Nepal Seeks India's Recognition of National Identity Card for Travel

Nepal's Request for NID Recognition

Kathmandu, Aug 3: Nepal has officially approached India to acknowledge its National Identity Card (NID) as a legitimate travel document for cross-border journeys. This initiative aims to enhance identity verification and security while easing the movement of individuals between the two nations, as stated by a senior immigration official.

The NID, akin to India's Aadhaar card, incorporates biometric data such as fingerprints, facial recognition, and iris scans. The Nepali government has mandated the NID for various public services, including passport applications, land registration, and opening bank accounts, as part of its strategy to phase out the traditional citizenship certificate in favor of digitally readable identity cards.

Additionally, Nepal is advocating for India to accept the NID for the cross-border travel of its citizens, as India currently recognizes Nepal's passport and citizenship certificate as valid identity documents. Citizens from both Nepal and India can travel between the two countries without needing passports or visas.

Ram Chandra Tiwari, the director general of the Department of Immigration, revealed that a proposal was submitted to the Indian government in late June, requesting the NID's recognition as a valid travel document for Nepali citizens.

"Currently, India primarily accepts Nepal's passport and citizenship certificate as official identity documents. We have formally requested that the National Identity Card also be recognized for air travel and cross-border movement," Tiwari explained.

In response to Nepal's request, officials from the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu recently inquired about the NID from Nepal's immigration authorities.

"The embassy officials conducted informal inquiries regarding the card's technical and security features. This was not a formal meeting but rather an exchange of information," Tiwari noted.

He emphasized that the NID provides enhanced security compared to the traditional citizenship certificate.

"A citizenship certificate is simply a paper document lacking biometric data, while the NID offers a secure and dependable identification method. Its acceptance would bolster security measures for both Nepal and India," he added.

With an open border policy, Nepal and India allow their citizens to travel without passports or visas for most cross-border activities. Indian nationals flying to Nepal can currently use passports, voter ID cards, or identity cards issued by federal or state governments.

According to the Department of National ID and Civil Registration, over 4.5 million Nepali citizens have already obtained the National Identity Card, with around 20 million individuals enrolled for one.