Kathmandu: Nepal has begun the process of deporting 88 Chinese nationals after they were found allegedly violating the conditions of their business visas, the country’s Department of Immigration said. The authorities are also investigating 329 more Chinese nationals who entered Nepal on tourist visas and were found staying at the same China-invested project.
The Department of Immigration said the 88 Chinese nationals had obtained Nepalese business visas under the names of other companies but were found working at Ziyan Foods Pvt. Ltd., which is developing the Nepal Heat-Processed Buffalo Meat Export to China Project in Marini Rural Municipality of Sindhuli district.
According to the department, their activities did not correspond to the purpose for which their business visas had been issued.
Nepal Cancels Visas of 88 Chinese Nationals
Tikaram Dhakal, spokesperson for Nepal’s Department of Immigration, said all 88 foreigners found violating immigration rules were Chinese nationals. Their visas have been cancelled and the deportation process has begun.
The authorities said the individuals will also be barred from entering Nepal for three years.
The violations were detected during a recent monitoring exercise conducted by the Department of Immigration in coordination with concerned authorities. Officials found that business visa holders were engaged in employment, labour and other activities unrelated to the businesses or investments for which their visas had been recommended and approved.
The department said the District Administration Office in Sindhuli had initially alerted authorities after an unusually large number of Chinese nationals were found staying at a meat-processing industry.
329 Chinese Nationals Entered Nepal on Tourist Visas
During the monitoring operation, authorities found 501 Chinese nationals staying at the China-invested project. Of these, 88 were found to have business visas that were issued for other business purposes, including purported plans to open restaurants or software companies.
The remaining 329 Chinese nationals had entered Nepal on tourist visas and are now being investigated for possible immigration violations.
Officials are examining their travel histories, length of stay and activities to determine whether they were working at the project while holding tourist visas. The Department of Immigration said necessary action would be taken after the investigation is completed.
Authorities also received complaints alleging that some of the activities at the site were affecting the local environment and culture.
Nepal Warns Companies Against Employing Foreigners Without Proper Visas
Nepal’s immigration rules allow business visas for foreign nationals licensed to invest in commercial or industrial businesses in the country, as well as authorised representatives of such institutions. Business visas can also be issued to foreigners who purchase Nepali-produced goods for export.
Under Nepal’s Immigration Rules, 1994, foreign nationals holding business visas are required to remain in the country for the purpose for which their visas were issued. Business visas cannot be used for employment, labour or unrelated activities.
The Department of Immigration has urged foreign nationals to follow the conditions of their visas and asked companies and employers not to employ foreign workers without the appropriate visa and required approvals.
Officials have also cautioned Ziyan Foods. Dhakal said discussions were underway on whether the company should receive a warning or another directive, noting that this was the first such incident involving the company.
China Accounts for Highest Number of Deportations From Nepal
Data from Nepal’s Department of Immigration shows that Chinese nationals accounted for the largest number of foreign deportations from Nepal between 2021 and 2025.
During the five-year period, Nepal deported 695 Chinese citizens, accounting for 30.65 per cent of the total 2,267 foreign nationals deported during those years.
US citizens ranked second with 191 deportations, followed by Bangladesh with 145. Citizens of the United Kingdom and Pakistan ranked fourth and fifth, respectively, according to the department’s annual data.
The department said the figures highlight the need for continued monitoring of foreign nationals entering and staying in Nepal.