Kathmandu, Sep 24 (IANS): Nepal’s Department of Immigration has said it has begun the process of deporting 88 Chinese nationals who obtained Nepalese business visas but engaged in activities contrary to the purpose of their visas.
The department said in a press statement issued on Wednesday evening that the nationals were working at Ziyan Foods Pvt. Ltd., which is developing the Nepal Heat-Processed Buffalo Meat Export to China Project in Marini Rural Municipality of Sindhuli district, in financial partnership with Chengdu Tian Food Limited.
According to the department, the 88 foreigners had obtained business visas under the names of other companies but were found working at Ziyan Foods Pvt. Ltd. in activities that did not correspond to the purpose of their visas.
Tikaram Dhakal, spokesperson at the Department of Immigration, said all the foreigners found violating immigration rules were Chinese nationals.
“Their visas have been cancelled, and we are in the process of deporting them from Nepal,” he said. “They will be barred from entering Nepal for three years.”
According to the department, the business visa holders were found engaged in employment, labour and other activities unrelated to the businesses or investments for which their visas had been recommended and approved during a recent monitoring exercise conducted in coordination with the concerned authorities.
During the monitoring, as many as 501 Chinese nationals were found staying at the China-invested project.
Dhakal said more Chinese nationals could face deportation, as 329 of the 501 nationals had entered Nepal on tourist visas and are being investigated for possible violations of immigration rules.
“We are investigating and screening their travel histories, length of stay and activities to determine whether they have been working there while holding tourist visas. Necessary action will be taken in the next phase after the investigation is completed,” Dhakal said.
According to Dhakal, the District Administration Office in Sindhuli had first notified the authorities that an unusually large number of Chinese nationals appeared to be staying illegally at a meat-processing industry.
“Among them, 88 individuals had obtained business visas for other business purposes, such as on the pretext of opening restaurants or software companies, but were found working and staying at the meat-processing industry in violation of the purpose of their visas,” Dhakal said. “There were also complaints that they were engaging in activities that affected the local environment and culture.”
Nepal’s immigration rules allow business visas to foreign nationals licensed to invest in commercial or industrial businesses in the country, as well as authorised representatives of such institutions, upon the recommendation of the concerned authorities. Business visas are also issued to foreigners who purchase Nepali-produced goods for export.
The Immigration Rules, 1994 require foreign nationals holding business visas to remain in Nepal for the purpose for which their visas were issued. Such visas cannot be used for employment, labour or other unrelated activities.
The Department of Immigration has urged all foreign nationals to engage only in activities permitted under the purpose and conditions of their visas. It has also asked industries, companies, establishments and employers not to employ foreign nationals without the appropriate visa and necessary approval.
“We have also cautioned the company. Since this is the first such incident, discussions are underway on what action should be taken against the company, including whether to issue a warning or directive,” Dhakal said.
Nepal deported the largest number of Chinese nationals for violating the country’s immigration laws during the five years from 2021 to 2025, according to data from the immigration department.
In its annual publication, the department reported that Nepal deported 695 Chinese citizens during the period, accounting for the largest share of foreign nationals deported from the country. Nepal deported a total of 2,267 foreign nationals during the five years, with Chinese nationals accounting for 30.65 per cent of the total.
Citizens of the United States ranked second in terms of deportations during the five years, with 191 nationals deported, while Bangladesh ranked third with 145 deportations. Citizens of the United Kingdom and Pakistan ranked fourth and fifth, respectively, in terms of the number of their nationals deported from Nepal during the period.
The department said the figures indicate comparatively higher levels of immigration-law violations among nationals of certain countries and underscore the need for continued monitoring of foreign nationals entering and staying in Nepal.
