E-Passport in Nepal 2026: How to Apply, Fees & NRN Route

Nepal has been issuing the polycarbonate biometric-chip e-passport since 2021, replacing the prior machine-readable passport (MRP) format with an ICAO-compliant electronic travel document that carries the citizen's biometric data on an embedded chip. The transition is complete — every fresh issuance from the Department of Passports (DoP) under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and from Nepali diplomatic missions abroad is now an e-passport. The framework rests on the Passport Act 2024 (1967) as updated through subsequent amendments, with the citizenship certificate as the foundational prerequisite and the National ID increasingly required at the application stage. For most travel purposes the e-passport is the operative document; understanding the process, the fee structure, and the timing variables is the practical difference between a stress-free renewal and a cancelled trip. See Alpine's immigration-law practice area for related matters.

This guide is the 2026 (2083 BS) practitioner's deep-dive on the Nepal e-passport — the statutory framework, the Department of Passports authority, eligibility, online pre-enrolment, document requirements, the full fee schedule (34-page and 66-page variants; adult, child, and lost-passport rates), processing timeline, the biometric capture step, the NRN embassy route abroad, child passports, renewal and lost / damaged procedures, and the practical compliance discipline. For the foundational citizenship document see our citizenship in Nepal pillar; for the National ID supplement see our NID registration guide.

What is the Nepal e-passport?

The Nepal e-passport is the polycarbonate biometric-chip travel document issued by the Department of Passports (DoP) under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It is ICAO-compliant — meeting the International Civil Aviation Organization's specifications for machine-readable and biometric travel documents — and is universally accepted at international borders. The polycarbonate data page carries the citizen's photograph, demographic details, and machine-readable zone; an embedded electronic chip carries the citizen's biometric data (digital photograph, fingerprints, signature) plus the same demographic data in encrypted digital form, enabling secure machine reading at e-gates and immigration counters worldwide.

Nepal transitioned to the e-passport format in 2021, completing the rollout that replaced the prior machine-readable passport (MRP). Older MRP passports remain valid until their original expiry date — the holder need not pre-emptively renew unless approaching expiry — but every fresh issuance from the DoP and from Nepali diplomatic missions abroad is now exclusively the e-passport. The chip-based format provides materially stronger security against counterfeiting and identity theft, faster immigration processing where e-gates are deployed, and standardised cross-border verification.

Who issues the e-passport in Nepal?

The Department of Passports (DoP), an entity under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), is the issuing authority for all Nepal e-passports. The DoP operates the central facility in Kathmandu, the principal regional centres in major cities, and works through designated District Administration Offices for biometric capture and document submission in districts without dedicated passport facilities. For Nepali citizens abroad, the issuance authority shifts to the relevant Nepali Embassy or Consulate-General with consular jurisdiction over the applicant's location.

The DoP's public-facing online portal is at nepalpassport.gov.np. The portal hosts the pre-enrolment system, the fee schedule, the application-status tracking facility, the lost-passport reporting form, and the embassy contact directory. Embassy-based applications are coordinated through the respective mission's website with the same pre-enrolment principle (online form first, biometric capture at the mission's biometric facility, collection on the prescribed date).

Who can apply for an e-passport in Nepal?

Eligibility is straightforward: every Nepali citizen holding a valid citizenship certificate can apply. The citizenship certificate under the Citizenship Act 2063 is the foundational prerequisite — no e-passport can be issued without it. For applicants who have not yet obtained citizenship (typically because they have not yet reached the age-16 threshold, or because their citizenship application is in process), the e-passport process has separate pathways:

• Children below citizenship-age threshold — the child's birth certificate plus parental citizenship documents establish eligibility. The child's e-passport is issued with 5-year validity (vs 10-year for adults). At age 18, the child renews under the adult framework using their own citizenship.
• Naturalised citizens — full e-passport eligibility once the naturalisation certificate is issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
• NRN with Nepali citizenship retained — eligible for the Nepali e-passport through any Nepali embassy with jurisdiction over their location. Where citizenship has been lost by foreign-citizenship acquisition (per Section 10 of the Citizenship Act), the applicant is no longer eligible for the Nepali passport and the foreign passport applies.

National ID is increasingly required at the application stage as the DoP integrates the passport database with the DoNIDCR National ID framework. Applicants who have not yet obtained the NID may still apply but should complete NID registration in parallel — the trend is toward NID becoming a hard prerequisite over the coming years.

How does the online pre-enrolment work?

Pre-enrolment is conducted online through nepalpassport.gov.np. The applicant creates an account using mobile number and verifies via OTP, then enters demographic data: full name (exactly matching the citizenship certificate), gender, date of birth, place of birth, parents' names and citizenship references, current and permanent addresses, marital status, spouse details where applicable, profession, contact details. The portal validates the citizenship reference against the DoNIDCR-citizenship database and flags any inconsistencies.

