Machine Readable Passport (MRP) from Nepal - Tips and Guidelines

I have seen many people inquiring about Machine Readable Passport („MRP“) of Nepal. As I made my passport recently in Nepal (From Department of Passport, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kathmandu), I thought to share my experience with you as it may help many people. This will also brings me back to some writing after a long gap.

First of all, you need to understand that if you have hand-written passport issued by Government of Nepal, it will no longer be valid after November 24, 2015 (even if the date of expiry indicated in the passport is beyond this date). That means you have less than a year’s validity of your existing passport. If you are going to apply for any new visa, generally, no country will give you visa unless you have a passport of minimum six month’s validity. Therefore, it is high time that you renew your existing machine non-readable passport to machine readable passport.

This information below is provided based on my experience of making passport from Nepal. If you are approaching to Nepalese Embassies located in different countries, the process and documentation may slightly vary. Here we go to know how to make MRP from Nepal.

STEP 1:

1.    The application forms for MRP should be downloaded from Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) website. As you have to submit the computer typed form, fill the details in the form in computer itself. Hand written form will not be accepted by MOFA. You can download the form and instructions regarding how to fill it correctly from the following links:

http://www.dopmofa.gov.np/mrp/

http://www.dopmofa.gov.np/pdf/Rightly%20filled%20in%20MRP%20form.pdf

http://www.dopmofa.gov.np/pdf/form2-4mv2-1.pdf (Main Form - Please print three copies of this form. In one of these three copies, do not forget to print “Recommendation of CDO’s office from where you have made your Citizenship Card” on the back side of the firm.)

http://www.dopmofa.gov.np/pdf/Varification%20letter%20annex.pdf (Recommendation of CDO’s office from where you have made your Citizenship Card – Please understand that you must print this form on the backside of one of the main form)

You should not fill anything on this recommendation page which you have printed on the backside of the main form. This will be filled by CDO’s office when you go to submit the form. They will do so by their handwriting after checking the record.

2.    While taking the print, please be careful about print settings. As per MOFA website, the following has been instructed:

विवरण भरेपछि प्रिन्ट गर्दा ध्यान दिनुपर्ने कुरा

o    प्रिन्ट गर्दा paper size A4 हुनुपर्छ ।

o    page scaling मा "none" option हानेर मात्र प्रिन्ट गर्नुपर्छ ।

The instructions say that the paper should be A4 on which passport applications are printed and please select “none” option in page scaling of printer setting. Please do as has been instructed. Otherwise, your form will be rejected.

3.    You have to also be careful about photo. The photo should be without spectacles and the forehead should be seen and should not be covered by hair among other technical details. The instructions regarding passport photo can be found here:

http://www.dopmofa.gov.np/pdf/ICAO-Template.pdf

You can read more instructions and details from MOFA website, Department of Passport: http://www.dopmofa.gov.np/mrp/

4.    Once the passport application form and photos (they need three copies) are ready, stick the photo on the form. One photo should be pasted with glue on the front page of the form where box for photo has been provided (which clearly says, “Affix the photo with a dab of glue in the box”). Another photo should be pasted on the back side of the form in which you have printed the CDO’s recommendation. There is no specific box in which you need to paste your photo. So, paste it on the right side of the page just above the big box of recommendation. Make sure it will not touch any printed letters.

5.    On the front page, you have to put the thumb impressions of your both hands. Here, you must be extra-cautious. Use only black ink for the thumb impressions and they should not touch any line of the box. So, be careful and make sure your thumb impression does not touch top and bottom lines of the form. Of course, they should not touch left and right side lines of the box.

6.    You have to also put your signature on the forms. It can be signed in any but in one language. Either in Nepali or in English only but with a black ink pen.

If you find hassle in doing above things or if you are not confident of above, take help of passport agents which are located outside every CDO’s office or outside Additional CDO’s office if your area is covered by Additional CDO Office (ILAKA PRASASHAN KARYALAYA). Generally, agents charge Rs. 300-400 along with photos and do a good work.

7.    Once you have above things ready, please go to CDO’s office or Additional CDO’s office if your area is covered by Additional CDO Office (ILAKA PRASASHAN KARYALAYA) in your district from where you have received your Citizenship Card (Nagarikata). You should also attach a photocopy of your Nagarikata and old passport along with the filled form. You must carry your original Citizenship Card (Nagarikata) and original passport (if you have already taken one in the past). If you have lost your passport and making it again, you should go with proper advertisements in newspaper and police report.

Also, you should write an application (can be handwritten or computer print) addressing the CDO’s office or Additional CDO’s office (as the case may be) requesting him to verify the record and issue the recommendation or certify the details printed on back side of the main form.

8.    In CDO’s office or in Additional CDO’s office, they will check the record of your Nagarikata and issue the certification/verification/recommendation. The government employees fill the back side of the main form themselves and the Section Officer (Third Class Gazetted Officer) puts his signature on your photo and on the form and you will be given the copy with the stamping of the seal of the CDO’s office or in Additional CDO’s office.

Once this is done, you can decide whether you want to pay only Rs. 5,000/- and wait for minimum 2 months. If you want to do so, you can submit the stamped form there itself in the same CDO’s office or in Additional CDO’s office.

If you need your passport urgently, you have to go to Department of Passport, (DOP) Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), Narayanhiti Durbar, Kathmandu. In this case, you have to pay Rs. 10,000/- but will get a passport within a week.

9.    If you go to DOP in Kathmandu, you should carry along with you the form which has been certified by CDO’s office or Additional CDO’s office, one additional form (this one is the most important as it will be scanned by DOP), your original Nagarikata and your original Passport if you have already taken one along with Nepali Rupees Ten Thousand (NR 10,000/-) in Cash.

10.  You are advised to go early in the morning and get in the Queue (Line) so that your turn will come early during the day. As on average 2500 people per day will be applying for MRP and the number is going to increase day by day, going very early will help. You are advised to reach there and be in queue not later than 8 am. I reached there at 8.30am and I could submit my form only at 3.45 pm in the afternoon.

11.  There will be token system to manage the line. Nothing to worry as it is a mechanism to control lines and people. There will be check of photos and forms and if anything is found incorrect and insufficient, you will be asked to bring another form/photo as the case may be. As this screening will be after getting token numbers, in case you are told to change any form or photo, do not panic. Go outside. Take the print of another form or get another photo clicked. There are many agents on Jamal – Kesar Mahal Road and they do a sound job. DO NOT THROW THE OLD FORMS BROUGHT FROM CDO’s OFFICE AS THEY MUST BE SUBMITTED even if they are found faulty. Especially, the recommendation letter (certified/verified letter) must be submitted to DOP even if they are not as per standards.

12.  Thereafter, once your turn comes submit the form and pay the amount in the counter next to form collection counter. You will get a slip from Global IME Bank. This slip is a proof that you have submitted the passport form. You must present this while collecting your passport after a week.

13.  You come back after a week to collect passport and present the slip of Global IME Bank to the passport collection counter. You must bring your Nagarikata and old Passport while coming to collect the MRP. You must be present yourself for collection. The passport office puts a “Cancelled without Prejudice” stamp on your old passport and gives you your MRP. That’s it.

If you think that I missed something or if you want to add anything, please do. You can contact me for any clarifications via twitter @npPoet or via comment section of my blog http://nepalikabitagajal.blogspot.in/