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Film Permits and Clearances in Nepal
Getting your production legally cleared to shoot, without the runaround
Overview
Most productions coming to Nepal underestimate how many separate approvals a single shoot day can involve. A city interview might need one permit. A drone shot near a monastery could involve three different offices. Grabnews sits between you and that entire process, translating your shoot plan into the specific applications it requires and chasing each one until it’s actually signed off, not just filed.
Approvals
Two Categories of Approval You’ll Run Into
Government Level Permits
This covers the national filming permit every commercial, documentary, or narrative production needs, plus any separate aerial clearance for drone work. These are the approvals that exist regardless of where in Nepal you’re shooting.
Site Specific Permissions
On top of the government permits, individual locations often carry their own conditions. National parks and conservation areas have park authorities with entry fees and escort rules. Heritage sites, monasteries, and private land usually need direct consent from whoever manages them. Equipment brought in from abroad needs its own customs paperwork, separate from filming approval altogether.
Who We Work With
Who We Work With
- ✓ Broadcasters and documentary crews heading into protected or conservation areas
- ✓ Branded content teams that need aerial footage signed off by Nepal’s Civil Aviation Authority
- ✓ Features and series with several locations under different jurisdictions
- ✓ Anyone importing gear temporarily and needing it to leave the country again without issue
How It Works
Our Process
We map your shoot: locations, aerial needs, equipment, and rough crew size, against what each one legally requires.
We file in the right order: some approvals depend on others being in place first, so sequencing matters more than speed.
We don’t stop at submission: we follow each application through to written confirmation, and keep translated copies with your crew for the shoot itself.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What documents do I actually need to provide?
It depends on the production type, but typically includes a script or shoot outline, crew list, equipment inventory, and company registration details. We’ll send you a specific checklist once we know your shoot dates and locations.
Is a local production partner required, or can a foreign production apply directly?
In practice, most authorities expect applications to come through a locally registered entity. Working with us covers that requirement without you needing to set up anything separately.
What’s the biggest cause of permit delays you see?
Usually it’s locations added late, after the original application has already gone in. Flagging possible extra locations to us early, even as maybes, saves time later.
Do permit costs vary a lot between locations?
Yes, noticeably. A city shoot might involve a modest flat fee, while national park access can include daily entry charges, escort costs, and conservation fees that add up over a multi day shoot. We’ll break these out in your quote so there are no surprises.
Need help with this?
Our production support team handles all the details so you can focus on creating.
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