American Embassy, Kathmandu, Nepal

What American Embassy, Kathmandu, Nepal does

The U.S. Embassy in Nepal is the official diplomatic mission of the United States to Nepal, established through U.S. recognition of Nepal in 1947 and located in Maharajgunj, Kathmandu. As an extension of the U.S. Department of State, the embassy provides consular protection to U.S. citizens in Nepal, processes nonimmigrant and immigrant visa applications from Nepali nationals, and administers passport services, Consular Reports of Birth Abroad (CRBA), and notary services. It also operates educational and cultural exchange programs including EducationUSA, BridgeUSA, American Spaces, the Regional English Language Office, and the Exchange Alumni Portal, alongside the in-country Peace Corps program (currently at its 211th volunteer cohort).

The embassy's core service portfolio spans four primary lines: visa services (tourist, student, exchange, business, employment, immigrant, and diversity visas, including a new B1/B2 bond requirement of up to $15,000 for Nepali nationals effective January 21, 2026), passport services ($135 for applicants under 16, $165 for applicants 16 and older), CRBA processing ($100 fee via Pay.gov), and emergency consular assistance. Business-facing services are delivered through a Partner Post arrangement with the U.S. Foreign Commercial Service in New Delhi, alongside SelectUSA, U.S. Commercial Service, and resource links to SBA, EXIM, USTDA, DFC, and FAS for U.S. companies exploring trade or investment with Nepal.

The embassy's revenue model is transaction-fee based — visa application (MRV) fees, passport application fees, CRBA fees, and the new visa bond — all of which are remitted to the U.S. Treasury rather than retained as commercial revenue. The entity is funded through U.S. government appropriations under the U.S. Department of State and is not a commercial enterprise. Service delivery combines in-person consular services at the Kathmandu chancellery with self-serve digital platforms including USTravelDocs, MyTravelGov, eVisaForms, and Pay.gov. The current chief of mission is Chargé d'Affaires a.i. Scott Urbom, who assumed the role in December 2025.

Name

American Embassy, Kathmandu, Nepal

Legal name

United States Embassy in Nepal

Website

https://np.usembassy.gov

Company type

Private

Founded year

1947

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The U.S. Embassy in Kathmandu is the official U.S. diplomatic mission to Nepal, providing consular services to American citizens and processing visa, passport, and CRBA applications for Nepali nationals, alongside education and cultural exchange programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Diplomatic and Consular Services

NAICS

International Affairs (92812)

akta.pro primary industry

Diplomatic Missions & Embassies (Bilateral Relations) (BPAIAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Consular Services & Citizen Assistance (BPAIAIAB), Diaspora & Expatriate Engagement (BPAIAIAI)

Keywords

• Consular services
• Visa processing
• Passport services
• Diplomatic services
• Citizen services

Headquarters

HQ city

Kathmandu

HQ country

Nepal

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Visa Application Fees: Fee-funded consular activities including visa processing fees. The MRV (Machine Readable Visa) fee is valid for 365 days from date of receipt for payments made on or after October 1, 2023.
2. Visa Bond Requirements: B1/B2 visa applicants who are nationals of Nepal must post a bond of up to $15,000 starting January 21, 2026, per updated immigration policy.
3. Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA): CRBA processing fee of $100 payable via Pay.gov for U.S. citizen children born abroad.
4. Passport Services Fees: Passport application fees: $135 for applicants under age 16, $165 for applicants over age 16, payable via pay.gov for replacement of damaged, lost, or stolen passports.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The U.S. Embassy in Kathmandu serves as the official diplomatic mission of the United States to Nepal. It delivers consular services to U.S. citizens in Nepal (emergency assistance, passport issuance, notarial services, birth registrations), processes nonimmigrant and immigrant visa applications for Nepali nationals (B1/B2, F/M student, J exchange, H employment, diversity visas), and administers bilateral programs in trade, education, and cultural exchange (Peace Corps, EducationUSA, BridgeUSA, American Spaces, SelectUSA).

