China has announced exempting visa fees for Nepali travellers with effect from May 1.

In order to promote the friendship and further facilitate the personnel exchange between China and Nepal, visa fees will not be charged from May 1, the Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu said in a statement on Sunday.

The exemption will apply to regular visa processing. However, express fees and service fees will be charged, according to the embassy.

Nepal had been requesting the northern neighbour to exempt visa fees for a long time. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Narayan Kaji Shrestha during his visit to China last month had requested the Chinese authorities to exempt visa fees.

Nepal has been waiving visa fees for Chinese nationals since 2016 and has been looking for reciprocal treatment from China.