Visa and Travel Info for AFIR Conference 2025
Visa Information
Nepalese visa is required for all nationalities except Indian nationals. Indian nationals are required to present some form of ID, i.e., passport or voter’s card.
Visa prior Arrival
Nepalese visa can be applied online through www.nepalimmigration.gov.np and obtained prior to arrival in Nepal from the Nepalese Embassy in the respective country from where the applicant’s passport was issued. For more information, please, refer to www.nepalimmigration.gov.np.
ORVisa on Arrival
Nepalese visa can be obtained upon arrival at the Tribhuwan International Airport in Kathmandu, Nepal except for citizens from on arrival visa denied countries (Nigeria, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Swaziland, Cameroon, Somalia, Liberia, Ethiopia, Iraq, Palestine, Afghanistan, Syria and Refugees with travel document).
Please, ensure to bring with you the following for on arrival visa application:
- Original passport and two passport size photos
- Loose cash for your visa fee upon arrival
- Photo-copies of your passport
Visa Fees
The following table indicates the fee required for various duration of Tourist VISA. Children below 10 years are exempt from the visa fee but proof of age is required. Nationals from SAARC countries, who are entering Nepal for the first time, are exempt from any fee for up to 30 days VISA (but VISA application is still required).
| Period (Duration) | Visa Fee (USD) |
|---|---|
| 15 days (Multiple Entry) | 30.00 |
| 30 days (Multiple Entry) | 50.00 |
| 90 days (Multiple Entry) | 125.00 |
For more information on visa, visit www.nepalimmigration.gov.np . If you need an official invitation letter for visa or other purpose re: the High Level Meeting on Insurance Supervision (HLM) and AFIR Annual Meeting & Conference (AMC) 2025 in Kathmandu, Nepal, email your request at info@rajkarnicar.com
Travel Information
Getting to Kathmandu
You may reach Kathmandu from India by land through several entry points such as Dhangadi, Nepalganj, Bhairawa, Birgunj, Janakpur, Biratnagar and Kakarvitta. There are direct flights to Kathmandu from several international cities.
COVID-19 Protocol
All visitors are allowed to enter Nepal with proof of vaccination and do not require pre-departure or arrival Covid-19 test. There are no quarantine requirements on arrival regarding Covid-19 enforced by the Nepal Government.
Hotels
Radisson Hotel Kathmandu is the venue for the conference in downtown Kathmandu. Kathmandu has a wide variety of international class hotels to suit everyone's fancies and finances. Please, click on “Hotel Booking” under “Hotels” on the conference website menu bar for specially negotiated AFIR conference hotel rates and information on the venue hotel and other official conference hotels.
Airport to the Hotel Distance
The Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) is located approximately 4.6 km from the venue and the journey takes approximately 30 minutes depending on the time of the day and the traffic condition.
Airport Arrival Service Desk
Airport Hospitality Desk will be in operation on 18th & 19th of January, 2025 to assist conference attendees with visa application, payable airport transfer to hotels and general information regarding the conference and Nepal.
Customs
All baggage must be declared and cleared through the customs on arrival
at the port of entry. Passengers arriving at Tribhuvan International
Airport (TIA) without any dutiable goods can proceed through the Green
Channel for quick clearance without a baggage check. If you are carrying
dutiable articles, you have to pass through the Red Channel for detailed
customs clearance.
Visitors are permitted to import the following for their personal use: Cigarettes, 200 sticks; cigars, 50 sticks;
alcoholic liquor, one bottle not exceeding 1 liter; beer, 12 cans; one binocular; one movie camera with 12 rolls
of film or one video camera; one ordinary camera with 15 rolls of film; one tape recorder with 15 tape reels or
cassettes; one perambulator; one laptop computer.
Sight-seeing & Excursions
You can take advantage of the conference's short sightseeing tour arranged for all the participants on 22nd January 2025. Please, refer to the conference program.
Health Insurance
A travel insurance policy that covers theft, loss and medical treatment is highly recommended. Make sure the insurance covers the activities that you will be undertaking during your stay in Nepal such as trekking or river-rafting.
Immunization
Nepal does not require any particular immunization for your visit. Cholera, Meningitis, Tetanus & Diphtheria, Typhoid and Gamma Globulin are some of the vaccinations that should be considered for your trip. Please consult your physician and get a complete check-up before your departure.
Money
Nepalese Rupees come in denominations of 1000, 500, 100, 50, 25, 20, 10, 5, 2, and 1. Coins come in denominations of 10, 25, 50 paisa, 1 rupee and 2 rupees. One rupee equals 100 paisa.
