Nepal

Film Development Board

Visas & Work Permits

Nationals of most countries can obtain a visa on arrival.

Please contact a local embassy, consulate or representative for more information. Alternatively, there are specialist companies that provide visa and immigration support to the media industry who may be able to assist.

Film Location Permits

A film location permit is required from the Ministry of Information & Communication. Only one permit is required for the entire project. The fee amount will depend on the location of the shoot. Allow at least two weeks for processing.

Once a permit is approved, the Ministry of Information & Communication will assign a liaison officer to the project, at the expense of the production.

Please note that some temples in the Kathmandu area are restricted for filming.

Customs

For productions looking to bring in film equipment, Nepal is not an ATA carnet country.

Bringing in gear is an easy process. Nepal also has most of the standard camera, grip and lighting equipment for hire.

When to Film

The best months to film high-altitude are from March to May and September to December. The winters are very cold making it difficult to reach higher altitudes. Summers are cloudy, hiding the most spectacular views of peaks.

The best months to film in Nepal’s lowlands are from January to April and October to November.

Kathmandu and Pokhahra can be filmed all year-round. However, June to August is the monsoon season where most of the rain falls.

Nepal is a predominately Hindu country, so those holidays are observed. There is also a Buddhist and Muslim minority.

Public Holidays

Public holidays may affect timing, availability and costs. See here for public holiday dates in Nepal.

Filming in and around Kathmandu isn’t expensive.

Some crew and equipment may also need to be brought in from abroad, which will add to the cost of filming.

The standard VAT rate in Nepal at the time of writingl is set at 13%.

Incentives

At the time of writing, this country does not have any filming incentives. However, up to date information on global filming incentives may be found on the Entertainment Partners' Production Incentives Map.

At the time of writing, the UK does not have a trade agreement with this country. However, up to date information about UK trade agreements can be found on the GOV.UK website.