Do Nepal Citizens Need a Visa for United States?
Yes. Nepal passport holders require a visa to enter United States for most purposes, visitor, business, study, work, and family categories all need pre-approval. The information below describes the standard process and the refusal triggers to watch on this corridor.
Before you apply: the refusal you have to beat
Section 214(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act presumes every visitor-visa applicant intends to immigrate, so the applicant has to show they qualify for the visa they applied for. A refusal under it means the officer was not convinced the applicant qualified. Ties to Nepal are evidence the officer weighs, not the whole test. The US Embassy in Nepal also says nationals of Nepal who are found otherwise eligible for a B1/B2 visa must post a bond of up to $20,000 before the visa can be issued. The $185 application fee is not refunded.
The reassuring part: these refusals usually come down to how your case is presented, not who you are:
- Insufficient or inconsistent proof of funds, single large deposits with no documented source, balances that don't match declared income
- Thin evidence of ties to Nepal, no documented employment, studies, property, or family obligations the officer can weigh as reasons you would return
- Incomplete or mismatched documentation, dates, names, and amounts that contradict between documents
- Unclear or implausible purpose, an itinerary or story the officer has to guess at
Step-by-Step: How to Apply
- Complete the DS-160 online. Fill out Form DS-160 at ceac.state.gov/genniv. All information must be correct, because the form cannot be changed once it is submitted. Keep the confirmation page with the barcode number (it starts with AA); you need it to book your appointment.
- Pay the $185 application fee. The official appointment service for Nepal (ustraveldocs.com/np) lists the payment options: cash at a bank, electronic funds transfer through connectIPS, or card payment online. The fee is non-refundable and non-transferable, and the Embassy says it stays valid for 365 days. Keep your receipt: you need it to schedule.
- Schedule your interview. Scheduling is online: the appointment service's link goes to usvisascheduling.com. You need your passport, your fee receipt, your DS-160 confirmation page and an email address. The service limits how many times you can reschedule and encourages applying at least three months before travel.
- Attend the interview at the US Embassy in Kathmandu. Bring your passport, DS-160 confirmation page and appointment confirmation page. Leave phones, electronics and large bags behind, because the Embassy does not store them. The officer assesses whether you qualify for the visa you applied for. Answer honestly and keep every answer consistent with your DS-160.
- Post the visa bond if you are found eligible. If the officer finds you otherwise eligible, the Embassy says you must post a bond of up to $20,000 before a B1/B2 visa can be issued. Pay it only on the website named in the instructions the consular officer gives you, and only after you are told to. The rule sets the amount at $10,000, $15,000 or $20,000.
- After the visa: pickup, entry and the I-94. Collect your passport from the pickup location you chose once you get the email or SMS. A visa issued with a bond is valid for three months or up to 12 months, and the bond requires you to enter and leave through a commercial airport. After you enter, look up your I-94 at i94.cbp.dhs.gov; its Admit Until Date shows how long you were admitted for.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Nepali citizens need a visa to visit the United States?
Yes. Nepal is not on the Visa Waiver Program country list published by the Department of Homeland Security, so there is no ESTA option for Nepali passport holders. You need a B visitor visa, the category the appointment service lists as Business/Tourist. The service says applicants should schedule their interview at the US embassy or consulate in their country of residence or nationality.
How much does a US visa cost for Nepali applicants in 2026?
The B visitor visa application fee (the MRV fee) is $185, as listed on the fee page of the official US visa appointment service for Nepal on 12 October 2026. It is non-refundable and non-transferable and must be paid whether a visa is issued or not. The page lists cash at a bank, electronic funds transfer through connectIPS and online card payment as ways to pay, and the Embassy says a payment stays valid for 365 days from the date the receipt is issued. A separate Visa Integrity Fee was enacted on 4 July 2025 (Public Law 119-21, section 100007). The law sets it at $250 or more for a nonimmigrant visa, on top of any other fee, and adjusts it for inflation each fiscal year from 2026. It is not listed on that fee page. Separately, a State Department temporary rule in force from 1 July to 31 December 2026 says the MRV fee is set at $185 for B1/B2 applicants and is not anticipated to change while that rule is in force. The Embassy also says the MRV fee is not the visa bond, which is covered below. Confirm at travel.state.gov before paying.
Do Nepali applicants have to post a US visa bond?
Yes, if the officer finds you otherwise eligible. The US Embassy in Nepal says nationals of Nepal who are found otherwise eligible for a B1/B2 visa must post a bond of up to $20,000 before the visa can be issued, and that this applies regardless of where they apply. The interviewing officer tells you whether you are eligible and gives the instructions; the Embassy says to post the bond only on the website named in those instructions and only after a consular officer tells you to. Under the State Department rule that made the Visa Bond Program permanent on 3 August 2026, the amount is $10,000, $15,000 or $20,000 as the officer decides, with officers expected to set $15,000 unless the applicant's circumstances point to a lower or higher amount, and it is paid in US dollars through the Treasury payment platform at Pay.gov. There is no application for a waiver of the bond: the rule says the Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs may waive it where that would not be contrary to the national interest, and that consular officers can ask for a waiver only in very limited circumstances, such as travel for US government employees or urgent humanitarian needs. The list of covered countries is published at travel.state.gov and can change.
What happens to the visa and the bond after I post it?