Product overview

The U.S. Embassy in Kathmandu provides consular services to U.S. citizens in Nepal and facilitates visa services, educational exchanges, and business opportunities. The embassy offers a comprehensive suite of services including visa processing (tourist, student, business, immigrant, and employment visas), passport services (applications, renewals, emergency passports, and CRBA documentation), and cultural exchange programs including EducationUSA, BridgeUSA, and American Spaces. Business services include U.S. Commercial Service support for trade and investment, and SelectUSA facilitation for investment into the United States. The embassy also provides emergency assistance, notary services, and operates the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) for security notifications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• U.S. Visa Services Comprehensive visa services including tourist/visit visas, student/exchange visas, business visas, immigrant visas, and employment-based visas for Nepali citizens and residents.
• Passport Services U.S. passport application, renewal, and replacement services including DS-11, DS-82, DS-64 forms, emergency passport issuance, and lost/stolen passport replacement.
• Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) Formal document certifying acquisition of U.S. citizenship at birth for children born abroad to U.S. citizen parents, processed through MyTravelGov online portal.
• Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) Free enrollment program allowing U.S. citizens traveling abroad to receive security updates and facilitating embassy contact during emergencies.
• EducationUSA Advisory Services Official U.S. Department of State source on U.S. higher education providing advising centers to help navigate the Five Steps to U.S. Study.
• BridgeUSA Exchange Program Cultural exchange program bringing emerging leaders and professionals to the United States on 13 different cultural exchange programs focused on education, research, and skills development.
• Regional English Language Office (RELO) Collaborates with U.S. Embassy Public Affairs Sections in Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Maldives to support the U.S. Fulbright-Hays Act of 1961 for mutual understanding.
• American Spaces Network Network of 600 open-access cultural centers including American Centers, American Corners, and Binational Centers providing access to U.S. culture and resources.
• U.S. Commercial Service Trade Support Part of U.S. Department of Commerce's International Trade Administration offering expertise in international trade, market research, and business matchmaking services.
• SelectUSA Investment Facilitation U.S. government program facilitating job-creating business investment into the United States, having facilitated over $78 billion in investment.
• Diversity Visa Program Lottery program providing up to 50,000 immigrant visas annually to countries with low rates of immigration to the United States; registration is free.
• Exchange Alumni Community Portal Community portal for Exchange Alumni providing access to academic journals, eLibraryUSA resources, career opportunities, and funding opportunities including AEIF.

