"Baseless": Nepal On Reports Of New Restrictions On Indian Tourists

Reacting to reports of new restrictions on Indian tourists travelling to Nepal, the country has dismissed them as baseless. The reports had created a perception that Nepal was trying to curtail tourist visits from India.

In a statement, the Nepal Tourism Board said, "The Board has expressed serious concern about the misleading and factually incorrect information being circulated by different media outlets and online platforms regarding travel regulations for Indian visitors to Nepal. Reports claiming that the Government of Nepal has imposed new restrictions requiring mandatory identity cards for Indians crossing the Nepal-India border, capped Indian tourist stays at 30 days, or authorised confiscation of vehicles for overstays are entirely false, baseless, and misleading."

The Government of Nepal has introduced no new policy restricting the duration of stay for Indian tourists, nor has any change been made to the longstanding open-border arrangements and bilateral understandings between Nepal and India. The historic people-to-people relations, cultural ties, and tourism cooperation between the two countries remain strong and unchanged, the statement said.

It also highlighted the new online facilitation system aimed at making travel more convenient for Indian tourists and other international visitors entering Nepal via land routes with private vehicles.

"Under this newly launched digital system developed by the Department of Customs under the Ministry of Finance, foreign vehicles entering Nepal can now complete temporary entry permits and revenue payments entirely online. This initiative has been introduced solely to simplify procedures, reduce inconvenience at border points, and enhance the overall visitor experience," the Nepal Tourism Board said.

The Board also stressed that the country remains a safe, welcoming, and friendly destination for visitors from India and around the world.

"The Government of Nepal remains fully committed to promoting smooth cross-border travel, sustainable tourism, and high-quality visitor experiences while preserving the spirit of friendship and cooperation between Nepal and India," the statement said.