The online application service will begin from all eight countries by January 1

Kathmandu, December 21

Online application for passport has already started from three countries Qatar, Malaysia and Kuwait while the service will be launched from Hong Kong of China from tomorrow.

Director General of Department of Passport Lok Bahadur Thapa informed that the service kicked off from the Nepali embassy in Qatar on December 17.

The service began from Kuwait and Malaysia-based Nepali missions from today.

According to Thapa, it will start in two other countries Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in a couple of days as trainings are under way for the same.

The government has planned to start receiving online passport application at in 10 Nepali diplomatic outposts based in eight countries Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Hong Kong of China, Washington DC and New York of USA, and London of United Kingdom where the presence of Nepalis is high.

Thapa said that by January 1, 2016, the service will begin from all eight countries.

Though the government had successfully launched online passport application system at the Kathmandu-based Department of Passport on November 23, it had failed to deliver on its promise to expand the service abroad by December 1.

This system also known as Live Enrolment System for passport application helps avoid weeks or even months of travel time to receive passport forms from these countries, ultimately reducing passport issuance duration significantly.