millydog
6/5/2011 15:18 EST
I want to move to nepal, and go into buisness with my freind from Nepal that is a trekking/mountain guide. I have been to Nepal before and love the people and the country.
As I mentioned earlier my friend a Nepalie is asking me to come to Nepal and share in his trekking buisness.
I am concerned about being able to get a visa for this. I have read up a bit on it and it seems you have to invest at least 25K or a 100K I have herd mixed things, these numbers are not doable for me right now.
My friend from Nepal keeps telling me to come and once I am here it can be worked out. Does anyone know if there is any truth to this. I just think my friend does not know of the complexities of such things, or perhaps it's me who does not understand.
I am willing to go, just don't want to give up everthing here and then be forced to return home to nothing.
Anyone familiar with getting a buisness visa
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CT1000
6/5/2011 23:57 EST
I am currently on a short term business visa in Nepal. I am in the process of getting the full business visa still. It is complex and you will need an attorney. The attorney will cost around $1200-$1500 US dollars. The government fees are not included but are not too much. One basic rule is you as a foreigner can not own a business that competes with Nepali people. Treking and other tourist related businesses are for the most part off limits to foreigners. You may be able to come as an employee of the business if they invite you and write a letter requesting a work visa. These visas are not easy to get. I think you will have trouble getting a business visa for a treking company. What most do is start a different business for the visa and do other businesses as well. The investment amount is not fixed. The government wants to see an investment that makes sense for buying a percentage of an existing business or for starting a business. The minimum is usually $20,000 US dollars. This money can come from anywhere and be returned after you are approved. They only look at the bank statement. My business has a 60k requirement but I dont need to show that for a year and if I dont have it all they will no doubt accept the standard 20k showing on my bank statement. The process is long and the system is frustrating. I know you are dealing with a friend but remember if you cant own the business be careful what you invest. It is common here for Nepali people to partner with a foreigner and use the Nepali name on documents for the approvals only to have the business stolen by the Nepali once it is making a profit. It is a common scam. I know of several rich Nepali men who got rich doing this. One has three hotels thanks to foreigners who invested and were told later to leave. Nepal is a nice place but know that you are a target for being taken advantage of. If you need a name of a good attorney let me know
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Sensietop
6/8/2011 13:51 EST
Agree with CT1000. Be carefull with who you partner with. Especially if someone is pushing you.. Maybe you should come on a study visa stay in Nepal and learn more about all the possibilties. You can get a study visa if you go for a nepali language course at one of Kathmandu's universities. New semester will start in august i think.
Good luck
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millydog
6/10/2011 23:46 EST
Yeah,
I agree with the fact you have to be very careful about who you invest with in Nepal, and I can see how forieners can get screwed dealing with the wrong people.
As for my friend. I trust him 100%. I have known him for over 6 years and we have spent a good deal of time together in Nepal.
I know he will not intentionally don anything to hurt me financiallly. However there are things beyond his control. like the gov process for Visa's wich I am afraid of.
Like many nepalies my friend is not well educted, although he has some education it is not like a BS in finance that I got here in the US.
He runs a sucsessfull buisness and wan't me to be a part of it. But when he just say's Don't worry about the Visa, just come to Nepal and we will work it out I am concerned.
In addition he knows full well that I have only about 10K to invest wich is below the min requirment as I understand.
So I have no clue what to do. Nepal is a 3rd world country, perhaps there are things that can be done once your there, things not official, bribes, favors. I have no idea.
I really want to go I just don't want to end up in trouble.
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CT1000
6/11/2011 09:27 EST
The truth is you cant do anything unless youare in the country. I suggest you come and stay for the 5 months you are allowed on a tourist visa and talk to an attorney. Bribes do happen but you as a foreigner cant do it. It can only be done by a Nepali. The ministries that approve any business proposals are not commonly bought. If you have people back home that can sell things for you like I did you can decide once you are here if you want to stay. Its good you trust your Nepali friend but you must remember there are culteral differences that make teaming an American with a Nepali for business very difficult. Record keeping and accounting are very different if they exist at all. Even large companies here are ran in a way a westerner would never tolerate but its the way it is here. Make sure you dont completely bank on the business with your friend. If you have a dispute and need to go to court it will take about 5 years to be seen by a judge. In the mean time you are stuck. Use a seperate business for your visa so no matter what you are ok financially and you keep your visa if there is a problem. You said you don't know what to do. What you need to do is move slowly and protet yourself as much as possible..If you want to send a private message we can exchange emails
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miketimo
8/30/2011 19:49 EST
Do you by any chance know where I can find out more info about the course requirements in order to qualify for a Student Visa?
For instance, are there certian schools, or certian number of hours, etc.
Thank you!
Mike
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