Delays, rejections, bans, and unclear rules can put your visa and immigration plans on hold. As an immigration law firm in Nepal, Sherpa Law Associates provides legal counsel on such matters. With 10+ years of combined experience, our Kathmandu team works with everything. From routine visa applications to complex time-sensitive cases, we help you identify the right legal pathway for your circumstances.
What Immigration Legal Services Do We Provide in Nepal?
As an immigration legal service provider in Nepal, we provide the following different types of visa services:
Business Visa and Investment Immigration
We advise foreign investors on business visa requirements, including how immigration status relates to underlying investment and business activity. This covers business visa applications, coordination with company registration and investment documentation, and ongoing compliance once established in Nepal.
Work Visa and Work Permit Services
We act for foreign nationals employed in Nepal and the employers who support them, reviewing eligibility and documentation, coordinating with relevant authorities, and advising on work visa and work permit extensions. We also clarify the distinction between permission to stay and authorisation to work.
Family, Spouse and Marriage Visa Services
We advise foreign nationals married to Nepali citizens, and others with family or dependent immigration matters, on documentation and legal steps, including court marriage assistance where required. Complex cases involving nationality, marriage and citizenship are assessed individually.
Study and Education Visa Services
We assist foreign students and researchers with education-related visa documentation, coordinate with educational institutions where needed, and advise on ministry or authority recommendations where applicable. We also support clients with extensions and compliance throughout the study period.
NRN Visa Services
We assess eligibility for non-resident Nepali (NRN) visa status, assist with documentation and applications, and advise on residence and, where relevant, investment or business considerations. We also assist where nationality or documentation issues complicate an application.
Tourist Visa Extensions and Status Matters
We assist with tourist visa extensions, other status-related applications, and the documentation and compliance requirements involved. Where a client's immigration history includes an overstay or related issue, we can advise on how this is likely to affect a current or future application.
Citizenship and Naturalisation
We provide legal guidance on citizenship matters, including citizenship by descent, naturalisation, and the renunciation of Nepalese citizenship. These matters often involve detailed documentation and, in some cases, disputed or unclear facts, which we work through with clients individually.
Immigration Appeals, Investigations and Litigation
Where a visa application has been refused, a dispute has arisen, or a client faces an overstay penalty, immigration investigation or detention-related matter, we advise on the available legal options, including appeals and judicial proceedings before the relevant authorities and Nepalese courts.
What Sets Our Immigration Lawyers Apart?
We handle visas, extensions, overstay matters and appeals with the Department of Immigration directly, so you get practical advice from lawyers who deal with these processes every week, not generic guidance.
Talk to an immigration lawyer!Facing a Visa Deadline or Overstay?
Time matters in immigration cases. Message us with your visa type and dates, and we'll tell you the options available and what to do next.
Book a consultation today!Why Work With an Immigration Law Firm in Nepal?
Immigration rules in Nepal can involve multiple authorities, overlapping requirements and documentation that needs to be both accurate and consistent. Working with an immigration lawyer near you in Kathmandu can help you:
Determine the appropriate visa or immigration pathway before you submit documents
Understand the eligibility and documentation requirements that apply to your case
Identify potential issues before filing, rather than after a refusal
Prepare legally sound applications and supporting documents
Coordinate with employers, investors, family members or institutions where more than one party is involved
Communicate with immigration authorities where legal representation is appropriate
Manage visa extensions, status changes and ongoing compliance requirements
Respond to immigration disputes, penalties or investigations
Navigate matters that may fall under more than one government authority
We do not offer guarantees of approval, promise a fixed processing timeline, or claim a particular success rate, since every immigration matter depends on the applicant's individual circumstances and the discretion of the relevant authority. What we offer is case-specific legal advice, prepared on the basis of your actual facts and documentation.
How Can Sherpa Law Associates Help With Your Immigration Matter?
Initial Immigration Assessment
We start by understanding your nationality, purpose of stay, current immigration status and intended duration in Nepal, then identify the relevant immigration route and review any potential eligibility issues early.
Legal and Documentation Review
We identify the documents required for your matter, review your existing documents for consistency and completeness, and explain what additional supporting evidence may be needed.
Application Preparation
We assist with completing application forms and preparing supporting documentation, coordinating information between you, your employer, family members or relevant organisations as needed.
Government Liaison
Where appropriate, we correspond and liaise with the relevant authorities on your behalf, and assist with procedural requirements and follow-up.
