Under current rules, Nepali nationals travelling to India, especially by air, must produce either a valid passport or an original citizenship certificate.
Nepal has formally requested India’s approval to allow its biometric National Identity (NID) card as an officially recognised travel document for cross-border journeys, seeking to add it alongside passports and citizenship certificates.
According to The Kathmandu Post, the proposal has been routed through diplomatic channels to New Delhi, and Nepal’s Department of Immigration (DoI) is currently awaiting a formal response.
“We have already forwarded the proposal to the Indian side through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” said Ram Chandra Tiwari, director general at the DoI, as reported by The Kathmandu Post.
Under current rules, Nepali nationals travelling to India, especially by air, must produce either a valid passport or an original citizenship certificate. Conversely, Indian citizens entering Nepal must present a passport or an original voter identification card featuring a photograph.
With the Nepali government gradually making the NID card mandatory for banking, land registry, passport issuance, and public services, with ultimate plans to phase out citizenship certificates entirely, immigration authorities believe recognising the NID card will streamline travel over both land and air routes, The Kathmandu Post reported.
“In the long run, we will have a single identity card replacing the citizenship certificate. It is verified, authentic and technology-friendly,” Tiwari stated. “That is why we have requested India to allow the use of the National Identity Card while travelling by both air and land routes.”
Senior immigration officials informed The Kathmandu Post that an Indian Embassy delegation held talks with the Department of Immigration officials earlier this week. The embassy team appeared “positive” about the initiative and confirmed that the request had been escalated to decision-makers in New Delhi for further review.
According to Home Ministry officials cited by The Kathmandu Post, bilateral discussions have also touched upon establishing formal mechanisms to log cross-border travel data and better organise movement between the two neighbours.
The biometric NID card incorporates fingerprint scans, facial imagery, and iris patterns. Initially launched as a pilot program in Panchthar district and among government employees in 2009, over 4.5 million Nepali citizens have received the card, with nearly 20 million additional applications submitted.
“Although all Nepali citizens have not yet received the NID card, it is secure and technology-friendly. Therefore, we have proposed that India allow its use while travelling to and within India,” Tiwari stated in The Kathmandu Post report.
Given that citizens of both nations travel visa-free, recognising the biometric NID would offer an extra layer of convenience for travellers lacking immediate access to a passport or citizenship certificate.
According to The Kathmandu Post, while Department of Immigration records show roughly 150,000 Nepalis travelled to India last year, comprehensive figures combining land border crossings and air transit remain unmeasured.
