with on arrival visa for Nepalese. Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Maldives, Micronesia, Mozambique, Myanmar, Palau, Pakistan, Philippines, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Seychelles allows for 30 days stay over their country with on arrival visa for Nepalese.
If you are Nepali resident and if wish to visit a good place with on arrival visa, you can have a trip to Singapore which has a cheap airfare from Nepal (around 43,000). You can have a hotel booking from Agoda which has various price range of hotels.
Remember: You must have two way plane ticket for going these countries, must have sufficient cash on your pocket for your stay and a hotel/motel/guesthouse booking slip, otherwise, immigration department of the country do not allow you to enter their country. It will be plus point if you have identity card with you. Nepalese immigration encourage individuals to carry at least $1000 while traveling abroad.
Nepalese can travel 38 countries without visa
The passport of Nepal is definitely not the most powerful one in the world. But it is surprising to know that cost of getting a Nepali MRP passport is the most costly in south Asia. Nepal is ranked 97 in terms of powerful passport. Passport of Germany is the most powerful passport of the world whereas in South Asia Maldives is ranked most powerful. Nepali passport allows you to travel 38 different countries with or without visa.
The Nepali passport is also Machine readable passport (MRP passport) just like in many other countries. Most travel passports worldwide are Machine Readable ones.
In the article, we will be listing detailed procedure of getting MRP passport for Nepali citizens. Since Government has introduced E-Governance system you can fill your passport application from in your home online. But you will have to visit the Department of Passport office for further procedure.
You can fill your online form from home and use that print out for further procedure. Usually printer is not available in our home so you can also fill your online form from the consultancies outside the DOP office. You will require following documents to get your MRP passport.
- Bolivia: Visa on arrival for 90 days
- Burundi: iVisa on arrival for 30 days
- Cambodia: Visa on arrival for 30 days
- Cape Verde: Visa on arrival
- Comoros: Visa on arrival
- Djibouti: Visa on arrival
- Dominica: Visa not required for 21 days
- Gambia: Visa not required for 90 days
- GuineaBissau: Visa on arrival for 90 days
- Haiti: Visa not required for 3 months
- India: Freedom of movement
- Kenya: Visa on arrival for 90 days
- Laos: Visa on arrival for 30 days
- Madagascar: Visa on arrival for 90 days
- Malawi: Visa not required for 90 days
- Maldives: Visa on arrival for 30 days
- Mali: Visa on arrival
- Mauritania: Visa on arrival
- Micronesia: Visa not required for 30 days
- Mozambique: Visa on arrival for 30 days
- Myanmar: eVisa for 28 days.
- Pakistan: Visa not required for 1 month
- Palau: Visa on arrival for 30 days
- Philippines: Visa not required for 30 days
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: Visa not required for 30 days
- Samoa: Entry Permit on arrival for 60 days
- Serbia: Visa required
- Seychelles: Visitor’s Permit on arrival for 1 month
- Singapore: Visa on arrival for 30 days
- Somalia: Visa required forVisa on arrival for 30 days
- Sri Lanka: Electronic Travel Authorization for 30 days
- Tanzania: Visa on arrival for 3 months
- TimorforLeste: Visa on arrival for 30 days
- Togo: Visa on arrival for 7 days
- Tuvalu: Visa on arrival for 1 month
- Uganda: Visa on arrival
