Moving to the USA from Nepal: Visas, Green Cards and Where to Apply

Nepal is not among the 39 countries restricted by Proclamation 10998, which took effect on January 1, 2026. But several other 2026 changes affect Nepali nationals:

• Visa bonds for visitors. Nepal was added to the State Department's visa bond list on January 21, 2026. A consular officer can require you to post a bond as a condition of getting a B-1/B-2 visa; since August 3, 2026 the amounts are $10,000, $15,000, or $20,000 (as of September 2026). The bond is refunded if you follow the visa rules and leave on time.
• Nepal was also on the list of 75 countries whose immigrant visas were paused starting January 21, 2026. A federal court vacated that pause on August 21, 2026 (CLINIC v. Rubio), and the government has appealed, so the situation can still change.
• Since August 25, 2026, the State Department has paused immigrant visa interviews at US embassies and consulates worldwide while consular officers are trained on public charge reviews. Scheduled interviews were moved to later dates, and no restart date has been announced as of September 2026. Visitor, student, and temporary work visas are not part of this pause. Details: immigrant visa pause.
• TPS ended. The US terminated Temporary Protected Status for Nepal. Nepalis in the US who relied on TPS should see TPS terminations and speak to a licensed immigration lawyer about other options.

Nepal has no E-1 or E-2 treaty with the US, so treaty investor visas are not available to Nepali nationals.

For an overview of every route, see our guide to US immigration and how US immigration works.

Yes. Nepal is not in the Visa Waiver Program, so you need a B-2 tourist visa or B-1 business visa. You complete the DS-160, pay the fee, and attend an interview in Kathmandu. If the officer requires a bond, you will get instructions to post it through the US government's official system; never pay a bond to an agent. Bond holders must also follow the entry and exit rules attached to the bond, including which ports of entry they use. The State Department's guidance is to apply for a visitor or other temporary visa at the US embassy or consulate in the country where you live. Applying elsewhere is possible but can make it harder to show you qualify.

Study. Nepal sends a large number of students to the US for its size, especially for undergraduate and master's degrees in computer science, business, and engineering. You need an I-20, proof that you can pay tuition and living costs, and a convincing plan. Student visa applicants are asked to make their social media accounts public for screening. Since September 15, 2026, new F-1 students are admitted until a fixed date instead of for "duration of status", so you may need to file for an extension if your program runs longer. See F-1 fixed admission period.

Work. Many Nepalis move from F-1 to OPT or STEM OPT and then to the H-1B. Since February 27, 2026, the H-1B lottery gives more entries to higher wage levels. A separate $100,000 fee on some new H-1B petitions (from a September 2025 proclamation) is being fought in court, with judges split as of September 2026. See H-1B $100k fee.

Family. US citizens can sponsor spouses, unmarried children under 21, and parents without an annual cap. Siblings and married children wait many years. Nepalis use rest-of-world dates in the Visa Bulletin.

Employment. EB-2 and EB-3 use rest-of-world dates; most cases need a PERM labor certification first.

Diversity Visa. Nepal has been one of the most active DV countries in Asia, and Nepalis were eligible for DV-2026. You need a high school education or two years of qualifying work experience. The Diversity Visa (DV) lottery is paused: visa issuance stopped on December 23, 2025, and DV-2027 registration never opened. See DV lottery paused.

The US Embassy in Kathmandu handles all visa categories for Nepal. Book appointments and check wait times on the embassy's website. See our visa interview guide. Use only licensed education consultants and never submit documents you have not seen; see how to avoid immigration scams.

For immigrant visas, the State Department's Nepal page lists:

• Police certificate: a Police Clearance Certificate from Nepal Police Headquarters (Character Verification Section) in Naxal, Kathmandu. Certificates applied for online and printed by the applicant are accepted.
• Birth certificate: a birth registration certificate from your ward office or municipality. People born before 1973 may only have a "recommendation of birth" instead.
• Marriage records: a marriage registration certificate from the ward office or municipality.

Since 2013, many civil documents are bilingual (Nepali and English). Others need a certified English translation.

The largest Nepali community is in New York City, centered on Jackson Heights, Woodside, and Sunnyside in Queens. Other large communities live in the Dallas-Fort Worth area of Texas (especially Irving), the Washington, DC area (Maryland and Virginia), the Boston area, and Columbus, Ohio, which also has a large Bhutanese-Nepali refugee community. Nepali cultural associations and temples are active in all of these cities.