Nepal’s Passport Department Ramps Up E-Passport Output to 1,500 a Day as Demand Surges
Nepal’s Department of Passports has boosted e-passport production to 1,500 per day and moved to two-shift operations to ease pressure from a surge in applications, especially from workers heading to South Korea.
Nepal’s Department of Passports is racing to catch up with a sharp rise in demand, lifting daily e-passport production to around 1,500 and shifting operations to two teams. The department says the expanded schedule is designed to steady the system within the next three months.
The spike in applications is being driven largely by Nepali citizens seeking employment in South Korea, according to the department. Officials say the higher volume has put significant pressure on passport issuance, prompting the move to increase capacity and speed up processing.
Why the pressure is building
Passport demand often rises when overseas job opportunities expand, and that is now happening in Nepal’s labor market. The department says the recent surge is tied especially to applicants preparing for employment abroad, with South Korea standing out as a major destination.
That kind of demand can quickly overwhelm a passport system if production capacity lags behind applications. By moving to two shifts, the department is aiming to reduce bottlenecks and shorten waiting times for applicants.
What the department is doing now
The most important change is the jump in output to 1,500 e-passports per day. The department says the new operating model is meant to stabilize passport delivery over a three-month window, suggesting that the current surge is large enough to require sustained operational changes rather than a short-term fix.
Authorities have also urged the public to apply only when absolutely necessary, a sign that the department wants to discourage avoidable applications while it works through the backlog. That guidance underscores how stretched the system has become.
What this means for applicants
For travelers and job seekers, the practical takeaway is straightforward: passport issuance is improving, but the system is still under strain. Applicants may face delays while the department works through the increased volume, even as production is now running at a much higher pace.
If the new two-shift setup performs as planned, Nepal could see a more stable passport pipeline in the coming months. For now, the department’s message is clear: capacity has been expanded, but public patience is still essential.