Nepal travellers to Thailand face pay-first visa risk as agents weigh pullback

Nepal's travel agents are warning they could stop selling trips to Thailand unless the country changes visa procedures that leave Nepali travellers facing potentially heavy financial losses. The Nepal Association of Tour and Travel Agents (NATTA) said on 13 October 2026 that the process requires travellers to pay for flights and hotels upfront, shifting the risk onto travellers and the agencies that arrange their trips.

Key facts

• Who is affected: Nepali travellers applying for Thai visas, and the agencies booking their trips
• The complaint: flights and hotels must be paid for before a visa decision is made
• Extra requirement: hotel-issued confirmation letters, even for bookings made through international platforms
• Talks so far: NATTA says discussions with the Thai embassy have produced no results
• Possible action: Thailand could be placed on a restricted or blacklisted destination list
• What NATTA wants: a clear deadline for visa decisions and no mandatory advance payments before approval

What is the problem?

Under Thailand's current visa process, travellers must commit to flight and hotel costs before knowing whether their application will be approved, NATTA said. If a visa is rejected, or delayed beyond the planned departure date, that money can be lost.

The association said the risk is especially high for tickets sold by airlines such as Thai Airways and Thai Lion Air, which can carry steep cancellation charges or offer no refunds. Travel agencies, meanwhile, face their own losses and disputes with customers.

NATTA also objected to the demand for hotel-issued confirmation letters even when travellers have booked through international platforms, describing it as an unnecessary hurdle in the application process.

What could happen next?

Efforts to resolve the issue through talks with the Thai embassy have so far yielded no results, NATTA said. It warned that without a solution, travellers and tour operators could face mounting losses during Nepal's upcoming festive holidays.

The association said it could place Thailand on a restricted or blacklisted destination list if the visa process is not made more predictable and practical. It would then instruct member agencies to stop promoting and selling new Thailand tour packages, halt related advertising and digital marketing, and suspend bookings for group and incentive tours. Customers would instead be steered towards other international destinations with more straightforward visa procedures.

What this means for travellers

Nepali travellers planning trips to Thailand should be aware that flights and hotels may need to be paid for before a visa decision is issued, and that cancellation charges or non-refundable tickets could leave them out of pocket if an application is rejected or delayed. The association's proposed restrictions on Thailand packages have not yet taken effect.

NATTA has urged Nepal's foreign affairs and tourism ministries, along with other government agencies, to raise the matter with the Thai government and its embassy in Kathmandu. It wants a clear deadline for visa decisions and an end to mandatory advance payments before visas are approved. The association said Nepali travel agencies have supported Thailand's tourism industry for decades and called for a fairer, more predictable visa process for Nepali visitors.