Nepal: not a Hague Apostille party
Nepal has not acceded to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention as of mid-2026. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nepal (Singha Durbar, Kathmandu) continues the three-step consular legalisation system: origin MFA + Embassy of Nepal abroad + Consular Service Department, MOFA Kathmandu before acceptance by the Department of Immigration (Kalikasthan), the Company Registrar Office (CRO Tripureshwor), or the District Administration Office (DAO) for marriages under the Marriage Registration Act 2028 (1971).
The Embassy of Nepal in Bangkok relocated in 2023 to 189 Sukhumvit Soi 71 (Pridi Banomyong 31). Submission 09:30–12:30, Monday–Friday; fees USD 35–80/page; 3–5 business days. NYC books slots via the embassy's online appointment system.
Most-requested document types
DAO Marriage Registration with a Nepali national at the District Administration Office (Kathmandu/Lalitpur/Bhaktapur) — requires full-chain single-status / divorce + birth certificate + two witnesses.
Non-Tourist Visa (NT Visa) for foreign spouses of Nepali nationals at the Department of Immigration — requires the DAO marriage certificate and full-chain Police Clearance.
CRO Company Registration: foreign company registration at the Company Registrar Office (Tripureshwor) under the Companies Act 2063 (2006) requires full-chain Power of Attorney + memorandum + bank reference.
Department of Industry (FDI Approval) under FITTA 2075 (2019) requires full-chain Board Resolution + bank statement — minimum NPR 20 million (~USD 150K).
NRB Inward Remittance: Nepal Rastra Bank requires a full-chain Source of Fund declaration for transfers >USD 10,000.
Costs and timelines
Thai MFA Legalisation: THB 400/page + THB 800 handling = THB 1,200/page; 2–3 business days.
Embassy of Nepal Bangkok: USD 35–80/page (~THB 1,300–3,000) + THB 200 appointment fee; 3–5 business days (1-day rush +100%).
MOFA Kathmandu (Singha Durbar): NPR 200/page (~THB 55) + NYC partner THB 1,200/page; 3–5 business days.
Local filings: DAO Marriage NPR 1,000 (~THB 270), NT Visa USD 100/year, CRO company NPR 9,500–30,000 depending on paid-up capital.
End-to-end DAO Marriage + NT Visa (3 documents): THB 5,500–8,500; 10–15 business days including DHL.
Nepal-specific pitfalls
1) The Marriage Registration Act 2028 requires single-status / divorce ≤6 months + two witnesses signing before the DAO officer + an Affidavit under the Oath Act 2026.
2) Language: Nepali (Devanagari) is the official language under Constitution 2015 Article 6, but English is accepted by MOFA Kathmandu, DAO, and CRO. Family Court and the Land Revenue Office require Nepali translation by a Nepal Bar Council notary.
3) The Embassy closes for Dashain (Sept–Oct, 5 days), Tihar (Oct–Nov, 3 days), and Constitution Day (20 September). NYC checks the Bikram Sambat lunar calendar before booking.
4) FITTA 2075 (2019) sets a minimum foreign investment of NPR 20 million (~USD 150K) for general business and NPR 50 million (~USD 380K) for services; below threshold, the Department of Industry will not accept the application.
5) Post-2015 federalism: birth/death certificates are now issued by Local Government (Ward Office). Older certificates issued by abolished municipalities may require re-issuance before the legalisation chain.