The government has announced the implementation of ‘Investment Express,’ an automated process, and the Nepal Investment Visa in the upcoming fiscal year’s policy program of 2083/84 (2026/27). Virendra Raj Pandey, President of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, expressed confidence that granting approvals within 30 days will energize the economy. However, corporate law experts have cautioned that without reforms in outdated laws, these announcements might amount to little more than “showy but ineffective” initiatives. (29 Baishakh, Kathmandu)
Through the policy program for the fiscal year 2083/84, the government has made ambitious plans to attract domestic and foreign investments. The declared measures include implementing ‘Investment Express,’ which promises to complete all processes from business registration to construction permits within 30 days; expanding the “automated process” for foreign investments; and granting “Nepal Investment Visa” to large investors. Nevertheless, industry representatives and corporate law specialists emphasize that reforms to existing laws and improvements in bureaucratic practices are essential to realize these goals.
Virendra Raj Pandey acknowledged that while the 30-day deadline is positive, without legal reforms, the past fate of delays will persist. He stated, “If a feasible project is delayed by a year due to approval procedures, it may no longer be viable. If work is to be completed within 30 days, the necessary procedures and legal tools must be in place.”
Corporate law expert Gauri Shankar Kharel remarked that although the idea of issuing the “Nepal Investment Visa” sounds promising in policy, it is, in practice, just a “showy display with no real substance.” He explained, “Foreign investors face challenges at every step, from company registration to visa procurement and repatriation of profits.” Thus, while the government’s introduction of Investment Express, automated processes, and investment visas represent important starting points for economic reform, the consensus among industrialists and legal professionals is clear: “Without overhauling outdated cumbersome laws, these policies will remain limited to paper, as in previous years.”
