Kathmandu. Recently, the number of Nepalis going to different destination countries from Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) on ‘visit visa’ is 350,000 annually. Similarly, the number of women passengers has also increased.

To make this issue more systematic, the Government of Nepal has prepared short-term to long-term plans for immigration sector reforms.

Voices have been raised from the House to the street to resolve the distortions and anomalies seen in the visit visa process. The government has already formed an inquiry committee to improve it. On the other hand, two political parties have been obstructing the meeting in the House of Representatives demanding a high-level inquiry committee on the issue.

The Department of Immigration under the Ministry of Home Affairs has been verifying the authenticity of the passports, visas and other documents of the passengers entering or leaving Nepal.

As the number of Nepalis travelling from the airport on visit visas is increasing every year, the pressure on resources and technology for management has increased. According to the Department, around 150 employees are currently working at the Immigration Airport Office as per the schedule.

A few days ago, the Ministry of Home Affairs had appointed Ram Chandra Tiwari as the Director General of the Department and Narahari Aryal as the Chief of the Airport Immigration Office. Director General Tiwari said the department would be developed as an expert body giving policy suggestions in the areas of national security and safe migration instead of limiting it to a body that keeps records of arrival and departure.

Stating that the acts, rules and procedures related to immigration need to be revised in accordance with the need of the present time and international practice, he said that various action plans for technology-based reforms have also been prepared. Director General Tiwari said, “We are planning to create an integrated digital immigration system to integrate the data of all agencies including passport department, foreign employment department, consular service department and security agencies with the immigration system.” ’

Similarly, he shared plans for human resource development and strengthening, development of expertise and professionalism, high level of integrity and discipline, inter-agency coordination and cooperation.

He pointed out the need to create a strong and stable mechanism for information exchange and collaboration among the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Labour, Home Affairs, Nepal Police and The National Investigation Department to solve the problems from the visit visa process.

In 2024, 271,305 Nepalis travelled to different countries on visit visas. In 2023, 202,419 Nepalis travelled, while in 2022, 175,790 and 90,181 Nepalis travelled on visit visas. This number has reached 134,825 as of July 2025. Uae, Thailand, Oman, Qatar, Malaysia are among the major destination countries to go on visit visa.

“The visit visa problem can only be solved by broad, integrated and far-reaching thinking, not by bold and reactive reforms. “The department has concluded that a new roadmap of facilitation, regulation and protection should be adopted, rising above the failed rhetoric of ‘tightening the visit visa’,” he said.

The Department has said that it has prepared a plan to work on arrival on priority in the coming days in a situation where the entire country is focused only on departure management and its debate.

Significant increase in the number of women

There has been a significant increase in the number of female passengers going on visit visas. The share of women in total numbers increased from 14.4 per cent in 2021 to 42.1 per cent in 2024. Especially in destinations like UAE and Thailand, the number of female passengers is significant.

Similarly, UAE, Oman and Kuwait are the only destinations where the total number of female passengers has exceeded that of men in the last five years.

The visit and tourist visas must have valid passports and travel visas for travel purposes, two-way air tickets, letters disclosing all details of the person or organization bearing the expenses, or proof of exchange of foreign currency at least USD 500 or equivalent.

Chief Immigration Officer at the Airport Immigration Office, Narahari Ghimire, said that they have been engaged with a special action plan to solve the problems seen in the visit visa process. Pledging to move ahead by reforming the issue of inter-system connectivity, he said, “It is a matter related to the dignity of the nation and support of all agencies and sectors is needed to achieve success in it.” Only then can good governance be maintained. ’

Stating that the goal of immigration reform is to create a technology-friendly, safe, efficient, transparent and accountable system to the citizens, he said that only then can the national security be protected and the rights and dignity of themselves and foreign citizens will be respected.

People going to different countries for employment through visit visas have been cheated at various levels. Such people are duped up to half a dozen levels when they reach immigration.

In particular, due to the hassles and delays in the labor process, the rapid ness of going abroad on a visit visa, the avoidance of government restrictions, cost and financial inducements, the general public does not like to go abroad for work with labor permit.

Apart from this, opaque fees, attractive salaries and temptations of work, trust and deception of agents/brokers, ignorance of risks, bonding with employers, thinking of finding work of their own free will have also increased the number of people going abroad for work on a visit visa rather than taking labor permit.