Sunauli – Belahiya (Bhairahawa)
The main overland crossing between Varanasi/Gorakhpur and Pokhara, Kathmandu and Lumbini.
All border crossings · India ⇄ Nepal · Road, On foot · checked 2026-09
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The two posts
Hours: Open to foreign travellers by day, roughly 06:00–22:00 (check)
Entering India
Sunauli · Maharajganj, Uttar Pradesh
- Visa on arrival
- No
- E-visa accepted here
- Check
India's e-visa is valid only at listed airports, seaports and land posts; check that Sunauli is on the list before you rely on it. Indians and Nepalis cross without a visa. (check)
Entering Nepal
Belahiya · Bhairahawa (Siddharthanagar)
- Visa on arrival
- Yes
- E-visa accepted here
- Check
Nepal visa on arrival for most passports (US dollars; fill the online form ahead). (check)
Visa answers are for most Western passports and change often. Check yours on entry check and the official e-visa site; for e-visas, the post must be on the country's list of accepted ports.
Getting across
- Train or bus to Gorakhpur, then bus or shared jeep to Sunauli (about 3 h).
- Buses from Bhairahawa to Pokhara (about 8 h) and Kathmandu (about 8–10 h); Lumbini is 30 min away.
Scams and traps
- Through 'Varanasi–Kathmandu' bus tickets that end at the border and need a second ticket.
- Touts pressing 'visa service' fees: the Nepal immigration office is a short walk.
- Exchange at the border at poor rates: Indian rupees in big notes may be refused in Nepal (check).
Tips
- Foreigners must stop at both immigration offices themselves: locals walk straight through, so the offices are easy to miss.
- Carry passport photos for the visa on arrival.
Nearest places
Other India–Nepal crossings
Everything marked check, and every hour and fee, needs confirming before you travel: posts close for holidays, disputes and roadworks with little notice. Written from Voykit's own notes; checked 2026-09.