e-Passport in Nepal: What It Is & How to Apply

SanjalAI
Thu, 13 Nov 2025 15:14:58 +0000
Awareness

An e-passport — definition

An e-passport is a modern, advanced passport embedded with an electronic microprocessor chip that securely stores the biometric information of the passport holder, such as retina scans, fingerprints, and photographs. LawImperial

It should be noted that prior to obtaining an E-Passport, the individual shall be required to possess a passport. LawImperial

Where and urgency

Urgent service available at Department of Passports, Tripureshor, Kathmandu. Regular Services from DAOs/AAOs and Diplomatic Missions Abroad. Department of Passport

OFFICIAL WORKING HOURS : SUN – THU (10 AM TO 5 PM ) , FRIDAY (10 AM TO 3 PM ) Department of Passport

How to apply — Pre-enrollment steps (official procedure)

Online Pre-enrollment Application Form Fill Up Procedure for ePassport :

Steps:

Step 1. Open the Department of Passports web portal https://nepalpassport.gov.np Online Pre-enrollment Application Form Fill Up Procedure (Department of Passport PDF)

Step 2. Scroll down and click on “Apply for Passport ” under Let ’s Explore e -Services. This will open the Pre-enrollment Home Page. Online Pre-enrollment Application Form Fill Up Procedure (Department of Passport PDF)

Step 3. Click on “Apply for Passport राहदानीको लागि आवेदन ” button. Step 4. Please choose your application type. Online Pre-enrollment Application Form Fill Up Procedure (Department of Passport PDF)

Step 5. Read the “Before Pre -enrollment” instructions , choose a passport type – Ordinary 34 pages for normal passport and Ordinary 66 pages for business passport. For other passport types, click on “Other Passport Types” and choose appropriate type. Step 6. Agree “Data Privacy Consent” to proceed further. Online Pre-enrollment Application Form Fill Up Procedure (Department of Passport PDF)

Step 7. Select the Appointment Country, Province, District and Location respectively as applicable according to the place where the application will be submitted and enrollment will be done. Check for available dates and choose appropriate date. Fill in the CAPTCHA correctly and click “Next” to start the Pre -Enrollment. Online Pre-enrollment Application Form Fill Up Procedure (Department of Passport PDF)

Step 8. Fill up Demographic Information, Citizenship Information, Applicant’s Contact Details and Contact Details in Case of Emergency and click on “Next”. Kindly note that National Identity Number (NID) is mandatory for applicants applying from within Nepal . In addition, applicants do not need to enter hyphen ( -) or slash (/) in case of citizenship number. Online Pre-enrollment Application Form Fill Up Procedure (Department of Passport PDF)

Step 9. Upload citizenship front, back for First issuance (New); citizenship front, back and Passport front, back for Renewal / Lost/ Damaged application type . (Kindly note the document size should be less than 300 kb and should be in .jpeg or .png format ). Online Pre-enrollment Application Form Fill Up Procedure (Department of Passport PDF)

Step 10. Review Application Summary and edit the details if necessary. Fill up the CAPTCHA correctly at bottom of the page and click on “save ”. Step 11. Copy the reference number for future reference and click on Finish. The reference number will be used to check the e -Passport Application Status from Nepal e -Passport mobile app. Step 12. Download application file and print downloaded form. Step 13. Go for enrollment at the designated office on the appointed date with all necessary documents along with printed bar-coded e-Passport application form. Online Pre-enrollment Application Form Fill Up Procedure (Department of Passport PDF)

In-person enrollment & documents

Applicants are required to be physically present at the Department of Passport or District Administration Office or Area Administration Office or relevant Embassy or Authority of Nepal during the live enrollment process in order to register for an electronic passport. To do so, they must fill out an online pre-enrollment form and schedule an appointment. LawImperial

The required documents for an electronic passport are as follows:

1. Front and back pages of the Certificate of Nepalese Citizenship

2. The Nepali Passport currently in possession of applicant. (For other than “First Time Issuance”)

3. National Identity Card Number

4. Visas (For those applying from Embassy of Nepal abroad)

5. A printed copy of the application form mentioned above. LawImperial

Processing time — what to expect

The time required to obtain an E-passport depends on where you apply from:

The Department of Passports generally issues within 2 to 3 working days. District Administration Offices generally take 7 to 15 days. Embassy or Consulate of Nepal abroad typically require six to eight weeks. LawImperial

“In Nepal: EPassports can be issued within 2-3 working days from the District Administration Office”. Notary Nepal

What’s Your Take?

What impact could faster e-passport processing (2–3 days) have locally or for Nepalis abroad? Department of Passport

How should mission/consulate timelines (six to eight weeks) be improved for applicants overseas? LawImperial

Which part of the pre-enrollment steps felt most confusing or time-consuming when you applied? Online Pre-enrollment Application Form Fill Up Procedure (Department of Passport PDF)

What lessons can policymakers or local offices learn to speed up secure biometric issuance while keeping data privacy safeguards? LawImperial

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