Police clearance certificate
How do I get a police clearance certificate in Nepal, and how long is it valid?
A police clearance certificate is issued by Nepal Police and states that you have no recorded criminal conviction. Several destinations require one for a student, work or residence visa, and some employers and universities ask for it separately. It is applied for through Nepal Police, and because it has a limited validity window, applying too early can be as much of a problem as applying too late.
3 figures on this page have no source yet. They are marked in place, with what it would take to confirm them. Check the authority yourself before acting on them.
What police clearance certificate is
A police clearance certificate is a statement from Nepal Police about your criminal record — specifically, that no conviction is recorded against you.
It is a character document rather than an immigration one. The destination country asks for it; Nepal Police issues it; neither decides your visa on it alone.
It has a validity period. That is the detail that governs when you should apply: a certificate issued too early can expire before the application that needs it is decided.
Who needs it
- Applicants to destinations that require one
- Several student and work visa routes require it as part of the character assessment, and the requirement differs by country.
- Anyone applying for residence or long-stay routes
- Character requirements tighten as the stay lengthens, and a clearance certificate is usually part of them.
- People who have lived abroad
- A Nepali certificate covers Nepal. Time spent in another country often means that country's clearance is required too, which is a separate and slower process.
What it costs
Ask whether your destination requires the certificate attested before you collect it. Discovering that afterwards means a second trip and a second wait.
| Item | Type | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Nepal Police charge | Government | Set by Nepal PoliceNo source yet. Nepal Police's own pages describe the documents but state no fee anywhere public — checked 8 Aug 2026 across the OPCR portal, CID and bureau pages. Secondary sources consistently say the online application is free of government charge. One check inside the OPCR application flow (opcr.nepalpolice.gov.np), or a written line from Nepal Police, confirms it and this figure goes live — exactly how the NOC fee was verified. |
| Attestation, if the destination requires itSome destinations want the certificate authenticated before they will accept it. | Government | A separate step with its own charge — check whether your destination requires itNo source yet. Per-destination confirmation of whether attestation is required, and the charge for it. |
How long it takes
Time it against the validity window rather than against your departure date. A certificate that expires while the visa is still being decided has to be obtained again.
- Apply to Nepal PoliceApplied for through Nepal Police, normally where you are registered as residentNepal Police(opens in a new tab)
- Verification and issueVaries with the office and with how quickly records are confirmedOur recommendation, not a rule. Observed rather than published. No committed turnaround is stated, so plan with margin instead of against a figure someone quoted.
Documents you need
- RequiredCitizenship certificateIssued by District Administration Office
- RequiredPassportIssued by Department of Passports
- RequiredPassport-size photographs
- If applicableProof of current addressWhere it differs from the address on your citizenship certificate.
- If applicableThe destination's own requirement, in writingSome countries specify a format or an attestation. Take it with you.
Step by step
Check whether you actually need one
The requirement differs by destination and by route. Confirm it against your destination's published checklist before spending time on it.
Find out the validity period first
This governs everything else. Applying before you know it is how people end up with an expired certificate and a second application.
Apply to Nepal Police
Applications are normally made where you are registered as resident.
Check whether attestation is required
Some destinations will not accept the certificate without it, and it is a separate step with its own wait.
Collect it and keep copies
Keep a scan. If the original is submitted with an application you may need the copy for something else.
Mistakes that cost money
Applying for it first, before checking the validity window
What it costs: The certificate expires while the visa application is still being decided, and you obtain it a second time at your own cost.
Instead: Establish the validity period and the destination's requirement, then time the application backwards from when it will be assessed.
Assuming a Nepali certificate covers time lived abroad
What it costs: The application is incomplete, and the additional country's clearance is usually slower to obtain from Nepal than it would have been in person.
Instead: If you have lived abroad, check whether that country's clearance is also required and start it early — it is the long pole.
Not checking whether attestation is required
What it costs: The certificate is rejected on format rather than content, which is the most avoidable kind of delay.
Instead: Ask the destination what form they need it in before you collect it.
Alternatives, and the trade-off
Checking whether it is required at all
Better when: First, always. It is not universally required, and time spent on a document your destination does not ask for is time taken from one it does.
In favour
- Issued by a single national authority with a published presence
- A straightforward document set for most applicants
- Requirement and format are published by the destination in advance
Against
- Limited validity, so it can expire before the application it supports is decided
- No committed turnaround to plan against
- Time lived abroad usually means a second country's clearance as well
- Some destinations require attestation, which is a separate step
Questions people ask
Who issues the police clearance certificate in Nepal?
Nepal Police issues it, and applications are normally made where you are registered as resident rather than wherever you happen to be.
It is a statement about your criminal record, not an immigration decision.
How long is a Nepali police clearance certificate valid?
It has a limited validity period, and that window rather than your departure date is what should govern when you apply.
We do not publish the figure because it has not been confirmed directly with Nepal Police and dated. Check it with them before timing your application around it.
Do I need one for a student visa?
It depends entirely on the destination — several require it as part of a character assessment and others do not ask for it at all.
Check your destination's own published checklist rather than assuming from what another applicant needed.
I have lived abroad. Is a Nepali certificate enough?
Usually not. A Nepali certificate covers Nepal, and most destinations also want a clearance from any country you lived in for an extended period.
Obtaining a foreign clearance from Nepal is generally slower than obtaining one in person, so start it first.
Can someone else collect it for me?
Requirements for representation vary by office, so confirm with the issuing office rather than assuming an agent can collect on your behalf.
Where originals are involved, prefer to attend in person.
Sources
Last reviewed .
That police clearance certificates in Nepal are issued by Nepal Police
That destination governments set their own character requirements, including whether a clearance certificate is required
Sources: Department of Home Affairs (Australia), UK Home Office — Student visa, Immigration New Zealand
The issuing charge, the validity period, and processing times
No source yet. The charge and validity period confirmed directly with Nepal Police and dated, plus observed turnaround across named district offices.