KATHMANDU: The Nepal Tourism Board has dismissed circulating reports claiming Nepal imposed new restrictions on Indian tourists, calling the information “false, baseless, and misleading.”

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the board said there has been no new policy limiting the stay of Indian visitors to 30 days, no mandatory new identity card requirement for border crossings, and no provision allowing the confiscation of vehicles for overstays.

The Board clarified that Nepal’s longstanding open-border arrangements and bilateral understandings with India remain unchanged, stressing that tourism cooperation and people-to-people ties between the two countries continue to remain strong.

According to the statement, the government has instead introduced a new online facilitation system to simplify travel procedures for Indian and other foreign visitors entering Nepal through land routes with private vehicles. The digital system, developed by the Department of Customs under the Ministry of Finance, allows temporary vehicle permits and related payments to be completed online.

The Tourism Board urged media outlets, digital platforms, tourism stakeholders, and the public to avoid spreading unverified information and rely only on official government sources for updates related to tourism policies and travel regulations.

It also reiterated that Nepal remains a safe and welcoming destination for Indian and international tourists.