Special Interest Among MPs in Diplomatic Passports
April 22, Kathmandu – A discussion held on Wednesday involving the Speaker of the House of Representatives, chief whips, whips, and members of various parties concluded with the decision to strictly enforce current laws regarding diplomatic passport recommendations and usage in the short term, while initiating necessary amendments in the long term.
According to Khushbu Oli, Chief Whip of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), Speaker Dol Prasad Aryal convened the meeting due to increasing demands for diplomatic passports from members of the House of Representatives across all parties.
Following the election held in Falgun, newly elected MPs have submitted applications for diplomatic passports to the Federal Parliament Secretariat. Ekram Giri, spokesperson for the Secretariat, stated, “Three or four MPs have applied for diplomatic passports.” Diplomatic passports are issued to the President, Vice President, Prime Minister, Chief Justice, Ministers, federal and provincial MPs, Vice-Chairs of the National Planning Commission, Supreme Court Justices, Mayors and Deputy Mayors of metropolitan cities, among others. Based on recommendations from the Secretariat, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issues diplomatic notes for diplomatic passports, after which visa processing proceeds.
Possession of a diplomatic passport (red passport) does not guarantee visa issuance. However, officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have noted unnecessary interest among some MPs in obtaining diplomatic passports. “According to the Passport Act and regulations, only designated officials assigned special government tasks are eligible for diplomatic passports,” Chief Whip Oli told reporters after the discussion. “But since many honorable members need to travel abroad for various reasons and current provisions do not accommodate this, representatives from various parties were invited to discuss how facilitation can be improved in the future.”
Legal provisions restrict diplomatic passport usage strictly to official government travel. The Passport Act permits issuance of diplomatic passports when the concerned ministry, constitutional body, or secretariat provides decisions or recommendations for officials traveling abroad for official or special tasks. Nevertheless, some MPs have reportedly sought recommendations from the Federal Parliament Secretariat even for personal travel purposes. A senior official from the Secretariat, speaking under anonymity, said, “We have informed them that such requests do not comply with existing laws, and discussions on amendments are underway.”
According to Henley & Partners, an international company offering immigration consultancy, Nepal’s passport ranks 96th with 35 visa-free or visa-on-arrival destinations as of July 2025, slightly improved from 95th place with 38 points previously. This time, federal MPs are demanding pathways that would allow use of diplomatic passports even for personal trips. Experts say that misuse of passports and impunity have contributed to the weakening of Nepal’s passport strength.
As mentioned, diplomatic passports are issued to the President, Vice President, Prime Minister, Chief Justice, Ministers, federal and provincial MPs, Vice-Chairs of the National Planning Commission, Supreme Court Justices, Mayors, and Deputy Mayors of metropolitan cities. Misuse is especially prevalent among federal MPs, including failure to return diplomatic passports and using them for personal matters. Former parliamentarians Shivpujan Rai, Gayatri Sah, and Vishwanath Yadav were found by the courts to be involved in selling such passports. Sources confirm that federal MPs have again requested the option to use diplomatic passports for personal travel.
At the discussion attended by the Speaker, chief whips, and whips, Foreign Secretary Amrit Rai emphasized that according to the Passport Act 2019 and Passport Rules 2020, diplomatic passports should be used strictly for official or special purposes. He highlighted the need to find solutions to practical issues encountered during visa procedures. Padma Prasad Pandey, Secretary-General of the Federal Parliament, stressed that passports should not be used for purposes beyond what is authorized. He suggested that diplomatic passports be used for government work and ordinary passports for private travel, as stated in a press release issued by the Speaker’s Secretariat. Currently, legal provisions mandate penalties if passports are used outside the designated purpose.
Until 1992 BS, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stationed staff at Tribhuvan International Airport to retrieve diplomatic passports used illegally. However, officials say the Ministry no longer deploys personnel for this task, and returns of diplomatic passports have become rare. Except in unusual cases, most passport holders do not seem aware that diplomatic passports must be returned upon completion of their designated purpose. Former Foreign Minister Pradip Gyawali stresses that diplomatic passports are tied to the country’s prestige and should be carefully regulated by the Parliament. He states, “This is not a luxury; it is issued based on the dignity of the country and Parliament. It is appropriate to use an ordinary passport for personal travel.”