Nepal Rolls Out Digital Visitor Tracking for Foreign Nationals — What Travelers Must Know

Nepal’s Department of Immigration has activated a new digital visitor-tracking system, phasing out manual paper logbooks at most international airports and major border crossings. The change affects foreign tourists, trekkers, and even Indian nationals staying overnight.

“The goal is real-time visibility into visitor movements, faster emergency response, and smoother departures at Tribhuvan International Airport.”

Who Must Register?

• All foreign passport holders — visa, permit, or entry stamp holders
• Indian nationals — now included if staying overnight (previously exempt from detailed tracking)
• Transit passengers — only if leaving the airside zone

How Registration Works

Step	Action
1	Complete online pre-registration 48 hours before arrival
2	Receive a QR-linked digital entry pass
3	Scan QR at airport/land-port kiosk
4	Update location if changing districts

What Changes at the Airport

Immigration counters now feature biometric scanners linked to the central database. Paper forms are still available as a backup, but digital registration is strongly encouraged — it reduces wait times by an estimated 40% during peak seasons.

Data Privacy Concerns

The Ministry says data will be retained for **five years** and shared only with law enforcement and disaster-management agencies. No commercial reuse is planned.

FAQ

Q: Do I need internet on my phone to show the QR?
A: No. Print or screenshot the QR before arrival. Offline scans are supported.

Q: What if I’m trekking in a remote area with no signal?
A: You should update your location whenever you regain connectivity. The system tolerates 72-hour gaps in remote zones.

Q: Does this affect visa on arrival?
A: No. Visa on arrival remains, but you’ll complete digital tracking immediately after passport stamping.

Stay current with Nepal travel policy at TravellingNepal.com.

What the system tracks

The digital visitor tracking system records entry and exit dates, visa type, and movement between districts for all foreign nationals. It integrates with immigration checkpoints at airports, land borders, and trekking checkposts. The system is designed to improve security, assist in emergency response, and provide tourism data for planning.

What travellers need to do

• Your passport is scanned at immigration on arrival — no additional registration is needed.
• TIMS card checkpoints on trekking routes feed into the same system.
• Hotels and guesthouses are required to register foreign guests; this data may be cross-referenced.

Privacy considerations

The government states data is used for tourism statistics and emergency response only. Travellers concerned about privacy should note that the system is comparable to entry/exit tracking in most countries. No biometric data beyond passport information is collected at this stage.

Frequently asked questions

Will this slow down my entry at the airport? No — the scan takes seconds and is part of the existing immigration process.

Does this affect Indian nationals? Indian citizens enter Nepal without a visa and are not currently part of the digital tracking system.