Tribhuvan International Airport:
Any air travel to Nepal necessitates navigating Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA). Here is a quick rundown meant to help demystify the arrival process.
Step 1, Touching Down:
Passengers deplane onto the tarmac and take a short walk to Gate E—the international arrival terminal. Before disembarking, your airline will ask you to fill out 2 forms. The first is an Application for Diplomatic/Official Tourist Visa and second is the Nepal Immigration Form—for which you will need to enter a Nepal-based address (hotels are acceptable). Copies of these forms are also available inside the terminal.
Step 2, Visas:
If you are in transit, single day transit visas are available from Desk L, located inside at the International Arrival Terminal Entrance, for $5 USD.
|
Tourist Visa Category
|
Duration
|
New Price
|
|
Multiple Entry
|
15 Days
|
U.S.
$ 25
|
|
Multiple Entry
|
30 Days
|
U.S.
$ 40
|
|
Multiple Entry
|
90 Days
|
U.S.
$ 100
|
|
Visa Extension*
|
< 15 Days
|
U.S.
$ 30
|
|
Visa Extension*
|
> 15 Days
|
U.S. $2/Day
|
|
* Tourist Visas may be extended for a maximum of 150 days in any single calendar year
|
If you have waited until now to apply for your tourist visa, you will need to provide the agent with 4 critical items. 1) a current passport 2) an extra passport size photo 3) the forms provided by your flight crew and 4) the appropriate cash amount to match the duration of your stay. Travelers to Nepal have 3 on-arrival Visa duration options 1) 15 days at $25 USD 2) 30 days at $40 USD and 3) 90 days at $100 USD. Each visa option allows visitors multiple entries within the allotted visa period. While visa extensions are an option, tourist visas cannot extended beyond 150 days per calendar year. Be aware that you must pay for your visa using foreign currency and not Nepali Rupees (Npr). As the International Arrival Terminal lacks ATMs, be sure to carry enough cash with you. Amenities that do exist within the terminal include, a duty free shop, a bank that operates as a moneychanger, and a photo booth. In case you do not have an extra passport sized photo, you can get two passport-sized photos for 230 Npr .
There are 11 Visa service desks. Desks 1 and 2 are for on-arrival visas, Desk 3 services SAARC applicants, while Desk 4 attends to the needs of diplomats and officials. If need be, up to 5 counters will open to process on-arrival visas.
Step 3, Luggage:
Once you exit Gate E, you will be faced with 2 descending staircases and an elevator leading to the luggage area. All lead to the same place, however, you will most likely be encouraged to take the doors on the right. Next, for some unexplained reason, you will need to screen your handbags and carry-on luggage and exit, into the luggage claim area, through a metal detector. It doesn’t make any sense but you’ll be asked to do it anyway; just go along with it.
There are 3 luggage belts. If you are lucky, your airline will post a sign on one of the belts indicating that it belongs to your flight.
Lost Luggage:
If the dreaded happens, you have one rational option. First, be sure to file a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) with the Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) Baggage Section Desk located inside the baggage claim area. It will most likely take about 1 week to receive your luggage. Once it arrives, an email will be sent to the email address you provided on the PIR. If, in the interim, you would like to check on you luggage, you can call 411 3295 (domestic). If the awful happens and it has taken more than 25 days to receive your luggage, or it is lost all together, your airlines must recompensate your loss.
Step 4, Customs:
There are 2 customs channels, green and red. Proceed through the green channel if you do not have customable goods. If you do have goods to declare, use the red channel.
Step 5, Getting to Your Destination
The Nepal Tourism Board, Tourist Police, a bank, and the Hotel Association offer services through from their desks located just before you exit the airport.
Taxi cabs only accept Nepali rupees, therefore, I recommend changing some money either here or inside Gate E. Your other option is to use one of the ATMs located outside the terminal. There are 2 taxi options available to new arrivals, prepay and pay on arrival. Each option has its advantages and disadvantages but I recommend taking a prepay taxi for one primary reason, your safety. Prepay cabs can be secured outside the airport proper at a desk located immediately to your right as you exit the first set of sliding glass doors.
The present cost is 500 Npr. The fee includes a record of your trip, of which you and the service desk have a copy. This ensures that if anything happens to you or your luggage while in transit, there is an official record. The form includes your driver’s name and license number along with your requested destination. The prepay service desk will also provide you with a free city map upon request.
Do not expect to be able to take public transportation from the airport to your destination. For one, it is over a mile to Ring Road—the major bus hub. Second, unless you can read Nepali language, there appears to be no rhyme or reason to the bus “terminal”—better described as a swarm. Third, if you are heading into Thamel—the tourist-centered part of town—the buses will only take you as far as Ratna Park and from there you will have to find your way to your hotel through the maze-like streets void of all street signs.
Leaving Nepal: Nepal Airport Authority Exit Tax
When the time comes to return home, be aware that the Nepal Airport Authority exacts an airport exit tax in the amount of 1,695 Npr. for foreign visitors and 1,356 Npr. for SAARC travelers. Paying the tax is a requirement for leaving Nepal.
|
