The travel restrictions preventing third-country tourists from crossing into India through Nepal during the COVID-19 pandemic have been lifted. The removal of these restrictions follows a successful agreement between Nepal and India, facilitated by Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak.
The obstruction was initially put in place as a health precaution during the pandemic. However, after taking office in the first week of Shrawan, Home Minister Lekhak engaged in a positive discussion with the Indian Ambassador to Nepal, Navin Kumar Srivastava. The talks focused on easing the immigration restrictions for third-country nationals traveling from Nepal to India. As a result, the Indian side agreed to restore immigration services to their previous state in the second week of Shrawan.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has reported that, following this agreement, the movement of tourists through border points from Jhapa to Kanchanpur has now resumed without issues. However, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Home Affairs, Narayan Prasad Bhattarai, noted that the Pashupatinagar border in Ilam remains closed for entry into India due to the absence of an immigration office on the Indian side. Nevertheless, all other border points connected to India are now open for tourist movement.
The efforts led by Minister Lekhak have successfully reopened major border points, including Kakadvitta in Jhapa, Mohana in Kailali, Gaddachauki in Kanchanpur, Jamunaha in Banke, Belahiya in Bhairahawa, and the border crossings in Biratnagar and Birgunj. These crossings are now operational for tourists heading to India.
“While the Pashupatinagar border remains closed due to the lack of an immigration office on the Indian side, the Jamunaha border in Banke is also facing technical issues, delaying the movement of tourists,” stated spokesperson Bhattarai.
Additionally, Prem Dahal, the spokesperson for the Department of Immigration, mentioned that the reopening of immigration services by the Indian side has significantly eased the movement of tourists. Since the borders reopened, 78 third-country tourists have traveled to India through the Kakadvitta border, while 114 have entered Nepal via the same route.
In Kailali, one tourist entered Nepal through the Mohana border, while 30 tourists exited and 37 entered through the Birgunj border. Similarly, nine third-country tourists exited through the Gaddachauki border in Kanchanpur, with 12 tourists entering Nepal after the border reopened.
The Indian government initially imposed immigration restrictions on third-country nationals at Nepal’s borders on December 20, 2021, as a measure to control the spread of COVID-19.