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• U.S. Foreign Commercial Service (FCS) New DelhicoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018In early 2018, Embassy Kathmandu became a 'Partner Post' of the U.S. Foreign Commercial Service (FCS) in New Delhi. Under this arrangement, a number of business services and programs are provided to U.S. companies, including connecting U.S. businesses to local companies of interest in Nepal. Some services are fee-based.
• U.S. Department of State - Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe embassy works with ECA to administer exchange programs including BridgeUSA (13 cultural exchange programs), Academic and Professional Exchanges, and the Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund (AEIF). Every year up to 100 Nepalis participate in U.S. exchange programs funded by the U.S. State Department.
• Peace CorpscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Peace Corps operates in Nepal with the 211th group of Peace Corps Volunteers recently sworn in. The Peace Corps program represents a major U.S. government international service program bringing American volunteers to Nepal for development work.
• U.S. Education Foundation (USEF) NepalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUSEF is the official EducationUSA advising center in Nepal, helping Nepali students navigate the process of applying to U.S. universities. The embassy recommends students visit USEF for information on applying to U.S. universities.
• Office of American SpacesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Office of American Spaces oversees a network of 600 open-access cultural centers worldwide. The embassy supports local American Spaces and American Corners that provide access to U.S. culture, education, and information resources.
• SelectUSAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA U.S. government program that facilitates job-creating business investment into the United States. Has facilitated more than $78 billion in investment and over 95,000 U.S. jobs. The embassy connects interested parties with SelectUSA services.
• U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe SBA is listed as an additional resource for U.S. businesses on the embassy's business page, providing export assistance and support for small businesses looking to engage with Nepal.
• Export Import Bank of the United States (EXIM)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as an additional resource on the embassy's business page for U.S. businesses engaged in trade with Nepal, providing export financing and credit insurance services.
• U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as an additional resource for U.S. businesses, providing funding and technical assistance for infrastructure and development projects that promote U.S. exports.
• Development Finance Corporation (DFC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as an additional resource for U.S. businesses, providing financing for development projects in emerging markets including Nepal.
• Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe FAS links U.S. agriculture to the world to enhance export opportunities and global food security, with a global network of 98 offices covering 177 countries staffed by agricultural attachés.
• Government of NepalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe embassy maintains official diplomatic relations with the Government of Nepal. The U.S. recognized Nepal in 1947, and the first U.S. official visit to Nepal took place November 16-22, 1945. Recent engagements include Cultural Property Agreement signing and visits by U.S. Special Envoy for South and Central Asia.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• VFS Global: Private outsourced visa-services operator (USTravelDocs is managed on a related outsourced model for U.S. missions). Comparable on visa appointment scheduling and document-handling operational layer, though not a government-to-government counterpart. Acts as enabling ecosystem to the embassy’s front-end workflow.
• EducationUSA Advising Centers (USEF Nepal): Official U.S. Department of State network of student-advising centers that the embassy relies on in Nepal via U.S. Education Foundation (USEF). Operates in the same educational-exchange pipeline (F/M visa candidates, BridgeUSA alumni) but at the advisory rather than consular layer.
• CIBTvisas: Private commercial visa-expediting and document-services firm offering travelers assistance with consular forms and appointments. Adjacent service provider rather than a competitor; overlaps in customer base (Nepali and corporate travelers needing U.S. visas).

Broad incumbents

• U.S. Commercial Service / International Trade Administration: U.S. Department of Commerce agency providing market-entry support that the embassy channels through its Economic/Commercial Section. Larger, broader U.S. trade-promotion mandate; the embassy is a delivery node for its services into Nepal.
• U.S. Department of State: Parent organization of the U.S. Embassy Kathmandu, operating U.S. diplomacy worldwide. Same business (consular services, visa processing, education exchanges) at vastly larger scope, providing shared platforms (eVisaForms, MyTravelGov) and policy direction that the embassy executes.

Direct peers

• U.S. Embassy Dhaka, Bangladesh: U.S. diplomatic mission covering a South Asian country with a large nonimmigrant-visa applicant pool, similar exchange-program footprint (EducationUSA, BridgeUSA), and analogous consular-service demand (B1/B2, F/M, diversity visas). Directly comparable structure and service mix.
• U.S. Embassy Colombo, Sri Lanka: U.S. diplomatic mission in a neighboring South Asian country, jointly serviced by the Regional English Language Office (RELO) that works with the Kathmandu embassy. Similar scale, consular portfolio, and education/cultural-exchange programming.
• U.S. Embassy New Delhi, India: Sister U.S. diplomatic mission in the same South Asia region. Operates with a similar consular-services, visa-processing, education/exchange, and commercial-advocacy model across India, and serves as the parent U.S. Foreign Commercial Service office (Partner Post to Kathmandu). Directly comparable in mandate, customer segments, and revenue streams (MRV fees, passport fees).
• Embassy of India, Kathmandu: Foreign diplomatic mission of Nepal’s largest neighbor and bilateral partner, also providing consular/visa services in Kathmandu. Comparable in hosting-country role, scale of engagement with Nepali citizens, and strategic importance in bilateral relations with Nepal.
• British Embassy Kathmandu: Peer foreign diplomatic mission operating in the same host country (Nepal). Provides visa services for Nepali citizens, consular assistance to its nationals, and development/cooperation programming — directly comparable on local mandate, customer base, and consular-services model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/usembassyktm
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@usembassynepal
• Facebookfacebook.com/USEmbassyNepal
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/american-embassy-kathmandu-nepal
• Instagraminstagram.com/usembassynepal

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about American Embassy, Kathmandu, Nepal