Payment in hotels, travel agencies, and airlines are made in convertible currencies. Credit cards such as American Express, MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted at major hotels, shops, and restaurants. Remember to keep your Foreign Exchange Encashment Receipt while making foreign exchange payments or transferring foreign currency into Nepalese rupees.
Electricity
All electrical outlets in the hotels and other areas are 220 to 240 volts, 50 cycles, continental plugs. For Multi-voltage appliances like laptops, plug adapter is needed. For 110 to 120 electronics, plug adapter plus step-down transformer is necessary.
Climate & Clothing
Light clothing only during the day and a sweater possibly for the morning and evening will be required in Kathmandu during the conference in June. You may want to bring a jacket or suit for formal indoor functions and meetings.
| Month | Max Temp (°C) | Min Temp (°C) | Rainfall (mm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 19 | 2 | 25 |
| February | 20 | 4 | 25 |
| March | 25 | 8 | 75 |
| April | 30 | 11 | 50 |
| May | 30 | 16 | 100 |
| June | 30 | 20 | 225 |
| July | 20 | 21 | 375 |
| August | 29 | 20 | 360 |
| September | 27 | 19 | 175 |
| October | 23 | 15 | 50 |
| November | 23 | 4 | 10 |
| December | 20 | 2 | 10 |
Weather Data for Kathmandu
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | July | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kathmandu | 95% | 91% | 93% | 85% | 74% | 54% | 33% | 37% | 62% | 88% | 98% | 99% |
| Hours of sunshine | 5:54 | 5:39 | 7:37 | 9:30 | 5:43 | 4:54 | 2:37 | 2:23 | 3:18 | 5:12 | 5:12 | 5:06 |
Time Zone
Nepal Standard Time is GMT+0545 Hours.
Business Hours
Business hours are from 10am to 5pm in the summer and 10am to 4pm in the winter from Sunday to Thursday and until 3 pm on Friday. Saturday is the weekly holiday in Nepal. Malls, shops and markets are generally open from 10am to 7pm.
Local Transportation
Metered taxis are easily recognizable by the taxi sign and black number plates and can be hailed off the street. Battery run EV tempos are also available. There are micro and normal buses with the three cities of the Kathmandu Valley. However, not all points in the cities are served by public transportation and fixed timings are practically non-existent. Taxi fares are negotiable and should be arranged before-hand. You may also use ride-share app based taxi in Nepal. You may download Pathao and In-Driver apps from Play Store to start using them in Kathmandu.
Language
Nepali is the mostly used official language in Nepal. However, the travel, trade and most of the literate people understand and speak English.
Communication Facilities
International calling centers and cyber cafes are widely available in Kathmandu. Internet access and international calls will also be available in your hotel.
Food & Beverage
Rice is the staple food is usually eaten two times during the day in Nepal served with curries, lentils and pickles. However, most international cuisines are available in hotels and restaurants in Kathmandu and Pokhara at reasonable prices. There are also plenty of fast food outlets in Kathmandu including Dalle, Aagan, Pizza Hut and KFC. Mineral water is available everywhere you go, from street vendors to shopping centers. Cafes, bars, pubs and night clubs offer a wide variety of international drinks and spirits.
Prevention the Best Medicine
Care in what you eat and drink is the most important health rule. The
number one rule is ‘don't consume the water including ice’. Reputable
brands of bottled water or soft drinks are generally fine. Take care
with fruit juice, particularly if water may have been added.
Milk should
be treated with suspicion as it is often unpasteurized. Boiled milk is
fine if it is kept hygienically, and yogurt is usually good. Tea or
coffee should also be OK since the water would have been boiled. Salads
and fruit should be washed with purified water or peeled where possible.
Ice cream is usually OK if it is a reputable brand name, but beware of
ice cream that has melted and been refrozen. Thoroughly cooked food is
the safest but not if it has been left to cool. Stomach upsets are the
most likely travel health problem but the majority of these upsets will
be relatively minor. Wash your hands frequently, as it's quite easy to
contaminate your own food. You should clean your teeth with purified
water rather than straight from the tap. Avoid climatic extremes: keep
out of the sun when it is hot, dress warmly when it is cold. Avoid
potential diseases by dressing sensibly. You can get worm infections
through bare feet. Try to avoid insect bites by covering bare skin when
insects are around, by screening windows or by using insect repellents.
More Visa and Travel Information
For visa and travel information on Nepal, please, check the websites below: