Nepal Initiates Deportation of 88 Chinese Nationals for Visa Violations

Deportation Process Begins

Kathmandu, Sep 24: The Department of Immigration in Nepal has announced the commencement of deportation proceedings for 88 Chinese nationals who misused their business visas.

The department revealed in a statement released on Wednesday that these individuals were employed at Ziyan Foods Pvt. Ltd., which is involved in the Nepal Heat-Processed Buffalo Meat Export to China Project in the Sindhuli district, in collaboration with Chengdu Tian Food Limited.

It was noted that the 88 individuals had acquired business visas under different company names but were found working at Ziyan Foods Pvt. Ltd. in roles that did not align with the intended purpose of their visas.

Tikaram Dhakal, a spokesperson for the Department of Immigration, confirmed that all individuals in violation of immigration regulations were Chinese nationals.

“Their visas have been revoked, and we are currently in the process of deporting them from Nepal,” he stated. “They will be prohibited from re-entering Nepal for three years.”

The department indicated that these visa holders were engaged in employment and other activities unrelated to the businesses for which their visas were granted, as discovered during a recent monitoring operation conducted with relevant authorities.

During this monitoring, it was found that 501 Chinese nationals were residing at the China-backed project.

Dhakal mentioned that further deportations could occur, as 329 of the 501 individuals had entered Nepal on tourist visas and are currently under investigation for potential immigration violations.

“We are examining their travel histories, duration of stay, and activities to ascertain if they were working while holding tourist visas. Appropriate actions will follow once the investigation concludes,” Dhakal added.

According to Dhakal, the District Administration Office in Sindhuli initially alerted authorities about the unusually high number of Chinese nationals residing illegally at a meat-processing facility.

“Among them, 88 individuals had obtained business visas for various purposes, such as opening restaurants or software companies, but were found working at the meat-processing facility, violating their visa terms,” Dhakal explained. “There were also reports of their activities negatively impacting the local environment and culture.”

Nepal's immigration regulations permit business visas for foreign nationals authorized to invest in commercial or industrial ventures in the country, as well as for representatives of such entities, based on recommendations from relevant authorities. Business visas are also available for foreigners purchasing Nepali goods for export.

The Immigration Rules of 1994 stipulate that foreign nationals with business visas must remain in Nepal for the purposes for which their visas were issued, prohibiting employment or unrelated activities.

The Department of Immigration has urged all foreign nationals to engage solely in activities permitted by their visa conditions. It has also advised industries and employers against hiring foreign nationals without the appropriate visas and approvals.

“We have also warned the company involved. As this is the first incident of its kind, discussions are ongoing regarding potential actions against the company, including issuing warnings or directives,” Dhakal noted.

Data from the immigration department indicates that Nepal deported the highest number of Chinese nationals for immigration law violations between 2021 and 2025.

According to the department's annual report, 695 Chinese citizens were deported during this period, representing the largest group of foreign nationals expelled from the country. In total, Nepal deported 2,267 foreign nationals over five years, with Chinese nationals making up 30.65% of that total.

U.S. citizens ranked second in deportations during this timeframe, with 191 individuals expelled, followed by Bangladesh with 145 deportations. Citizens from the United Kingdom and Pakistan were fourth and fifth, respectively, in terms of deportations from Nepal during this period.

The department's statistics highlight a higher incidence of immigration law violations among nationals from certain countries, emphasizing the necessity for ongoing monitoring of foreign nationals in Nepal.