The Government of Nepal has given the green light to Portugal’s plan to open a consular office in Kathmandu, a move expected to make visa and other consular services more accessible to Nepalis.
A meeting of the Council of Ministers held on Tuesday approved Portugal’s request to establish the office in the Nepali capital.
The opening of the consular office is expected to ease a long-standing difficulty for Nepalis seeking Portuguese visas and other consular services. Portugal currently does not have an embassy in Nepal, requiring Nepali applicants to travel to its embassy in New Delhi, India, for such services.
Portugal has emerged as an increasingly popular destination for Nepalis pursuing education and employment. More than 70,000 Nepalis are estimated to be living in the European country.
The decision follows a telephone conversation between Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal and his Portuguese counterpart Paulo Rangel on April 1, 2026. During the conversation, Rangel announced Portugal’s intention to establish a consular office in Kathmandu.
The proposal gained further momentum during Portuguese Deputy Foreign Minister Dr Ana Isabel Xavier’s visit to Nepal from April 29 to May 1. During the visit, Khanal assured Xavier of the Nepali government’s full support for establishing the consular office.
The planned office is expected to bring Portuguese consular services closer to Nepali citizens and could also contribute to strengthening bilateral ties between Nepal and Portugal.
