Passport Renewal in Nepal: Fee, Documents, Time and Rules

As of 13 October 2026 (27 Asoj 2083). The rules, fees and times here are from the Department of Passports’ website, read on that date.

Passport renewal in Nepal follows the same route as a first passport: an online pre-enrolment form, one visit to an office for verification, payment, photo and fingerprints, and a second visit to collect. The difference is one choice on the form and one extra document, your current passport.

The Department’s rule on timing is simple. You can renew once less than a year of validity is left. Eleven situations let you renew earlier, and they are listed below.

Many countries will not admit a traveller whose passport is close to expiry, so check your destination’s rule before you book.

Quick answers

When you can renew

The Department says a passport should be renewed when you actually need it. An expired passport does not have to be renewed if you are not travelling.

The normal rule is that you can apply once the remaining validity is under one year. With more than a year left, you can still apply in these cases:

1. The passport is too old to read, torn, worn, or has an error that makes it unusable.
2. You report it lost.
3. Pages are defaced or torn, or special circumstances make it unusable, with proof.
4. The pages are full.
5. Your surname has changed.
6. A minor has turned sixteen and wants a passport.
7. Your face has changed from the photo because of an incident or treatment.
8. The emergency contact’s name or address has to change, with reason and proof.
9. A divorced woman wants a passport without her former husband’s surname, with proof of divorce.
10. A worker going abroad has less validity left than the approved employment period.
11. A student going abroad for higher study has less validity left than the study period.

In the lost, torn and defaced cases an extra fee applies. That is a replacement, not an ordinary renewal.

Do I have to replace my MRP with an e-passport?

No. The Department says a machine-readable passport stays usable for travel until it expires. You do not need an e-passport while it is valid.

When you do renew, what you receive is an e-passport, which carries a chip holding your photo and fingerprints.

Passport renewal fee

The Department’s fee page uses one line for both new passports and renewals.

The table is headed as the Department’s fee. Elsewhere the Department says applying there costs Rs 7,000 more than the district fee for 34 pages and Rs 10,000 more for 66 pages. By our subtraction, an ordinary renewal in the districts is Rs 5,000 for 34 pages and Rs 10,000 for 66 pages. Confirm the figure at your office.

The Department also says children under ten get a reduced fee and everyone else, including the elderly, pays the same.

Documents required for renewal

Bring supporting papers if anything is changing: the marriage registration certificate to add a husband’s surname, the divorce certificate to drop one, or an academic certificate if the date of birth is to follow it.

How to renew: step by step

1. Open the pre-enrolment form on the Department’s portal.
2. Choose “Passport Renewal”. The Department describes this as issuing a new passport with the old details kept.
3. Choose 34 or 66 pages.
4. Choose your office and book a date and time.
5. Enter your details, including the number, issue date and place of issue of your current passport.
6. Upload the documents, each scanned at 1 MB or less.
7. Submit and save the PDF.
8. Attend the office for verification, payment, photo and fingerprints.
9. Collect the new passport when the email or SMS arrives.

If a detail in the old passport was wrong, do not choose renewal out of habit. Where the mistake was your own, the Department’s guide says to choose “Modification – Data Correction”. Where it was the office’s, use the same option as the original application.

Our guide to the e-passport online form goes through each field.

Where to renew, and how long it takes

The Department accepts applicants from any district. The offices in the districts do not offer the fast service.

What happens to the old passport and its visas

The renewed passport has a new number. The old number is printed in the new passport.

On visas, the Department’s answer is careful. Generally, a visa in the old passport remains usable if you travel with both the old and the new passport. But that depends on the rules of the country concerned, so check with that country’s authority before you travel.

Take the old passport with you when you collect the new one. The Department lists it among the documents for collection.

Renewing from abroad

Apply at the Nepali embassy or consulate for the country you live in. If there is none, apply at the mission responsible for that country.

• The documents are the form, your citizenship or minor identity card, your current passport and the fee receipt.
• A national identity card is not compulsory for applications at missions.
• Fees and procedure can differ from mission to mission, so ask yours.
• A relative cannot have your passport made in Nepal on your behalf. The Department says this is not possible.
• If you need to travel before the e-passport arrives, a mission can issue a temporary handwritten passport. The Department warns that it is generally not accepted for travel to other countries, though it can be used to return to Nepal and, in some countries, to apply for a visa.

If you applied at a mission and had to return to Nepal before the passport arrived, tell the mission. A passport that has not yet been dispatched can be collected from the Department with the mission’s recommendation letter.

Common mistakes in renewal

1. Waiting until the last month. District times run to weeks.
2. Choosing “first issuance” when you have held a machine-readable passport before.
3. Typing the name differently from the old passport without the papers to support the change.
4. Leaving the old passport at home on the day of the visit.
5. Assuming old visas carry over. Check with the country that issued them.
6. Signing at the counter without reading. After approval, a mistake means a new application.

If your new passport is for study abroad, the next papers are usually the NOC and attested certificates. See our NOC guide and the list of National ID documents if you still need that card.

Frequently asked questions

When can I renew my passport in Nepal?

When less than one year of validity is left. You can renew earlier in listed cases, such as full pages, a changed surname, damage, or a work or study period longer than the remaining validity.

What is the passport renewal fee in Nepal?

At the Department of Passports, Rs 12,000 for 34 pages and Rs 20,000 for 66 pages. The Department says that is Rs 7,000 and Rs 10,000 above the district fee.

What documents are required for passport renewal?

The submitted online form, your current passport, your citizenship certificate, your national identity card or proof of application, and the fee receipt.

How long does passport renewal take?

Within 2 working days at the Department. In the districts the Department’s pages give 10 to 30 days and 15 to 45 days.

Will my passport number change after renewal?

Yes. A new number is issued, and the old number is printed in the new passport.

Can I still use the visa in my old passport?

Generally yes, if you carry both passports, but it depends on the country. Confirm with that country’s authority.

Conclusion

Passport renewal in Nepal is the first-passport process with “Passport Renewal” selected and the old passport in your hand. Apply once less than a year of validity remains, or earlier if one of the eleven cases fits.

Leave time for it. If your travel date is close, the Department in Kathmandu is the only place that issues within two working days, at a higher fee.

Sources

• Department of Passports, when to renew a passport: https://nepalpassport.gov.np/process/-5
• Department of Passports, passport fee page: https://nepalpassport.gov.np/process/-41
• Department of Passports, where to apply and documents required: https://nepalpassport.gov.np/process/-2 and https://nepalpassport.gov.np/process/-3
• Department of Passports, how to fill the application form: https://nepalpassport.gov.np/process/-6
• Department of Passports, frequently asked questions: https://nepalpassport.gov.np/process/process-2

Digital Solution Pvt. Ltd. is an independent publisher and is not affiliated with the Department of Passports. Figures are translated from the Department’s Nepali pages as read on the date shown. The district fee is our own subtraction from two of the Department’s statements. Confirm at your office or mission.

Written by

Rabin Paudel

Rabin Paudel is the Founder of Digital Solution, a Content Creator, and an AI Trainer. He shares practical and easy-to-understand content on Artificial Intelligence, Digital Literacy, Online Services, FinTech, and Technology. His mission is to make technology simple, accessible, and useful for everyone.

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