KATHMANDU, MAY 7
The Department of Immigration will now process trekking permits on public holidays, a move designed to ease access for trekking operators and foreign visitors heading into the country's restricted trekking zones.
The department announced the decision on Wednesday, saying permit services will be available for two hours, from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm, on all public holidays except Saturdays, beginning May 6. The decision comes after the government extended the weekly holiday to two days (Saturday and Sunday) for public offices, and the department noted that permit applications had continued to arrive even on those days.
Foreign nationals wishing to trek in any of Nepal's 13 restricted districts are required to obtain a mandatory trekking permit from the department. Permits for restricted areas must be arranged through registered trekking agencies, and the department has now also linked the system to Nepal's approved visa application numbers, giving trekkers another route to apply. Because all permit processing is handled online, visitors do not need to appear in person.
The announcement also carried a stern warning to trekking agencies. The department said some operators have been pressuring immigration staff with calls at all hours under the pretext of trekker rescue, taking permits and leading tourists without proper authorisation, and filing applications using only local government identification. These practices, it said, put innocent trekkers at risk of legal proceedings and are harming Nepal's international tourism reputation.
The department urged agencies to ensure that only foreign nationals with proper permits are taken on treks, and confirmed that action under immigration law will follow future violations.
