Published: December 20, 2024
This report is intended to supplement the U.S. Department of State Nepal Travel Advisory and Nepal Country Information Page.
Embassy & Consulate Contact Information
U.S. Embassy Kathmandu
Maharajgunj, Kathmandu.
Embassy Operator: +977-1-423-4000
24/7 Marine Security Guard Post One: +977-1-423-4100 or 3100
Hours of Operation: 0800-1700, Monday – Friday.
OSAC Country Chapters
Nepal’s OSAC Country Chapter meets annually. Interested private-sector security managers should contact OSAC’s Asia team with any questions.
Nepal Travel Advisory
The current U.S. Department of State Travel Advisory at the date of this report’s publication assesses that travelers should exercise increased caution in Nepal due to the potential for isolated political violence.
Crime
The U.S. Department of State has assessed Kathmandu as being a MEDIUM-threat location for crime directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests.
The U.S. Department of State has not included a Crime “C” Indicator on the Travel Advisory for Nepal.
The crime emergency line in Nepal is 100.
Much of the criminal activity affecting Nepal is street crime, such as bag snatching and pickpocketing. Expatriates are potential targets due to their perceived wealth and possible lack of area expertise and security awareness. The welcoming and kind nature of Nepalis can often give people a false sense of security and make them vulnerable to exploitation by unscrupulous actors.
Burglary and violent crime (e.g., assault, murder) occasionally occur throughout the country. Firearms are not common, but criminals use them occasionally; the use of edged weapons and acts of physical assault are more common. Homemade guns are also common as the only citizens who are legally allowed to own them are current/former military and police. While foreigners can be targets of violent crime, particularly in the common nightlife areas, travelers can manage most risk through good procedural and personal security practices.
Be aware of your surroundings. Foreigners have occasionally had sedative drugs added to their food or drink by individuals who seek to rob or otherwise take advantage of them.
In recent years, there appears to have been an increase in traditional criminal activities by organized criminal gangs, such as smuggling and targeted assassinations of business or labor leaders. These activities usually target Nepali citizens and residents.
Areas associated with substantial tourist activity are also areas of concern for criminal activity, particularly in Kathmandu’s Thamel neighborhood, the city of Pokhara, and the Annapurna region.
While not common, sexual assaults against foreigners have been reported, including in popular tourist areas of Kathmandu and Pokhara, and in remote mountainous areas.
Adventure travel such as trekking, rafting, and climbing in the Himalayas has significant security and safety concerns due to the nature of the activities, the likelihood of isolation, and the consistent lack of a timely emergency response. Opportunistic crime is also a concern. Travelers interested in engaging in adventure travel should only do so through reputable organized groups and/or reliable companies that provide an experienced guide and porters who can communicate in Nepali and English. As of April 2023, the Government of Nepal has instituted a national law that required foreign independent travelers (FIT) to use a local guide or porter while trekking in Nepal’s official national parks and protected areas. The majority of serious and deadly situations that have occurred while trekking was from solo trekkers.
Kidnapping Threat
The U.S. Department of State has not included a Kidnapping “K” Indicator on the Travel Advisory for Nepal.
While kidnapping and human trafficking does occur in Nepal, these activities usually target Nepali citizens and residents.
Terrorism
The U.S. Department of State has assessed Kathmandu as being a MEDIUM-threat location for terrorism directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests.
The U.S. Department of State has not included a Terrorism “T” Indicator on the Travel Advisory for Nepal.
Terror attacks in Nepal have significantly reduced since the civil war ended in 2006. However, due to the open-border policy with India and few immigration controls, terrorists have used Nepal as a transit point in the past, with the majority of terrorism related activities being domestic and targeting host nation government.