Once the demographic data is complete, the applicant selects the passport type (34-page or 66-page) and the urgency level (regular or fast-track where available), uploads scanned copies of the supporting documents (citizenship, photograph, NID where applicable), and books an appointment at the central DoP, the assigned DAO, or the relevant Nepali embassy. The system issues a unique application reference number and a printable receipt. The applicant pays the prescribed fee through the integrated payment gateway or at the prescribed bank counter, then carries the receipt and the original documents to the biometric appointment.

What happens at the biometric appointment?

The biometric session takes place in person at the central DoP facility in Kathmandu, the assigned DAO for the applicant's district, or the Nepali embassy abroad for NRNs. The applicant attends on the appointment date with: the application receipt and reference number; the original citizenship certificate (and original NID where applicable); the original old passport for renewals; the police FIR for lost-passport cases; the child's birth certificate for child applications; the parent's citizenship for child applications; and any additional documents specified at booking.

The biometric officer verifies the originals against the digital application file, then captures the four biometric elements: fingerprints (10 fingers, rolled, on a digital fingerprint scanner); iris scan (both eyes, by infrared scanner); photograph (high-resolution face capture against neutral background, biometric-grade); electronic signature (signed on a digital pad). The applicant reviews the captured data, confirms accuracy, signs the consent receipt, and receives a collection date for the issued passport. The session typically takes 15-to-30 minutes for a clean application.

How long does e-passport issuance take?

For a clean application processed through the central DoP or a designated DAO, the typical timeline is 7 to 15 working days from biometric capture to collection. The exact duration depends on the DoP's printing queue, the seasonal volumes (summer travel periods see longer queues), and any quality-control flags raised on the application. Fast-track service is available in some categories with a premium fee, reducing the timeline to 3-to-5 working days, though availability varies by season and capacity. Some categories — minor children, lost-passport replacements with court documentation, applications with mismatched demographic data requiring verification — typically take longer.

For Nepali embassies and consulates abroad, the timeline is meaningfully longer at 6 to 8 weeks. The biometric data is captured at the embassy but the actual passport printing happens centrally in Nepal — the data is transmitted, the passport is printed and personalised at the DoP, and the finished passport is shipped back to the embassy for delivery to the applicant. Major missions (Washington DC, London, Tokyo, Sydney, Doha, Riyadh) typically have stable timelines around the 6-to-8 week mark; smaller missions may take longer. NRNs anticipating international travel should apply well in advance — at least 3 months before any planned travel where possible.

What documents do I need for an e-passport application?

The standard document set for an adult applicant:

• Citizenship certificate — original carried for verification, photocopy submitted (front and back).
• Recent passport-size photographs — biometric-grade, white background; the digital capture at the biometric session is the operative image but physical photos may be required as fallback.
• National ID — where issued, the NID or the interim NIN; increasingly required, becoming a hard prerequisite.
• Application receipt — printable confirmation from the pre-enrolment portal with the unique reference number.
• Old passport — for renewal applications, the existing passport is presented and surrendered at issuance of the new one.
• Marriage certificate — where the applicant is married and the application uses the married name.
• Bank fee receipt — confirmation of fee payment through the integrated payment gateway or at the prescribed bank.

For a child applicant: child's birth certificate (original); both parents' citizenship certificates; one parent's attendance at biometric session (the child also attends); recent passport-size photograph of the child; parents' consent and signature on the application form. For a lost-passport replacement: the police First Information Report (FIR) filed at the local police station detailing the loss circumstances; sworn affidavit from the applicant; the application form noting the lost-passport status; the higher fee schedule applies.

How does the NRN embassy route work abroad?

Nepali citizens abroad apply for e-passports through the relevant Nepali Embassy or Consulate-General with consular jurisdiction over their location. The major missions — Australia (Canberra), USA (Washington DC), UK (London), Japan (Tokyo), Korea, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and others — operate biometric facilities and conduct the application sessions. The applicant pre-enrols through the mission's website (which links to or replicates the central nepalpassport.gov.np system), books the appointment, attends with original documents, and waits for the centrally-printed passport to be dispatched.

The fee schedule abroad is typically USD 150 for 34-page passport and USD 200 for 66-page passport, payable in the local currency at the prevailing exchange rate or in USD where the mission accepts it. Processing time is approximately 6 to 8 weeks from the biometric session — substantially longer than domestic processing because the biometric data is transmitted to Kathmandu, the passport is printed at the central facility, and the finished passport is shipped back to the issuing mission. NRNs anticipating international travel must plan accordingly; renewals should be initiated at least 3 months before existing passport expiry where possible.

How are child passports handled?

Children below age 18 receive e-passports with 5-year validity (compared to 10-year for adults). The application is filed by a parent or legal guardian on behalf of the child, with the child also attending the biometric session (the child's fingerprints, photograph, and electronic signature are captured). For very young children (typically below 5 years), the biometric protocol is adapted — fingerprints may be skipped or simplified, with the photograph and signature being the primary biometric elements.

The required documents for a child passport: the child's birth certificate (original); both parents' citizenship certificates (original and photocopies); a written consent from both parents (with photographs); the child's recent biometric-quality photograph; the parents' marriage certificate; and the standard application receipt. Where one parent is deceased or unreachable, additional documentation is required — death certificate of deceased parent, court order in custody cases, sworn affidavit and supporting evidence in non-cooperation cases. The reduced fee schedule applies for child passports (NPR 9,500 for 34-page; NPR 14,500 for 66-page).

