National, Home Ministry, Defence, CAAN and Film Development Board permits — secured in 5 working days.
Everything a producer needs to scope the job before making contact — which permits, how long, what they cost, and what we need from you.
| Main service | National filming permit acquisition, plus all special permits |
| Authorities handled | Ministry of Information & Communication · Home Ministry · Defence Ministry · CAAN · Film Development Board |
| Standard timeline | 5 working days — national filming permit |
| Complex timeline | 3–5 weeks — restricted areas, Defence Ministry clearance, aerial operations |
| Special permits | Aerial & drone · heritage sites · national parks · high altitude · ACAP · customs clearance |
| Cost | Quoted per application once we have your script, dates and locations. Government fees itemised separately from our fee |
| Liaison officer | Compulsory by law. Sourcing and coordination included in our scope |
| Required from you | Script, crew passports, appointment letter, budget, equipment list, itinerary, locations, dates |
| What you receive | Approved permits, written compliance briefing, liaison officer coordination |
Nepal has no single-window process. Filming permission is split across five authorities with overlapping jurisdiction, and the rules differ sharply from EU and US norms.
Film production draws attention from both government and local police. There are strict procedures for checking any production carrying professional equipment, and those checks happen on location, not at a desk.
Equipment seizure at heritage sites and national parks
Crew detention and questioning by local police
Drone confiscation where there is no CAAN clearance
Footage impounded and unusable for broadcast
Incomplete paperwork — rejection adds 2 to 4 weeks
Filming without a liaison officer voids an issued permit
Long schedules, multiple locations, and script review sensitivity around subject matter.
Fast turnaround against fixed transmission dates, plus broadcaster compliance paperwork.
Talent releases, location clearances and agency approval chains inside tight windows.
Press accreditation and same-week deployment where the story will not wait.
Extended shoots, set builds, and locations that fall inside Defence Ministry zones.
High altitude, ACAP, national park and peak permits, each with its own authority.
Five separate bodies govern filming in Nepal. We hold the relationship with each of them, so you hold one relationship with us.
Issues the primary filming permit for all audio-visual production in Nepal. Every foreign production starts here.
Security clearance, traffic control for public-area filming, and permits for restricted regions.
Required for defence-adjacent and sensitive locations. We assemble the documentation and file on your behalf.
All aerial and drone operations, including flight plans and restricted-zone clearance.
Industry registration and location coordination. We work through the Board so filming complies at every stage.
DNPWC, NTNC and the Department of Archaeology govern parks and UNESCO monument zones separately.
Every application includes your script or synopsis, and reviewers read it. Understanding what they look for is the difference between a five-day approval and a four-week resubmission.
We pre-screen every script before filing and flag a rejection risk while it can still be addressed — not after the application has been submitted.
Clear milestone execution from initial brief analysis to on-ground production wrap.
We review your script, filming locations, crew details and equipment list to determine every permit required.
Our team prepares the full package — scripts, passport copies, equipment lists, itinerary and appointment letters.
We liaise directly with the Ministry of Information & Communication, Home Ministry and other relevant authorities.
Approved permits delivered with a written compliance briefing and liaison officer coordination arranged.
Ready to initiate Step 1 for your shoot?
Start Requirement Analysis arrow_forwardWhere you film determines which authority governs the shoot, and how long approval takes.
Department of Archaeology permission for UNESCO monument zones — Pashupatinath, Boudhanath, Swayambhunath, Patan, Bhaktapur.
DNPWC or NTNC approval alongside the national permit — Chitwan, Bardia, Sagarmatha, Shivapuri.
Restricted Area Permit plus Home Ministry clearance for Upper Mustang, Dolpo, Humla, Upper Manang.
Peak permit, TIMS and conservation area fees above 3,500m.
Defence Ministry clearance in addition to the national permit.
Local municipality and ward-level permission, arranged on the ground.
A permit is not just permission to film. It carries conditions, and three of them catch international productions out more than any others.
Not an upsell. A liaison officer ensures no unpermitted footage is filmed and handles any interaction with local authorities on location. A permit is void without one.
