Kathmandu, Nov 6: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said that the ongoing shortage of passports is being addressed and will soon be resolved.
In a statement on Thursday, the Ministry clarified that the shortage is not as severe as portrayed in public discussions, though it acknowledged that the available number of passport booklets remains limited due to high demand.
The Department of Passport has signed a new purchase agreement with a supplier for electronic passports in July/August 2025, and work is underway to install the necessary infrastructure and systems. According to the agreement, the new supplier will begin producing passports from February 23, 2026.
“We are currently in a transitional phase between the outgoing and incoming suppliers,” said Ministry spokesperson Lok Bahadur Poudel Chhetri. “As per the new contract, the new service provider is confirmed to start passport production from February 23.”
The Ministry assured that essential passport services will continue during this transition. However, it has requested that only applicants with urgent medical needs, immediate employment, or emergency travel abroad apply for passports at this time.
Spokesperson Chhetri further stated that necessary arrangements have been made to prevent any disruption in services. From 5 p.m. on November 3, the Department began accepting applications from up to 1,000 individuals daily, except on the day before a public holiday.
The Ministry expressed confidence that this temporary arrangement will meet the current urgent demand and urged the public to apply only if absolutely necessary until the full-scale passport service resumes on February 23, 2026. #nepal #passport
