Korea Visa Application Centre opens in Kathmandu

Kathmandu, Dec. 13: The Korea Visa Application Centre (KVAC) was officially inaugurated in Kathmandu on Friday, marking a major step toward enhancing the visa application process for Nepali citizens travelling to the Republic of Korea.

The Centre, located at the OneSky Building in Lalitpur, was inaugurated in the presence of Park Tae-young, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Nepal; Song Mi-sun, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of HanaTour; officials from Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and representatives from local business communities.

In light of the rapid increase in visa applications driven by increased bilateral exchanges between Korea and Nepal, the KVAC, operated by HanaTour, has been entrusted with the crucial task of facilitating visa applications.

Ambassador Park expressed his confidence that the Centre would make it easier for Nepali citizens to access visa services for travel to Korea, saying the initiative would significantly improve convenience and accessibility.

CEO Song Mi-sun said, “HanaTour brings 30 years of global experience in operating travel and visa services, along with proven expertise from managing visa centres in countries such as China, Vietnam, and the Philippines. We are committed to providing stable and highly sophisticated services in Nepal, offering optimal convenience for all applicants planning their visit to Korea.”

Strategically located in Lalitpur, the Centre has enhanced accessibility by extending visa application hours—previously limited to mornings—until 4:00 p.m. on weekdays, while telephone consultation services are available until 9:00 p.m. In addition, diverse payment options and region-specific customised services are expected to greatly simplify the application process. 

Designed with a spacious layout, the Centre also provides computer workstations for applicants and a VIP room, offering improved convenience for all visitors.

A KVAC representative highlighted the Centre’s commitment to standardised yet localised service delivery.

“Building upon a foundation of standardised services, we will operate the Korea Visa Application Centre tailored to the characteristics of each region. Through the implementation of a pre-reservation system and the operation of a centralised call centre, visa applicants will now have easier and more convenient access to accurate information regarding Korean visas and the real-time status of their applications,” said the representative.

The representative added, “We anticipate that the provision of courteous and highly reliable services will positively contribute to the vitalisation of both economic exchange and private-sector diplomacy between Nepal and the Republic of Korea.”

Currently, the Centre offers value-added services such as SMS tracking and courier services, with plans to progressively expand customer convenience services in line with future demand.

The inauguration of the Centre, which is set to begin operations on December 17, 2025, marks an important milestone, establishing a stable infrastructure that effectively responds to the growing demand for Korean visas in Nepal while further promoting people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.