Germany-Printed Passports Officially Rolled Out as Nepal Launches New Digital Passport System

Kathmandu-Nepal has officially begun issuing passports under a new digital system, marking the end of a 15-year partnership with a French printing company and the start of a new era with German-printed passports.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Shishir Khanal inaugurated the new service on Monday at the Department of Passports by handing over the first passports issued under the upgraded system to Oscar Gurung and Nimesh Shahi.

The new passports are now being printed by a German company, replacing those previously produced by the French firm IDEMIA, which had been responsible for Nepal’s passport printing for the past 15 years. According to the Department of Passports, the launch follows the successful completion of what officials describe as the largest data migration project in Nepal’s history. Nearly 10 million passport records of Nepali citizens were securely transferred to the new system, ensuring continuity of services while upgrading the country’s passport infrastructure.Speaking at the inauguration, Minister Khanal said the transition represents a significant milestone in modernising Nepal’s passport services. He noted that passport issuance had been temporarily suspended at the Department of Passports and Nepali diplomatic missions abroad for two to three days to facilitate the migration to the new platform.

“Although initial testing indicates that the system is functioning properly, there is still a possibility of minor technical issues during the early stages of implementation,” Khanal said. “Technical teams from both the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Passports remain on standby to respond promptly to any procedural or system-related challenges.”

Officials expect the new system to improve efficiency, security and service delivery for passport applicants, while laying the foundation for a more reliable and technologically advanced passport management system in Nepal.