Nepali gov't suspends visa-on arrivals for nationals of all countries
Kathmandu/Xinhua/UNI: The Nepali government has taken a number of measures including temporarily stopping all on-arrival-tourist visas and putting an end to all the spring mountaineering expeditions including that of Mount Qomolangma, a senior Nepali government official said.
A day after the World Health Organization on Wednesday declared COVID-19 pandemic, the Nepali government on Thursday took these decisions to prevent the further infection with the virus in the Himalayan country.
Nepal has so far recorded a single COVID-19 infection and the infected person has already recovered, according to the Ministry of Health and Population.
"On-arrival-visa for the nationals of all the countries has been suspended until April end," Bikas Devkota, spokesperson at the Ministry of Health and Population, told Xinhua on Friday morning. "Suspension of this facility begins on Saturday."
Earlier, the Nepali government had suspended on-arrival visas for nationals of eight counties, China, South Korea, Japan, Iran, Italy, Spain, Germany and France badly affected by COVID-19.
The Himalayan country has been providing on-arrival-visa facility for all the countries other than 12 countries and territories as well as refugees with travel documents.
Devkota said that the Nepali government has not suspended providing other types of visas.
A High Level Coordination Committee formed to combat the COVID-19, under the leadership of Nepali Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defense Ishwar Pokharel, took the decision in late night on Thursday.
"Foreigners who arrive in Nepal after March 14, will have to stay in self quarantine for 14 days," read the decision of the committee, a copy of which obtained by Xinhua.
According to the decision, even the diplomatic and official passport holders who come to Nepal for the first time or return to Nepal after staying abroad should stay in self-quarantine in Nepal for 14 days.
"Foreigners who have got business, study and work visas should also stay in 14-day self-quarantine after returning to Nepal," the decision reads.
Devkota said that the Nepali government has prepared a set of rules to be followed by those who stay in self-quarantine which need to be first signed by the foreigners.
The Himalayan nation has also suspended the facility of entry through the land routes for the foreigners except the Indian nationals from March 14 to April 30.
"Cross-border movement of Nepali and Indian nationals will be allowed through certain border crossings only," the decision read. Nepal and India share a porous border and there are more than 100 border crossings between the two neighbours. Devkota, however, said that the people making cross-border movement between Nepal and India should undergo health tests compulsorily.
The Nepali government has also decided not to allow any international events to be held in Nepal until May 31.
(Image credit : UNI)
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