Immigration Compliance
We advise on the conditions attached to your immigration status and support businesses employing foreign nationals with their ongoing compliance obligations.
Representation in Disputes
Where an immigration matter becomes disputed, we provide legal representation and assess the appeal, administrative or judicial remedies available to you.
Where Does Your Immigration Situation Stand?
Immigration problems tend to escalate the longer they are left. Find the stage closest to your situation and see how we can help at each one.
- Before your visa expires
- After your visa has expired
- If authorities are involved
- Before your visa expiresExtensions & Status Changes
Do You Need Help With a Visa Extension or Change of Immigration Status?
We assist with visa extension applications and, where legally available, the conversion of one immigration status to another. This includes advising on documentation requirements, timing considerations, and how to handle a visa that has expired or is approaching expiry, along with general advice on maintaining lawful status. We can also represent clients before the relevant authorities where this is necessary.
Important: Immigration status can depend on the type of visa, your nationality, your purpose of stay and the applicable rules at the time. Clients should obtain case-specific legal advice before allowing their visa or authorised stay to expire.
- After your visa has expiredOverstay
What Happens If Your Nepal Visa Expires or You Overstay?
Overstaying a visa in Nepal can carry consequences that depend on the individual's immigration history and circumstances. We assess your immigration history, advise on overstay fines or penalties where applicable, and, where needed, communicate with the Department of Immigration on your behalf. We also assist with applications or representations concerning overstay matters, and advise on appeals or judicial remedies where these are legally available.
Act promptly: If your visa has already expired or you believe you may have overstayed, it is generally advisable to seek legal advice promptly rather than wait, since the options available can narrow the longer a matter is left unaddressed.
- If authorities are involvedInvestigations & Detention
Can an Immigration Lawyer Represent You During an Investigation or Detention?
Yes. We assist clients facing immigration investigations involving alleged documentation or visa violations, including passport or visa-related allegations, as well as detention-related matters. This includes communicating with the relevant authorities, representation during immigration proceedings where permitted, and assessing the legal remedies available. Where a matter also involves criminal allegations, we coordinate with other legal professionals as needed.
How Do We Handle Immigration Appeals and Litigation?
We review the underlying immigration decision, identify any procedural or legal issues, and prepare representations or appeals where these are available. This can include representation before the Department of Immigration and other relevant authorities, as well as judicial review or writ proceedings where appropriate, and representation before Nepalese courts in immigration-related matters.
It's worth distinguishing between two different types of representation:
Discuss Your AppealAdministrative immigration representation
Where we engage directly with the Department of Immigration or another authority on a procedural or discretionary matter
Judicial proceedings or litigation
Where a matter is brought before, or defended in, the Nepalese court system.
We can advise on which route applies to your case and what it involves.
What Immigration Compliance Support Do We Provide to Employers and Businesses?
We support Nepalese companies employing foreign nationals, international companies, multinational organisations, diplomatic missions, international agencies, and employers bringing foreign experts into Nepal. Our immigration compliance support covers:
- Immigration obligations relating to foreign workers
- Work authorisation documentation
- Employee immigration records
- Visa and work permit renewals
- Internal immigration procedures and policies
- Compliance reviews and risk identification
- Government correspondence
- Support during immigration inspections or investigations
- Immigration policies for organisations with international workforces
Can We Help International Companies and Foreign Experts Working in Nepal?
Yes. We advise foreign experts entering Nepal for employment or assignments, and international companies establishing or expanding operations here, on their cross-border workforce and immigration planning needs. This includes coordinating between employer and employee on immigration matters, handling government-facing immigration procedures, and supporting diplomatic missions and international organisations with their immigration requirements.
Talk to Our TeamWhat Citizenship and Naturalisation Matters Can Our Lawyers Advise On?
Citizenship by Descent
We advise individuals born to Nepali citizens on citizenship by descent, including documentation and lineage issues, and more complex cases involving parental or maternal documentation.
Naturalisation
We advise foreign nationals seeking Nepalese citizenship through legally recognised routes, including foreign spouses and the applicable legal requirements, and assist with documentation and eligibility assessment.
Renunciation of Nepalese Citizenship
We advise Nepalese citizens who have acquired foreign nationality on the legal and procedural requirements concerning renunciation, along with the documentation and status considerations involved.
Nationality and Immigration Complications
We assist with cases involving conflicting nationality documents, birth abroad, marriage and nationality questions, and citizenship documentation disputes.
Who Can Benefit From Our Immigration Legal Services?
