Nepal to deport 12 North Koreans

A government team raided North Korean Botonggang Restaurant in Kathmandu today as it did not follow the law of the land, and operated illegally.
Nepal – in an attempt to abide by UN resolution 2397 that requires member states to prohibit North Koreans from engaging in businesses in foreign countries – has rounded up 12 North Korean citizens, who were found to be working illegally at the Durbar Marg-based restaurant. Their visas expired on October 31, according to the Department of Immigration. “They were living and working in Nepal without any valid visas.”
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) citizens were asked to sign statements attesting to their illegal status in Nepal and let go upon the condition that they present themselves the next day at the Department of Immigration, according to officials.
The raid team consisted of chief of National Intelligence Department Ganesh Adhikari and senior officials from the departments of Immigration and Industry. Out of the 12 North Koreans, six will be leaving Nepal on November 24, according to an official at the Immigration Department. The remaining six will leave the country after managing the air tickets.
The 12 individuals are among the last North Korean nationals living in Nepal, though authorities are still searching for three other North Koreans suspected to be in the country, according to the government data.
According to UN resolution 2397 – adopted on December 22, 2017 – members states are required to ‘repatriate all DPRK nationals earning income and all DPRK government safety oversight attachés monitoring DPRK workers abroad within their jurisdiction within 24 months from December 22, 2017.’
After December 22, 2019, any country not abiding by the sanctions will themselves face penalties, the UN resolution reads.
On November 7, Nepal’s Permanent Representative to the UN communicated to the UN Security Council that 33 nationals from the North Korea had already left the territory of Nepal on October 31 as their visas were valid until October 31 only.
“Those still living in Nepal illegally will be subject to prosecution under the country’s immigration laws,” reads the press statement by Nepal’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York at UN Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1718.
The Nepali mission in New York also communicated to the UN Security council that Nepal’s Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies had notified all business entities in which North Korean nationals had invested to begin processes to shut down the business.
“Lastly, the investors in and the authorised representatives of the business entities in which nationals of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea had invested were notified with a view to ensuring that all the business transactions pertaining to their industries ceased before October 31, 2019,” the Permanent Representative of Nepal notified in the statement.

Government hikes visa fee from next week

After a decade, the government has increased, albeit minimal only to make it contextual, the visa fees for foreign tourists effective from the starting of the new fiscal year 2019-20 that is July 17.
According to Department of Immigration (DoI), the government has decided to hike visa fees for tourist, students, non-tourist, business and residential visa types on May 26. “The change in visa fee structure has been less as the country is observing Visit Nepal Year 2020,” the department informed, adding that the fee structure will be revised again in 2021.
The department has hiked visa fee from $5 to $35. While the tourist visa fee for 15 days – multiple entry – has been raised by $5 to $30 from $25, tourist visa fee for 30 days – multiple entry – has been raised to $50 from $40, the department informed, adding that the tourist visa fee for 90 days – multiple entry – has been raised by $35 to $125 from $90.
Likewise, the department has also increased the visa extension fee for foreign tourists. According to the department, the visa extension fee – within valid visa period – has been raised with a minimum of $1 to a maximum of $5. The tourists will have to pay additional $3 per day for visa extension within valid visa period and $5 per day for visa extension after visa expiration has been raised to $3 per day from $2 per day. “Similarly, visa extension fee – with multiple entry – has been increased to additional $25 from $20. The late fee on visa extension – after visa expiration – has also been raised to $5 per day from $3 per day.
Similarly, under the non-tourist type, foreigners with Nepali origin will have to pay $10 per month, up from $5, the department said, adding that foreigners working in offices or projects directly affiliated with the government of Nepal and their dependents will be charged $30 per month, whereas foreigners married to Nepali citizens will have to pay $15 per month. “Previously they had to pay $20 and $10, respectively.”
The department has, however, hiked the residential visa fee to the highest. A 'new visa' with multiple entry facility for residential type has been increased to $500 from $200. “Likewise, $200 will be charged for visa renewal with multiple entry facility, up from $100 per year.”
With the increment in visa fee the department expects the visa fee collection will increase as it has collected Rs 3 billion from visa fees in the last year.
But the tourists from SAARC countries – except Afghanistan – are exempt from the multiple entry tourist visa fee for 30 days. “Tourists from Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka will be charged the same amount after a month except India as Indians don't need visa to enter Nepal,” the department added.

