KATHMANDU, Jan 12: Nepal will soon issue identity cards to thousands of non-resident Nepalis (NRN) from January-end enabling them to own a limited amount of property in Nepal and enter their former motherland without any visa.
A senior official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) told myrepublica.com that the ministry is working on a war footing to complete the preparations so that the identity cards will be available to NRNs by the end of this month.
“We have already ordered the printing of the identity cards to meet the deadline [January-end],” said the official on condition of anonymity.
"If things go as planned, the ID cards will be issued starting from the stipulated date," the official said.
MoFA officials said that the identity cards are being prepared as per the Non-Resident Nepali Act and Regulations.
Preparations for issuing the IDs to Nepalis residing abroad come at a time when NRNs have been demanding dual citizenship. The Non-Resident Nepali Association early this month submitted a memorandum to the Constituent Assembly (CA) demanding incorporation of a provision on dual citizenship in the new constitution. The draft of the directive principles of the state prepared by the CA committee, however, denies NRNs dual citizenship.
Officials said the ID cards will be available both at the ministry and at Nepali missions abroad.
According to the NRN Regulations, NRNs will have to apply for the identity cards and the ministry and the missions will act on the applications within seven days. Such cards will be valid for 10 years in the case of non-resident foreigners of Nepali descent and for two years for non-resident Nepalis.
Upon getting the identity cards, Nepalis residing abroad will be able to own a maximum of two ropanis of land in Kathmandu Valley, eight katthas in municipalities in the Tarai districts, four ropanis in municipalities in other districts, one bigha in the villages of the Tarai and a maximum of 10 ropanis in other places in the country.
Similarly, NRNs will be allowed to take back profits from their investments in Nepal once they get their identity cards, according to the Regulations.
“We hope the move [issuance of identity cards] will bolster our policy of economic diplomacy,” said another MoFA official.
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