A permit is issued to a specific production for specific locations and dates. It cannot be reassigned, and location changes after issue require re-application rather than amendment.
All timelines are working days and exclude Nepali public holidays. Dashain and Tihar can add two to three weeks to any approval. Plan around them.
Permit conditions and approval timelines are set by the issuing authority and change without notice. We confirm current requirements on every application.
Verifiable track record of facilitating international film, television, and documentary shoots across Nepal.
“SPIEGEL TV GmbH worked together with Digbijaya Bharati for a TV-documentary "Abenteuer Freiheit" for ZDF.”
“I am writing to highly recommend Nepal Film Production for their exceptional work.”
“It is our pleasure to provide a wholehearted recommendation for Digbijaya Bharati and his company.”
Professor David Wilson
Franziska Ziemann
Gabriella Votta · Documentary
Restricted area
Aerial + heritage
National park
Have a production in similar scope or location?
Request Permit Support arrow_forwardThe standard processing time for a national filming permit is around 15 working days. Our filing record and standing with the ministries bring it down to 5.
Legally authorised to file permit applications on behalf of foreign productions. Many intermediaries offering this service are not.
No handoffs between vendors halfway through an application, and no gaps where one body is waiting on another.
We assemble the entire application package. You review and sign it.
We flag a rejection risk before filing, while there is still time to address it.
Relationships with each authority built over time and maintained between jobs, rather than sourced when a production needs them.
Permits rarely travel alone. Nepal Film Production connects every department through one production partner.
Local coordination, logistics, translation and on-ground production support.
Equipment customs clearance, ATA Carnet, bonds and production insurance.
Recce, technical assessment and permit requirements confirmed per location.
Budget, schedule, crew and logistics managed to international delivery standards.
Camera, sound, lighting, grip and drone crew from our 35-strong roster.
Everything an international production needs to know before shooting in Nepal.
Not sure which service you need? Talk to a Nepal film production specialist arrow_forward
Quick answers to the questions producers ask most about filming permits in Nepal.
Yes. Filming permits are mandatory for all foreign productions. Film production draws attention from both government and local police, and there are strict procedures for checking any production carrying professional equipment and crew. Filming without a permit risks equipment seizure and crew detention.
Nepal Film Production typically secures national filming permits in as little as 5 working days, against a standard processing time of around 15 working days. Restricted areas, Defence Ministry clearance and aerial permits take longer — allow 3 to 5 weeks.
Permit costs depend on three things: which permits your shoot needs, how long you are filming, and where. A Kathmandu Valley documentary and a restricted-area expedition sit at opposite ends of the range. Send us your script, dates and locations and we will confirm the full cost — government fees and our fee itemised separately — within 48 hours.
The national filming permit is the baseline. Beyond that, common additional permits include aerial and drone permits from CAAN, ACAP and national park permits, heritage site permissions from the Department of Archaeology, restricted area permits, and customs clearance for equipment.
Your script or synopsis, passport copies for the filming crew, a letter of appointment for your production partner, production budget, equipment list, itinerary, filming locations, and arrival and finish dates. Full document table published above.
Yes. A liaison officer ensures no unpermitted footage is filmed and is responsible for handling any interaction with local authorities on location. This is a legal requirement, not an optional service — a permit is void without one. We arrange and coordinate the officer as part of our scope.
Yes. UNESCO monument zones require separate permission from the Department of Archaeology, and some areas restrict tripods, lighting rigs or specific subject matter. We negotiate terms and secure permissions for these locations as part of the application.
Yes. Restricted areas including Upper Mustang, Dolpo, Humla and Upper Manang require a Restricted Area Permit plus Home Ministry clearance. Allow 3 to 5 weeks minimum, and note that crew must be named on the permit before it is filed.
Yes. All aerial and drone operations require approval from the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, including a filed flight plan. Sensitive and defence-adjacent zones additionally require Home Ministry or Defence Ministry clearance. Allow 10 to 21 days.
A permit is issued for specific locations and dates, and cannot be amended. A location change requires re-application, which is why we build alternatives into the original filing wherever the schedule allows. Tell us about likely changes at brief stage, not after approval.
Have an unlisted question? Ask our production desk arrow_forward