Ministry finalises medical firms for health check-up of Malaysia-bound Nepalis

The government has finalised some 99 health check-up centres for Nepali migrant workers going to Malaysia on the basis of the Malaysian government’s new health standard guideline that clarifies the medical requirements for migrant workers. But these centres will have to receive authentication from the Malaysian government before they can start different biometric works targeting Malaysia-bound Nepali workers.
These medical firms will have to wait for official authorisation from the Malaysian government, according to the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security (MoLESS) that has claimed that the Malaysian government will soon authenticate these selected firms.
After the authentication by the Malaysian government, it is expected to help resume the flow of Nepali migrant workers to Malaysia, added the ministry that had stopped sending workers to Malaysia since last May after it cracked down on Immigration Security Clearance and One Stop Centre, which were levying additional charges on Nepali migrants for obtaining health certificates.
Though, the government move is blamed to have been motivated by the political differences as those health centres were related to the opposition party Nepali Congress (NC) representatives’ relatives, the ministry has been claiming that they have been charging extra charges. The dispute has, however, completely halted the outflow of Nepali migrant workers to South Eastern country that tops the chart as the most favoured destination.
Likewise, the government has also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the bilateral labour pact with Malaysian government last October, the process to send Nepali migrant workers to Malaysia has not resumed yet.

Foreign tourists can apply visa online

The foreign tourists wishing to visit Nepal can now apply online for visa.

"In an attempt to offer better quality and smart services to the guest, we have launched Online Application system," said the Department of Immigration,

Since the system consumes less paper, it is also a part of the commitment to the environment friendly service, it said, adding that foreigners, who want to apply visa to visit or stay in Nepal can apply visa through the online application.

The online application system will save 15 days as one can apply at one's convenience and produce it before Immigration Authority at the time of entry and visa extension.

Initially, the online service is available at the Department of Immigration, Kathmandu and one of the ports of entry of Immigration Office at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu.

One can apply online for all types of visa except diplomatic and official. "For diplomatic and official visa, one has to apply online at Ministry of Foreign Affairs," said the department that grants a tourist visa of maximum 150 days in a visa year from January to December.

A tourist, who has departed before the expiry of the period specified in the visa issued in a visa year shall not be allowed to use the visa by adding the remaining period to another visa year, according to the department that has clarified that one can use the facility, if any foreigner who has entered into Nepal towards the end of a visa year desires to spend even the period during which one may stay in Nepal with the tourist visa of the other visa year. "Provided, however, that the computation of the fees for such period shall be made on the basis of the total period of his stay."

Secretary asks immigration officials to behave, help promote tourism

The immigration officials must treat tourists in a good manner as they create the first and last impression of the country on the visitors, said secretary at the Office of the Prime Minister Krishna Hari Baskota, during the surprise inspection of the Immigration office here today.

Tourism industry has a huge potential for growth in Nepal, he said, adding that the officials must be aware of their duty in promoting tourism.

The Immigration Office has informed that it has distributed 1,754 non-tourist visa, 60 journalists visa, and 1,055 visa for marital reason and some 2,254 were granted visa for visiting Nepal to meet their relatives in the 11 months – from January to November – of 2013.

Though the Citizen Charter in the Immigration gives rights to students to claim compensation, if their visa process is delayed – no one has claimed till date, Baskota added. "Some 1,699 received students' visa, whereas 2,073 received business visa, 27 resident visa, and 112 Non-Resident Nepalis have also got visa in the 11 months of 2013.

The immigration has mobilised Rs 183.31 million from the issuance of visa in the period. Likewise, the immigration has earned Rs 152.79 million from trekking permit to visit restricted area of the country, informed director general of the Immigration Saradchandra Poudel, on the occasion.