Short answer
Keep the reference number from your online pre-enrolment form. The Department of Passports sends a text and an email when the passport is issued, and you can track the application with that number in the department's mobile app. Regular passports take about a month to reach your District Administration Office. Only go to collect once the status says it has been issued.
The details
Three ways to know it's ready
- SMS and email. The Department of Passports sends both when the passport is issued, to the phone number and email you gave on the online form. Make sure that number is one you'll still have in a month.
- The status check. Use the reference number from your pre-enrolment form in the Department of Passports app or on its website. Write the number down somewhere other than your phone.
- District office lists. Many District Administration Offices post lists of passports they have received on their own website (for example DAO Darchula). Look for your name or application number under the passport section.
How long to expect
| Type | Usual time | Where you collect |
|---|---|---|
| Regular | About a month | The district office where you applied |
| Fast track | 3 working days promised | Department of Passports, Tripureshwor |
| From abroad | 8 to 10 weeks at some missions | The embassy or consulate |
The Embassy of Nepal in Washington DC gives 8 to 10 weeks for applications made there. Times inside Nepal stretch when the department's system has problems: a server failure in May 2025 held up fast track passports for about a week.
When you go to collect
Bring the payment receipt and your original citizenship certificate. Check your name, date of birth and photo before you sign for the passport. A mistake is much easier to fix at the counter than after you've left.
Common problems
I lost the reference number.
Look for the confirmation email from the online form, or the barcode printout you took to the appointment. If you have neither, call the passport branch of the office where you applied with your citizenship number ready.
It's been more than six weeks and nothing has arrived.
Call or visit the passport branch of your District Administration Office first. They can see whether the passport has been printed and sent. DAO Baitadi, for example, gives 42 days as its normal processing time. If the office can't help, file a complaint with Hello Sarkar on 1111.
Can someone else collect my passport?
Plan to collect it yourself. Offices check the applicant against the citizenship certificate and receipt at the counter. If you can't come, call the office before sending anyone.
The status says issued but the office says it isn't there.
Issued means printed in Kathmandu. It still has to be sent to your district, which can take a few more days outside the Kathmandu valley. Ask the office which dispatch date it's expecting.
Where to go
Find the nearest DAO or Passports
Straight-line distance. Directions open in Google Maps.
Real experiences
Been through this recently? Tell the next person which office you went to and what they asked for. Reports are published as community notes, apart from the official information.
Share your experienceSources
- Department of Passports online applicationemrtds.nepalpassport.gov.np
- DAO Darchula: lists of received e-passportsdaodarchula.moha.gov.np
- DAO Baitadi: passport processing timedaobaitadi.moha.gov.np
- Kathmandu Post: passport delays (May 2025)kathmandupost.com
- Hello Sarkargunaso.opmcm.gov.np
Written from the sources above and last checked on 8 Oct 2026. Some details aren't confirmed against an official page yet, so check fees and documents with the office before you go.
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