FAQs

Company registration is governed by the Companies Act 2063 and runs through the Office of the Company Registrar's CAMIS online portal. You reserve the name, file the Prabandha Patra and Niyamawali with shareholder documents, pay a fee based on authorised capital, and receive the certificate. A single shareholder is sufficient. You then need a PAN, ward registration, and any sector licence. Clean files clear in one to two weeks; drafting errors cause most delays.

The general minimum is NPR 20 million per foreign investor, roughly USD 145,000–155,000. It applies per investor, so in a joint venture each foreign shareholder must meet it separately. The framework is the Foreign Investment and Technology Transfer Act 2075. Certain IT industries are exempt via the automatic route. The Department of Industry approves investment below NPR 6 billion, the Investment Board above it. Confirm your sector is not on the negative list before committing capital.

Yes, but the two are very different. A branch office can trade, contract, and invoice in Nepal, and requires Department of Industry approval before registration with the Office of the Company Registrar. A liaison office cannot generate revenue at all; it is limited to market research, quality control, and coordination, and may need Nepal Rastra Bank clearance. A Nepali subsidiary is a third option. Choosing wrongly is expensive to correct, so decide based on your intended activity.

Yes. Repatriation is a statutory right under FITTA 2075 and covers dividends, proceeds from the sale of shares, and approved royalties. Two conditions apply: the investment must have been approved and properly recorded with Nepal Rastra Bank when it came in, and Nepali tax obligations must be settled and evidenced. Problems are almost always historical, caused by a missed NRB recording step. Treat that recording as a completion step, not a formality.

Yes, but the visa follows the investment. The Department of Immigration issues it on a recommendation flowing from an approved investment under FITTA 2075, read with the Immigration Act 2049. Eligibility covers the investor, authorised representatives where the investor is a company, and dependent family. An investment of USD 1 million at once may qualify for a residential visa. Employees are separate: they need a labour permit and a working visa. Business cannot be conducted on a tourist visa.

Start with your contract. An arbitration clause routes you to arbitration under the Arbitration Act 2055, and filing in court instead costs months. Otherwise, contractual claims go to court, with contract obligations governed by the Muluki Civil Code 2074. A formal legal notice resolves many commercial disputes before litigation. Dishonoured cheques carry separate, faster remedies. Check limitation first: a claim brought late is not maintainable regardless of merit.

Mutual consent divorce under Section 93 of the Muluki Civil Code 2074 is the fastest route available. No fault has to be alleged or proved. Both spouses file a joint petition at the District Court and the decree follows once consent is confirmed and terms are settled, often within days. Property acquired during the marriage is joint regardless of whose name is on the documents. Custody follows the child's best interest. Contested divorce takes considerably longer.

Yes. If the marriage was registered in Nepal, the District Court retains jurisdiction regardless of where either spouse lives. A party who cannot travel can act through a mukhtiyarnama (power of attorney), which must be notarised and authenticated abroad, usually via the Nepali embassy, with certified translation. Mutual consent is far more practical than contested proceedings across borders, since serving an overseas spouse causes long delays. A foreign divorce decree does not automatically take effect in Nepal.

Marriage is governed by the Muluki Civil Code 2074. Both parties must be at least 20, and the marriage must be registered within the statutory period to have legal effect for property, inheritance, and immigration. Court marriage requires both parties to appear with identity documents, proof of age, photographs, and witnesses. A foreign spouse additionally needs a valid passport, lawful visa status, and a single status certificate from their embassy in Kathmandu. Embassy requirements vary and cause most delays.