विषयसूची
- 01Restricted sectors for foreign investment in Nepal
- 02What is Nepal's FDI negative list?
- 03Primary agriculture and related activities
- 04Micro and cottage enterprises
- 05Personal service businesses
- 06Arms, explosives and sensitive materials
- 07Real estate business
- 08Film and cultural industries
- 09Security printing, banknotes and coins
- 10Retail business
- 11Other activities identified in DOI guidance
- 12Sectors with foreign ownership caps
- 13Consultancy services and the 51 percent cap
- 14Technology transfer in restricted sectors
- 15Sector licences remain separate
- 16How to conduct an FDI sector eligibility review
- 17Mixed-activity companies
- 18Common classification mistakes
- 19Legal update and caution
छिटो जवाफ
Nepal restricts foreign investment in activities listed in FITTA's negative list, including specified primary agriculture, micro and cottage enterprises, personal services, arms and sensitive materials, real estate business and certain cultural or local services. Other sectors allow investment only up to an ownership cap or with a local partner.
मुख्य तथ्यहरू
- ✓Eligibility depends on the precise activity, not merely the company name or broad industry label.
- ✓FITTA's schedule restricts specified primary agriculture, micro and cottage enterprises and personal services.
- ✓Sensitive industries involving arms, explosives, atomic energy and radioactive materials are restricted.
- ✓Official DOI guidance distinguishes restricted real estate business from construction industries.
- ✓Some aviation, telecommunications, consultancy and casino activities have ownership or local-partner conditions.
- ✓Technology transfer may be possible in some areas where foreign equity is restricted, subject to separate approval.
Restricted sectors for foreign investment in Nepal
Nepal permits foreign investment in many industries, but the Foreign Investment and Technology Transfer Act, 2075 contains a schedule of industries and businesses that are not open to foreign investment. Other sectors may permit investment only up to an ownership cap, with a local partner or after approval from a specialist regulator.
The legal question is activity-specific. A company name, broad industry category or local partner's existing registration does not establish eligibility. Investors should screen every proposed product, service and revenue stream before committing funds or signing final transaction documents.
What is Nepal's FDI negative list?
The negative list is the statutory schedule associated with FITTA that identifies industries or businesses in which foreign investment is restricted. The list protects specified small-scale, personal-service, primary-production, cultural, security-sensitive and other reserved activities.
The schedule, related laws and government notices can be amended. The current legal text and responsible regulator's practice should therefore be checked rather than relying solely on an older online article or a generic business description.
Primary agriculture and related activities
The FITTA schedule includes specified primary agricultural activities, including livestock farming, fisheries, beekeeping, fruits, vegetables, oilseeds, pulses, dairy business and other areas of primary agricultural production.
This restriction does not mean every activity connected with agriculture is necessarily closed. Processing, technology, logistics, equipment, commercial scale and value addition may require a different classification analysis. The proposed activity should be mapped precisely against the current industrial classification and statutory wording.
Micro and cottage enterprises
Micro and cottage enterprises identified by the applicable law are restricted for foreign investment. DOI guidance provides examples of traditional and small-scale activities associated with the cottage-industry category.
सामान्य प्रश्नहरू
बारम्बार सोधिने प्रश्नहरू
आधिकारिक स्रोतहरू
यो मार्गदर्शनको कानुनी समीक्षाका लागि प्रयोग गरिएका प्राथमिक सामग्री।
- 1.Nepal Law Commission — FITTA Schedule: Industries or Businesses Not Open for Foreign Investmentपहुँच गरिएको २०२६ जुलाई २१
- 2.Department of Industry — Foreign Investment in a New Industry and Restricted Sectorsपहुँच गरिएको २०२६ जुलाई २१
- 3.Investment Board Nepal — Nepal Investment Guide 2024पहुँच गरिएको २०२६ जुलाई २१
व्यावसायिक सहयोग
व्यावसायिक कानुनी सहयोग चाहिन्छ?
तपाईंको विषय, कागजात र अनुपालन आवश्यकता अनुसार अधिवक्ता-नेतृत्वको मार्गदर्शन प्राप्त गर्नुहोस्।
सम्बन्धित कानुनी सेवा हेर्नुहोस् →सम्पादकीय तथा कानुनी समीक्षा
समीक्षक: Wakil Nepal Legal Team
अन्तिम समीक्षा: २०२६ जुलाई २१
यो मार्गदर्शनले सामान्य कानुनी जानकारी प्रदान गर्छ। प्रक्रिया र आधिकारिक आवश्यकता परिवर्तन हुन सक्छन्, र विषय-विशेष सल्लाह आवश्यक हुन सक्छ।