Kathmandu, Aug. 7: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) has launched the Nepal e-Attestation System, a digital platform that will allow people to apply for consular attestation online, ending much of the paperwork and repeated office visits required under the existing process.
The system will become fully operational on Aug. 17. It enables users to submit applications, pay fees, track progress and schedule appointments from anywhere in the world.
Launching the platform in Kathmandu on Thursday, Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal said the initiative reflects the government’s push to expand digital public services and improve efficiency, transparency and ease of access.
Khanal said the ministry introduced the system as demand for consular services continues to grow with rising numbers of Nepalis travelling abroad for study, employment and other purposes. He noted that more than 112,000 students received No Objection Certificates for overseas education in the last fiscal year, while about 400,000 workers secured labour approvals for foreign employment each year.
He said authenticated documents are increasingly required not only for education and jobs but also for family reunification, emergency assistance and insurance or compensation claims involving Nepalis overseas.
Under the new arrangement, applicants will visit the Department of Consular Services only after their applications have been approved online. Officials said this will eliminate long queues, reduce repeat visits caused by incomplete paperwork and lower both travel costs and processing time, especially for applicants from outside Kathmandu.
The ministry is also preparing standardised formats for government-issued documents to improve consistency and simplify verification.
The launch ceremony was attended by Foreign Secretary Amrit Kumar Rai, Director General of the Department of Consular Services Durpada Sapkota and other senior ministry officials.
People’s News Monitoring Service
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