The World Desk Floor 1 · South Asia

Room 102

Nepal

Namaste. How may I help you?

Foreign investment approval first, then the Company Registrar, PAN/VAT and the EXIM code.

Capital
Kathmandu
Currency
Nepalese rupee (NPR)
Guide
Overview · full guide in preparation
Last checked
Kathmandu Pokhara Biratnagar Birgunj

The concierge

What do you need in Nepal?

01 · Set up

Ways to be present

Registry: Office of the Company Registrar (OCR). Foreign investment is approved first by the Department of Industry (or the Investment Board for large projects) under the Foreign Investment and Technology Transfer Act, 2019.

Private limited company

Most foreign and domestic businesses.

  • Foreign ownership up to 100% in most permitted sectors
  • Some sectors are closed to foreign investment (the "negative list")
  • Minimum foreign investment commonly cited at NPR 20 million for most sectors (reduced in 2022)

Branch or liaison office

A foreign company that wants presence without a subsidiary.

  • Registered with the OCR as a foreign company office
  • Activities limited to what the approval allows

Public limited company

Larger ventures raising capital widely.

  • Higher capital and governance requirements

01 · Set up

First registrations

  1. 01

    Foreign investment approval

    Department of Industry approval comes before company registration.

  2. 02

    Company registration

    Memorandum, articles, promoter documents and the approval letter, filed with the OCR.

  3. 03

    PAN and VAT

    PAN from the Inland Revenue Department; VAT (13%) above the turnover thresholds, and in listed sectors regardless of turnover.

  4. 04

    Local and central bank records

    Ward-level business registration; foreign capital inflow recorded with Nepal Rastra Bank through the bank.

02 · Trade

Moving goods

Paid-up capital and bank security conditions for the EXIM code differ between sources: confirm with the Department of Customs.

  1. 01

    Obtain the EXIM code (13 digits) through the Nepal National Single Window / Department of Customs

  2. 02

    Declare imports and exports on the customs system (ASYCUDA World), usually through a customs agent

  3. 03

    Trade with India moves overland or through Indian ports in transit; payments with India can be made in Indian rupees

03 · Close

Done when

Watch

  • The approval step is usually the longest part: plan weeks, not days
  • Repatriation of profits needs the foreign investment to be recorded properly from the start

Sources

Checked against

  • Nepal National Single Window nnsw.gov.np
  • FDI approval process (2026 practitioner guide) nitipartners.com
  • Plus each authority’s own portal. Several points come from practitioner reports; where they disagreed, the text above says so.