Indigenous guerilla groups have been responsible for a number of terrorist acts in the past, many of which have relied on placements of small-scale improvised explosive devices (IEDs). The use of explosives has been a common tactic of political competition, workplace disputes, and extortion in Nepal. Every year, authorities attribute a number of small bombings in various locations throughout the country to the Biplav Group. The Communist Party of Nepal (CPN, commonly known as “Biplav”) is a political faction that split from the former Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Center) in 2015. During the 2019 by-elections, Biplav organized multiple nationwide protests, which were usually accompanied by IED attacks and other forms of violence.
Biplav’s use of IEDs – even as hoaxes – is now on the decline, though these methods of political activism are still capable of causing collateral harm. After the uptick in violence in 2019, government efforts to neutralize the group reduced its capacity. In March 2021, the group signed a peace accord with the government, further decreasing the number of IED incidents.
Not all incidents have involved functional devices, with some appearing to have failed to detonate and others clearly built as hoaxes designed to spread fear or send a message. Most IEDs do not appear to target maximizing deaths or injuries. Rather, the use of IEDs in Nepal is predominantly to damage property, detonating away from crowds and at off-hours. Future attacks are likely to remain focused on publicly accessible government and commercial infrastructure. However, three IED explosions in Kathmandu in May 2019 did result in several deaths and numerous injuries.
Political Violence and Civil Unrest
The U.S. Department of State has assessed Kathmandu as being a MEDIUM-threat location for political violence directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests.
The U.S. Department of State has included a Civil Unrest “U” Indicator on the Travel Advisory for Nepal, indicating that demonstrations, protests, and/or strikes occur frequently, and/or that local law enforcement may have limited ability to respond adequately. Civil unrest can develop quickly without prior notice, often interrupting logistics and services. Avoid demonstration activity, as even those planned to remain peaceful have the potential to turn violent.
Elections/Political Stability
Nepal held its general election in November 2022. Despite the limited and sporadic violence that occurred during and after the 2019 elections, the 2022 elections were relatively peaceful. After power sharing talks between the Democratic Alliance broke down on December 25, 2022, CPN chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal was chosen as prime minister with the majority of Parliament’s support.
The potential for isolated political-related violence remains a real risk in Nepal. There are occasionally small-scale improvised explosive device (IED) incidents in various parts of Nepal, particularly during periods of heightened political tension. Reported incidents have not been directed toward Westerners or Western interests but have caused injury and damage to nearby individuals and property. The Embassy is also aware of extortion attempts and threats of violence by a local group against private businesses and aid organizations, including local and international schools within the Kathmandu Valley. Historically, violent political activity has been more prevalent in the Terai – the southern plains region of Nepal bordering India – than elsewhere in Nepal. Demonstrations have on occasion turned violent, although these activities generally have not been directed at U.S. citizens.
Protests & Demonstrations
Bandhs (general strikes) were formerly a common form of political agitation in Nepal but have occurred only infrequently in recent years. Bandhs are unpredictable, may include violent incidents, and can occur with little notice. They can cause schools and businesses to close and can stop traffic. Individuals not complying with bandhs may be harassed, and in extreme cases assaulted, by supporters. If you plan air travel to or from Nepal during a scheduled bandh, please note that transportation may be affected. Usually, bandh organizers allow specially marked buses operated by the Nepal Tourism Board to travel between the airport and major tourist hotels. Do not attend or approach political demonstrations or checkpoints established during bandhs. Avoid all unnecessary travel where bandhs are occurring.
Anti-U.S./Anti-Western Sentiment
Nepal is generally friendly and welcoming to U.S. and Western visitors. However, domestic political messaging does occasionally propagate conspiracy theories surrounding U.S. foreign aid programs and accusations of Western imperialism. In 2021-2022, there were dozens of peaceful protests against U.S. activities in Nepal. Several large demonstrations occurred in the vicinity of the U.S. Embassy; at least one resulted in a physical confrontation between demonstrators and local police.
