The Nepali Embassy in Washington, D.C., issued travel documents for 394 Nepali nationals facing deportation from the United States in 2025, according to embassy officials. The documents were issued at the request of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), with 368 men and 26 women among those receiving the paperwork.
According to Nepal’s Department of Immigration, a total of 468 Nepalis were deported from the U.S. in 2025. However, it remains unclear whether all 394 individuals who received travel documents from the embassy were among that group.
The embassy issued 407 total travel documents between January and December 2025, with the vast majority—394 documents—issued at ICE’s request. Of the total recipients, 380 were men and 27 were women, according to Aruna Ghising, Information Officer at the Nepali Embassy in D.C.
Beyond deportation cases, the embassy also provided travel documents to Nepalis who tried to reach U.S. borders through various routes but were unsuccessful and needed to return to Nepal. These included three people from Mexico (two men, one woman), nine from Panama (eight men, one woman), and two men from Costa Rica.
U.S. immigration authorities have requested travel documents from the embassy for Nepalis living without proper documentation or those who failed to meet other legal requirements. The documents are also issued to citizens without passports who need to return to Nepal.
Since the Trump administration took office, enforcement actions targeting people living illegally in the U.S. have intensified. As part of this process, U.S. immigration authorities have been coordinating with the Nepali Embassy to obtain the necessary travel documents, Ghising said.
During the same period, the embassy issued 9,168 Nepali passports through its D.C. office and mobile camps organized in various states. The embassy also issued 2,045 tourist visas in 2025.
To serve Nepalis living outside Washington, D.C., the embassy conducted mobile camps that collected passport applications and issued documents in San Francisco (1,487 passports), Colorado (506), Kentucky (248), and Ohio (148).
According to embassy data, three Nepalis (two men and one woman) formally renounced their Nepali citizenship through the embassy in 2025.
The embassy stated it continues to strengthen bilateral relations between Nepal and the U.S. while also expanding ties with other countries within its jurisdiction—including Mexico, Costa Rica, the Bahamas, Panama, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, and Belize—working to protect the interests of Nepalis residing in those nations.
Girija Adhikari
View More PostsGirija Adhikari is a Nepali journalist, author, and press freedom advocate with over two decades of experience. He has worked with leading Nepali radio stations and publications, authored several books and poetry collections, and received top honors, including the Janasewa Shree award from the Government of Nepal. A former central committee member of the Nepal Press Union, he continues to champion independent journalism.