How does e-passport renewal work?

E-passport renewal follows the same application process as a new passport — online pre-enrolment, biometric capture, fee payment, collection. The renewing applicant brings the existing passport to the biometric session; the original is surrendered at the collection of the new passport (cancelled, with stamps and notation indicating supersession). The renewal can be initiated up to 6 months before the existing passport's expiry; renewals attempted earlier are typically deferred unless there is special cause (passport pages full, name change, lost original).

For renewals where the citizen's particulars have changed (name change through marriage, address change, profession change), supporting documentation establishing the change is presented alongside the standard application — marriage certificate for name change, ward letter for address update, etc. The new passport is issued with the updated particulars and a fresh 10-year (or 5-year for child) validity from the date of issuance. Renewals attempted after the existing passport has already expired follow the same procedure as a fresh issuance — the expired passport is presented as evidence of prior issuance but treated as effectively new for the renewal cycle.

What if my passport is lost or damaged?

A lost passport must be reported promptly to the local police station — a First Information Report (FIR) is filed detailing the circumstances of loss (theft, accidental loss, damage). The FIR is the foundational document for the lost-passport replacement application. The replacement application follows the standard online pre-enrolment process with the lost-passport status declared, the FIR uploaded, and the higher fee schedule applied (NPR 17,000 for 34-page; NPR 25,000 for 66-page — versus NPR 5,000 / NPR 10,000 for regular fresh issuance).

For passports lost abroad, the FIR is filed at the local police authority in the country where the loss occurred, with a copy and supporting documentation provided to the Nepali Embassy. The embassy may issue an emergency travel document for the applicant to return to Nepal where a full lost-passport replacement can be processed. For damaged passports (water damage, torn pages, illegible data), the damaged original is brought to the biometric appointment and presented — the higher fee schedule for damaged-passport replacement applies, but the FIR requirement does not (there is no theft or loss being reported, only physical damage). The new passport is issued under the standard timeline once the application is complete.

What is the relationship between e-passport, citizenship, and NID?

The three identity-document frameworks are designed to work together. The citizenship certificate under the Citizenship Act 2063 is the foundational status document — establishing Nepali citizenship. The National ID (NID) under the NID Act 2076 supplements it with a unique 10-digit identification number (NIN) and biometric record. The e-passport under the Passport Act 2024 framework is the international travel document, drawing on both the citizenship and the NID data. Without citizenship, no passport. Without NID (increasingly), no current-cycle passport. The integration trend through DoNIDCR's policy direction is single-source citizen identity with the NID as the universal anchor and the passport as the international-travel extension.

Where any of the underlying documents has issues — citizenship discrepancies, NID-database mismatches, ward-record gaps — the e-passport application is similarly affected. Resolving the underlying document issue is the prerequisite for the e-passport to issue cleanly. For complex cases (cross-district address moves, marital-status changes, family-record updates, mixed-citizenship situations), professional advice on the document chain typically saves the passport application from multiple iterations.

What are the most common e-passport application issues?

From practitioner experience, the recurring patterns are: name discrepancies between citizenship, NID, and the application — particularly common where the citizen has multiple Romanisations of the Devanagari name across documents; missing or expired NID where the applicant has not yet completed NID registration; citizenship-database flag where the DAO citizenship record has not been digitised or has data inconsistencies; address-history complications where the citizen has moved between districts but the records have not been harmonised; photograph format issues where the digital biometric capture has quality issues requiring re-capture; insufficient fee payment where the applicant misjudged the passport-type or category and paid the wrong amount.

For child passports, the recurring patterns are: missing or contested parental consent particularly in post-divorce custody cases; birth certificate gaps for older children who were never registered or whose birth records have been lost; biometric capture difficulties for very young children whose fingerprints are not yet fully developed. For NRN cases abroad: appointment scarcity at major missions during peak travel seasons; citizenship-status questions where the applicant has lived abroad for extended periods; lost-passport-abroad emergencies requiring emergency travel documents in coordination with the embassy.

How does Alpine Law Associates help with e-passport matters?

Alpine Law Associates supports e-passport applications across the lifecycle for citizens, families, NRNs, and businesses with employee-mobility needs. Application support — pre-enrolment review, document set assembly, biometric appointment coordination, fee structure advisory. Complex cases — name-discrepancy resolution across citizenship, NID, and prior documents; address-history harmonisation; post-divorce or post-marriage name-change applications. Child passports — parental consent coordination including post-divorce custody cases; birth-certificate gap resolution; biometric capture preparation for very young children. NRN abroad — embassy coordination, fee planning, advance scheduling for travel-sensitive renewals, emergency travel document support. Lost / damaged replacement — police FIR coordination, sworn affidavit preparation, replacement-fee schedule advisory. Renewal — timing optimisation, updated-particulars documentation, expired-passport-cycle restoration. Speak with our lawyers today →