KATHMANDU, Dec 12: The Korea Visa Application Center (KVAC) was officially inaugurated in Kathmandu on Friday, marking a significant step towards improving the accessibility and efficiency of the Republic of Korea’s visa services for Nepali applicants.
The opening ceremony was held at the OneSky Building in Lalitpur and attended by Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Nepal Park Tae-young, CEO of HanaTour Song Mi-sun; senior officials from Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) in Kathmandu and representatives from local business communities.
The establishment of the KVAC comes amid a notable rise in visa applications, fuelled by expanding bilateral exchanges between Korea and Nepal. The centre, operated by HanaTour, has been tasked with managing and streamlining the visa application process.
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“HanaTour brings 30 years of global experience in travel and visa operations, with proven expertise in running visa centres in China, Vietnam and the Philippines,” Ms Song said. “We are committed to deploying stable, sophisticated services in Nepal to ensure maximum convenience for all applicants planning to travel to Korea.”
Located strategically in Lalitpur, the new centre has extended service hours—previously limited to mornings—allowing visa submissions until 4 PM on weekdays. Telephone consultations will be available until 9 PM and applicants will benefit from multiple payment options and region-specific services intended to simplify the overall process. The centre is designed with a spacious layout and includes applicant workstations and a VIP room.
A KVAC representative said the centre aims to deliver standardised services tailored to local needs. “Through a reservation-based system and a centralised call centre, applicants will have easier access to accurate information on Korean visas and real-time updates on their application status,” the representative noted.
The official added that reliable and customer-friendly services are expected to strengthen economic engagement and private-sector diplomacy between Nepal and Korea.
The centre currently offers SMS tracking and courier delivery, with plans to expand value-added services based on future demand. The KVAC, which will begin operations on December 17, 2025, is expected to play a key role in managing the increasing demand for Korean visas and further promoting people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.
