The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has launched the Nepal e-Attestation System (NEATS), a fully digital platform aimed at making consular document authentication faster, simpler and more accessible for Nepalis at home and abroad.

The new system will allow applicants from anywhere in the world to submit requests for consular attestation online, track the status of their applications, pay government fees digitally and book appointments before visiting the relevant offices for final verification. The service will come into operation from August 17.

Launching the system at the ministry in Singha Durbar on Thursday, Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal said the move was part of the government’s broader effort to make public services more transparent, efficient and technology-driven.

“I am extremely happy that the first decision I made after assuming responsibility at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has taken concrete shape today. I am confident that this will make an important contribution to making the ministry’s overall service delivery exemplary,” Khanal said.

He said the government had prioritised the concept of a “Digital Nepal” and was gradually shifting public services to online platforms. The Nepal e-Attestation System, he said, was a practical implementation of that policy.

Khanal said the demand for consular services had increased significantly with more Nepalis travelling abroad for education, employment, business, research and migration.

He cited government figures showing that 112,593 students obtained No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for overseas study in the fiscal year 2023-24 alone, while around 400,000 Nepalis receive labour approvals every year for foreign employment.

“As the number of Nepalis living abroad grows, the need for authenticated documents has also increased. Such documents are required for family reunification, emergency repatriation, compensation claims and insurance processes for injured or deceased Nepalis abroad,” he said.

Khanal said countries around the world use systems such as apostille, notarisation and attestation to provide legal recognition to public documents. Nepal currently uses attestation and notarisation processes, with documents verified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs being recognised by foreign governments.

The minister said rising demand had placed increasing pressure on the ministry’s Department of Consular Services, prompting the development of the digital platform.

Under the new system, applicants will no longer need to visit the department before their documents are reviewed. They can submit applications online, receive updates on their status and visit the department only after approval, at a time selected through the appointment system.

“Once the application is approved, applicants will only need to visit the department for the final process. This will make the service faster, easier and more predictable. The need to stand in long queues or repeatedly visit the department because of minor errors or missing documents will be reduced,” Khanal said.

Previously, people travelling to Kathmandu from distant districts often had to return to local government offices or other agencies if their documents contained minor errors or lacked required information. The new system is expected to reduce the time, cost and inconvenience involved in the process.

The ministry is also preparing to introduce a home delivery service for authenticated documents in coordination with the Department of Postal Services, Khanal said.

“In line with the government’s goal of delivering services to citizens’ homes, we plan to deliver authenticated documents directly to service users if we receive support from the postal service,” he said.

The ministry is also working to connect government agencies and local governments that issue public documents with the attestation system. It is preparing standard formats for official documents to improve consistency and simplify the verification process.

Khanal said digital transformation was not merely about changing the method of service delivery but about reshaping the working culture of public administration.

“The use of digital technology is not only about changing the medium of service delivery. It is also a process of transforming public administration. It will make interaction between citizens and the government more transparent, reliable and aligned with international practices,” he said.

He said the foreign ministry remained committed to providing citizen-friendly, transparent and technology-based services and expressed confidence that NEATS would strengthen efforts to deliver better consular services.