Individuals
- Foreign nationals living or working in Nepal
- Foreign spouses
- Students and researchers
- Investors
- Foreign experts
- NRNs
Businesses
- Companies employing foreign nationals
- Foreign-owned businesses
- Multinational companies
- Companies bringing international experts to Nepal
Institutions
- Universities
- International organisations
- Diplomatic missions
- NGOs/INGOs, where applicable
Why Choose Sherpa Law Associates for Immigration Matters in Kathmandu?
Looking for trusted immigration lawyers in Kathmandu? Whether you need an immigration advisor for a first visa or a legal team for a complex case, we guide you from the first question to the final decision. Here's why clients choose us.
- 10+
- Years Combined Experience
- 5+
- Years Individual Experience
- NBC
- Nepal Bar Council Licensed
Registered advocates
Every advocate is licensed with the Nepal Bar Council under the Nepal Bar Council Act, 2050 (1993).
Proven practice
5+ years of individual experience, and 10+ years combined across civil, corporate, criminal and commercial law.
Built for tough cases
Rejections, disputes and tight deadlines are part of our everyday work.
Clear, direct guidance
You'll always know where your case stands and what comes next.
Honest advice
We tell you what's possible and what isn't. No empty promises.
Business-minded support
Our corporate team steps in when your case involves employment or investment.
How Much Does an Immigration Lawyer Cost in Nepal?
There is no single, fixed answer to immigration lawyer fees for spouse visa applications, work visa matters or any other category, since legal fees in immigration matters depend on a range of factors, including:
- The visa category involved
- The number of applicants
- The complexity of the matter
- Documentation and translation requirements
- The extent of government liaison required
- Application preparation work
- Whether appeals or disputes are involved
- Whether court representation is required
- The urgency and overall complexity of the case
Because of this, we do not publish a standard fee for immigration matters. We provide a case-specific fee estimate once we understand your circumstances.
| Type of Matter | Tentative Legal Fee Range (NPR) |
|---|---|
| Initial consultation | Tentative Legal Fee Range (NPR)Often free for an introductory call, or roughly NPR 2,000 to 5,000 where a paid consultation applies |
| Straightforward visa application or extension (business, work, study, family) | Tentative Legal Fee Range (NPR)Roughly NPR 5,000 to 15,000 |
| More complex applications (multiple applicants, foreign investment, labour coordination) | Tentative Legal Fee Range (NPR)Roughly NPR 15,000 to 40,000, depending on scope |
| Overstay, investigation or detention-related representation | Tentative Legal Fee Range (NPR)Assessed case by case, generally higher due to urgency and authority liaison involved |
| Appeals, judicial review or court representation | Tentative Legal Fee Range (NPR)Assessed case by case, typically the highest tier given court fees, drafting and representation time |
These figures are indicative only and should not be treated as a quotation. They exclude separate government fees payable to the Department of Immigration, which are generally modest and set independently of legal fees, along with any translation, notarisation or document-processing charges. Actual legal fees depend entirely on your specific matter, and we provide a case-specific fee estimate once we understand your circumstances.
What Is the Process for Working With an Immigration Lawyer in Kathmandu?
- 01
Initial Consultation
We discuss your immigration objective and current status.
- 02
Eligibility & Legal Assessment
We identify the applicable immigration route and any potential issues.
- 03
Documentation & Strategy
We determine the documents, evidence and procedural requirements involved.
- 04
Application / Representation
We prepare and submit the relevant applications, or represent you before the relevant authorities.
- 05
Follow-Up & Resolution
We handle follow-up, extensions, compliance issues, appeals or further proceedings where required.
Need an Immigration Lawyer in Kathmandu? Speak With Sherpa Law Associates
With a team of the best local attorneys, Sherpa Law Associates is your guide to an immigration lawyer in Nepal. Whether you need advice on a work visa, business visa, family visa, citizenship matter or an urgent overstay or investigation issue, our immigration lawyers can assess your situation and advise on the options available to you.
- 30-minute consultation
- No obligation
- Response within 24 hours
Frequently Asked Questions About Immigration Law in Nepal
Tourist visa validity and extension limits depend on current Department of Immigration rules, which can change. We recommend confirming your specific entitlement with us or directly with the Department before relying on it.
Disclaimer: This page provides general information about immigration law services in Nepal and does not constitute legal advice. Immigration rules, fees, processing times and eligibility requirements can change and depend on each client's individual circumstances. Please contact Sherpa Law Associates for case-specific legal advice before making decisions about your immigration status.