Nepal Tracks Over 125,000 Foreign Visitors, Including Americans, Among 400,000 Arrivals

Nepal has brought more than 125,000 foreign nationals—including thousands of Americans—under a new digital monitoring system within the first four and a half months of 2026, according to the Department of Immigration.

The Foreign National Monitoring Information System (FNMIS), launched Jan. 1, initially at star-rated hotels in Kathmandu, is designed to systematically record the stay and activities of foreign visitors entering the country. The system was expanded March 1 to make participation mandatory for all service providers catering to foreign nationals.

Immigration officials said data on about 125,000 foreign visitors who entered Nepal between January and May 12 have already been recorded in the system.

“The primary objective of implementing this system is to ensure the safety of foreign nationals, strengthen national security, monitor activities, and help control potential crimes,” said Tikaram Dhakal, director and spokesperson for the Department of Immigration. He added that the system is also expected to support tourism promotion by reinforcing Nepal’s image as a safe destination.

Dhakal said the system would facilitate faster response in emergencies, including search and rescue operations involving foreign nationals.

So far, 1,543 service providers—including hotels, travel agencies, and domestic airlines—have been integrated into the system. Of those, only 94 are hotels, reflecting slower-than-expected adoption in the hospitality sector.

According to the department, limited awareness, weak technical capacity among small and medium-sized hotels, and operational challenges in adopting digital systems have hindered wider participation.

Tek Bahadur Mahat, chief executive officer of Hotel Association Nepal (HAN), said improving foreign visitor monitoring and security requires broader coordination beyond hotel operators alone.

“Cooperation from all three levels of government, tourism-related agencies, and even the informal accommodation sector is essential,” Mahat said, noting that HAN’s outreach is largely limited to its member hotels.

He added that many accommodation providers, including homestays, apartments, and bed-and-breakfasts, remain outside formal networks and must be included in awareness and coordination efforts.

Despite some localized coordination efforts in tourist hubs such as Sauraha and Pokhara, Mahat said nationwide awareness and orientation programs are needed across all seven provinces.

In a recent review meeting held Tuesday, officials from the Home Ministry, Nepal Tourism Board, Department of Tourism, Inland Revenue Department, HAN, and Tourist Police agreed to strengthen monitoring of service providers and accelerate system adoption.

Authorities are also considering integrating the monitoring system with services provided by the Inland Revenue Department and tourism regulators to improve compliance.

Additionally, the Immigration Department is preparing to publish a list of registered hotels on its official portal and require foreign nationals to select from those listed accommodations while applying for visas.

Tourist arrivals to Nepal have continued to rise in early 2026. A total of 426,464 foreign nationals entered the country between January and April, according to immigration data.

Monthly figures show 92,573 arrivals in January, 105,441 in February, 120,516 in March, and 107,934 in April.

Indian nationals accounted for the largest share of visitors each month, followed by travelers from countries including China, the United States, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Australia, and the United Kingdom.

In 2025, Nepal recorded 1,158,459 foreign arrivals for the full year, with 98,190 visitors in December alone.

Officials say the new monitoring system is a sensitive initiative directly tied to national security, and further policy measures are under study to ensure broader compliance and effectiveness.