Living in Nepal as a French National: Cities, Stay, School, Safety and Daily Life

Nepal attracts through its Himalayan landscapes, its religious heritage and a rich cultural life. France Diplomatie presents a country of nearly 30 million inhabitants, where Nepali is the official language and where English, Maithili, Bhojpuri and Hindi are in common use. The Hindu religion concerns 81.19% of the population, Buddhism 8.21% and Islam 5.09%. Tourism is the sector most highlighted by the French administration, with 1.05 million direct jobs, and the country’s economy remains little diversified, closely tied to remittances from the more than 1.7 million Nepalese living in the Middle East.

The constraints are concentrated on air quality, seismic activity, roads and distance from specialised care. France Diplomatie also points out that, if a passport is lost, the embassy can issue only a laissez-passer valid for France, and that the French embassy in India is responsible for certain consular matters. Before leaving, read the page on the healthcare system in Nepal and the guide to the formalities for the first 90 days.

The capital is Kathmandu, where the French embassy (Lazimpat, PO Box 452), the French school and the administrations are located. France Diplomatie also cites Biratnagar, Patan, Pokhara, Birgunj, Dharan and Nepalganj among the main cities. For a French-speaking profile, Kathmandu concentrates the consular services, the reference healthcare establishments and the school offer.

• Kathmandu and its valley: urban life and services, but air pollution among the highest in the world, notably in winter; the tourist district of Thamel is considered relatively safe, with frequent scams and pickpocketing.
• Pokhara and the Annapurnas: gateway to the treks; rescue at altitude is organised there by the Himalayan Rescue Association, which runs a medical post at Manang.
• Terai: the southern plain, where the risks of malaria and Japanese encephalitis are concentrated, especially in the rainy season.

The choice of neighbourhood is made on the spot, after a short rental: exposure to floods during the monsoon, air quality, proximity to a healthcare establishment and the condition of the access road matter as much as the rent.

No official source read sets a standard budget for a foreign resident. Inflation, the exchange rate and GDP per capita, updated continuously, appear in the economic benchmarks block of this page; the level of spending depends mainly on the neighbourhood, the use of the private healthcare sector and the schooling chosen. The monthly amounts for work visas are set in dollars (see the page on working in Nepal) and can serve as a benchmark of the cost of a stay for an employee.

For housing, the arrangements for renting and acquisition by a foreigner are not detailed in the official pages consulted: have any lease or sale agreement reviewed by a local legal professional, and check the exchange rules, as Nepal applies exchange controls. France Diplomatie points out that bank cards should be used with caution outside the large hotels and agencies, and that cryptocurrencies are not recognised: their use and that of certain online betting sites are strictly prohibited.

A visa is required to enter Nepal. Multiple-entry tourist visas are obtained at the Nepalese embassy in Paris, at Kathmandu airport or at land border posts. France Diplomatie recommends planning the equivalent of USD 200 in cash for the fees on arrival, as the online payment system causes long queues, and two identity photographs. The passport must be valid for six months or more. To date, extension is done on the spot in one-month periods, against payment, within a limit of 150 days per calendar year; failure to comply with visa rules exposes you to legal proceedings.

• Non-tourist visa for a foreign employee: granted for one year at a time on the recommendation of the Department of Industry and the Department of Labour, when the skill sought does not exist locally; the work permit can run for up to five years with annual renewal (Department of Industry page: confirm the fees in force).
• Resident visa for an investor: reserved, according to the same administration, for investments above USD 100,000 made in one go in convertible currency.
• Registration of foreigners: since 1 January 2026, hotels, agencies, airlines and exchange bureaus must register their foreign customers in a public database.

For long-stay procedures, the Department of Immigration (immigration.gov.np) and the Nepalese embassy in Paris are the contacts to approach. Once on the spot, registration on the register of French people living abroad is strongly recommended for stays of more than six months (French embassy).

The French international school of Kathmandu (EFIK), located in Lazimpat opposite the Shangri-La hotel, presents itself as an establishment running from nursery to the final year, in three languages: French, English and Nepali. The directory of the Agency for French Education Abroad (AEFE) lists it as an establishment under agreement, with 13 levels, 8 of them accredited (from the petite section to CM2) and 5 levels (sixth, third, second, first, final year) offered through the CNED (the French distance-learning centre), and 32 pupils. The French embassy refers to this site from its family section.

As for any school year, ask the school about available places by level and the admission calendar before fixing your arrival date. Children’s health cover is prepared at the same time as schooling: see the guide to children’s health cover abroad.

France Diplomatie places the whole of Nepal in a heightened vigilance zone (zone updated by France Diplomatie). The following advice is presented without political comment.

• Gatherings: avoid demonstrations; foreigners are not allowed to take part in demonstrations against the authorities.
• Scams: a common swindle offers to export jewellery or gold for a commission; it is illegal and is then used for blackmail.
• Earthquakes: a zone of intense seismic activity, with earthquakes of magnitude 7.9 and 7.3 on 25 April and 12 May 2015; tremors can cut telephone, internet, road and air links.
• Monsoon (June to October): floods, landslides, slippery paths and communications cut for several days. An embassy notice deals with the floods and landslides.
• Trekking: since 31 March 2023, a licensed guide and a TIMS card, obtained through a registered agency, are mandatory for trekkers; avoid guides who approach tourists at the airport.
• Road and air: roads often in poor condition, night driving discouraged, buses frequently involved in accidents; the European Union has banned all Nepalese airlines since December 2013 and domestic flights carry a higher-than-average risk.

Numbers: local police 100, Kathmandu tourist police +977 01 5347041, embassy +977 1 45 12 332 (out-of-hours emergency line: +977 980 101 7201).

The calendar follows the monsoon from June to October; in winter, frostbite is possible even at low altitude, and storms at altitude cause avalanches and landslides. Lukla airport, gateway to the Everest region, is often suspended for several days by bad weather. Allow the largest possible margin between the end of a trek and an international flight.

To drive, the national licence and an international licence, issued by the prefecture of your home, are required and must be shown at checks; a motorcycle licence is required for a two-wheeler. Nepal is a secular State where Hinduism holds a central place: dress in a covering way and avoid displays of affection in public. Narcotics legislation is very strict, with penalties up to life imprisonment; wildlife trafficking is punished by 5 to 15 years in prison and a fine of €7,000. Mobile networks cover most of the country (from 2G to 4G), but coverage remains partial in rural areas and weaker in the north.

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