The rule says that once the bond is posted the officer may issue a visa valid for three months with a single entry, three months with multiple entries, or up to 12 months with multiple entries, depending on visa reciprocity, with an annotation showing that a bond was posted. As a condition of the bond you may enter and leave the United States only through commercial airports, including CBP Preclearance locations, and not through land or sea ports. The rule lists when the bond is returned: for example when the visa expires and you did not travel, or when the visa has expired and you complied with its terms and left through a commercial airport on or before the date to which you were authorized to remain. Where an extension of stay is approved, it counts a timely departure before the extended date. A traveller who breaches the bond would generally forfeit the amount.
How long is the wait, and how long does processing take?
The appointment service links to the State Department wait-times page for the current appointment wait in Kathmandu and encourages nonimmigrant applicants to apply at least three months before they intend to travel. It says visa processing is typically three working days but can vary with individual circumstances, and that some applications need administrative processing after the interview, most of which is resolved within 180 days. The Embassy adds that there is no refund if no appointment is available before your planned date of travel.
Can I renew a US visa without an interview in Nepal?
Not at present. The appointment service for Nepal says visa renewals without an interview at the US Embassy are not currently available, and that all applicants must schedule an appointment for a consular interview.
Why are B1/B2 visas refused, and can I apply again?
Section 214(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act presumes every visitor-visa applicant is an intending immigrant until they show the consular officer that they are entitled to nonimmigrant status. A refusal under it means the officer was not convinced the applicant qualified. The appointment service says the most frequent basis for such a refusal concerns the requirement to have a residence abroad that you have no intention of abandoning, which applicants show through ties that would compel them to leave the United States at the end of the stay, and it gives a job, a house, a family and a bank account as examples of ties. It also says applicants refused under Section 214(b) may reapply, and that when they do they will have to show further evidence of their ties or how their circumstances have changed.
What do I need for the interview at the US Embassy in Kathmandu?
The appointment service lists what you must present: a passport valid for travel to the United States for at least six months beyond your intended stay (unless a country-specific agreement provides an exemption), your DS-160 confirmation page and your appointment confirmation page, plus one photograph to US visa specifications if the applicant is under 14. The Embassy is in Maharajgunj, Kathmandu. Its security rules bar mobile phones and other electronic devices, large bags, food and liquids, and it has no storage for them; only visa applicants with scheduled interviews are admitted.
What do I need to know about my DS-160?
Each applicant, including children, needs their own DS-160, completed and submitted online before the interview, and once the form is submitted you cannot change it. The barcode number on its confirmation page (it starts with AA) is needed to book, and the appointment service says you must bring a DS-160 whose barcode matches the one used for your appointment or you will not be able to attend your interview. The embassy or consulate you select on the DS-160 must be the one where you schedule the interview. If you were refused a visa before, complete a new DS-160. When you sign the form you certify that it is true and correct, and the service says misrepresenting any facts could make you ineligible to enter the United States.
How do I get my passport back, and how long can I stay?
If your visa is approved, your passport and visa are collected from the pickup location you chose when you scheduled, and you receive an email and an SMS when it is ready; premium document delivery is an optional service. You can check your visa application status online with your interview location and DS-160 barcode number. The appointment service says a visa does not guarantee entry: it lets you travel to a US port of entry and ask to be admitted, and Customs and Border Protection officers decide whether to admit you and how long you may stay. Your admission is recorded on your I-94, which shows an Admit Until Date; look it up at i94.cbp.dhs.gov after you arrive.
Does the 2026 US entry restriction proclamation cover Nepal?
Proclamation 10998, signed on 16 December 2025 and effective from 1 January 2026, suspends or limits entry and visa issuance for nationals of the countries it names, and for people applying with Palestinian Authority travel documents. Nepal is not among the countries named in the text published in the Federal Register (checked on 12 October 2026). The Embassy says applicants who are subject to the proclamation may still apply and attend interviews but may be ineligible for a visa. The list can change, so read the Department of State notice before you apply.
Official sources
- US Embassy in Nepal: visas
- Official visa appointment service for Nepal: pay your visa fees
- Official visa appointment service for Nepal: complete your application (DS-160)
- Official visa appointment service for Nepal: schedule your appointment
- Official visa appointment service for Nepal: attend your interview
- Official visa appointment service for Nepal: track your passport
- Official visa appointment service for Nepal: renew my visa and interview waiver
- Official visa appointment service for Nepal: application refused under INA 221(g)
- Official visa appointment service for Nepal: frequently asked questions
- Federal Register: Visas: Visa Bond Program, final rule effective 3 August 2026
- Department of Homeland Security: Visa Waiver Program
- US Customs and Border Protection: I-94 arrival and departure record
- Federal Register: Proclamation 10998, restricting and limiting the entry of foreign nationals
- Federal Register: Department of State schedule of fees for consular services, temporary final rule in force 1 July to 31 December 2026
- Public Law 119-21, section 100007 (8 U.S.C. 1806): Visa Integrity Fee
- US Code: 8 U.S.C. 1184, admission of nonimmigrants (subsection (b), presumption of status)
You've read the rules. Now find out if YOUR application will pass.
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Last updated: October 12, 2026. Visa rules change without notice, always confirm the latest fee and processing time on the relevant embassy or immigration website before submitting.