Law Enforcement
The Nepal Police (NP) and the Armed Police Force (APF) are the primary police agencies. The NP wear blue marked uniforms and are routinely seen directing traffic and patrolling streets. They are the primary criminal investigative agency for law enforcement. The APF usually wear blue camouflage and are often seen providing security for government or critical infrastructure facilities. The APF would be the responding agency in the case of an emergency. The APF do not have arrest authority and cannot conduct a criminal investigation. Victims of crime must contact the NP to file a report.
Security personnel have been accused of using excessive force in controlling protests in recent years have not faced much accountability, nor did most human rights violators during the 1996-2006 civil conflict.
Police Response
A lack of resources and training hinders security and law enforcement agencies, as do varying levels of professionalism. Response to a crime may take an extended period or may not occur at all. Many criminal cases reported to the police remain unresolved.
U.S. citizens harassed or detained by local police should contact the U.S. Embassy's Consular Section/American Citizen Services at +977-1-423-4000. For assistance after-hours, ask for American Citizen Services when prompted by the Marine Security Guard at Post One.
Based on the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, and customary international law, an arrested U.S. citizen has the option to request that the police, prison officials, or other authorities alert the U.S. Embassy, and have communications forwarded to the U.S. Embassy.
Travelers with Special Considerations
For specific traveler concerns in Nepal, review the local laws and circumstances on the Department of State’s Country Information Page.
Rule of Law, Arbitrary Detention, Official Harassment, Corruption, & Transparency
The U.S. Department of State has not included a Risk of Wrongful Detention “D” Indicator on the Travel Advisory for Nepal.
Human rights organizations have documented some abuses by members of the security forces, some arbitrary detention, some restrictions on free expression and assembly, and reports of significant acts of corruption.
The law provided criminal penalties for corruption by officials, but the government did not implement the law effectively. There were numerous reports of government corruption. During fiscal year July 2021 – July 2022 (latest report available), the Commission for the Investigations of Abuse of Authority filed 114 cases of bribery against 443 individuals. Corruption remained a problem within police, the Armed Police Force, and local governments.
Cybersecurity
In 2019, authorities uncovered a ring of criminals using stolen ATM cards to drain ATMs throughout Kathmandu. ATM card skimming and other forms of electronic bank fraud do occur occasionally in the larger cities of Nepal.
Import/Export Restrictions
There are no issues with bringing a satellite phone into Nepal, however prior approval for frequency and its use should be obtained from the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology.
Nepal restricts the import and export of certain controlled items such as narcotics, radio communication equipment, and firearms. In addition, Nepal prohibits the import of beef and beef products.
Nepal customs regulations are complex. Customs authorities enforce strict regulations concerning importation (even temporarily) and exportation of certain items. Do not carry other valuable metals, articles of archaeological or religious significance, wildlife or related items, drugs, or weapons and ammunition. Do extensive research before importing household pets (including cats and dogs), communications equipment, and other items that might be perceived as sensitive. Drones are strictly regulated throughout Nepal and require special permission from the Home Ministry and other government authorities.
Items purported to be for donation to schools, hospitals, and other social organizations have sometimes been confiscated or cleared only after payment of a significant fine for failure to obtain prior approval from the Ministry of Finance. Those wishing to donate items to a charity or any organization in Nepal must obtain prior approval for waiver of the custom fees from the Ministry of Finance by sending a formal request letter (not via email). The request should include detailed information about the items to be imported, as well as the organizations receiving the donations. The Secretary will review the request and refer it to the Ministerial level for final decision and approval. Note that all requests are processed on a case-by-case basis. It is highly recommended that intended recipient(s) coordinate with the Ministry to get requests processed.
Do not carry any amount of pure gold, more than 50 grams of gold jewelry, or more than 100 grams of silver into Nepal. You will be detained, the valuables will be seized, and you will need to pay a fine equivalent to the full value of the items seized in order to be released.
A country-specific listing of items/goods prohibited from being exported to the country or that are otherwise restricted is available from the U.S. International Trade Agency website.
Additional resources and reports can be found in the OSAC Traveler Toolkit.
