Nepal establishes embassy in Portugal

Lisbon, February 23 — Nepal has officially established its first embassy in Portugal, marking a significant development in diplomatic relations between the two countries.

A team from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs initiated the embassy's operations in Lisbon after its establishment.

The embassy has started its services from a temporary office in Alcântara, Lisbon, and is providing consular services, including passport issuance and document authentication, in collaboration with the Nepali embassy in France.

The mobile service, which began on Friday, has already processed around 200 document authentications, including police clearance certificates.

In addition to passport-related services, the embassy is also offering consular services such as birth and marriage certificate authentications and relationship verifications.

The embassy plans to continue providing services through the mobile camp until February 26 and will then begin offering regular services.

The establishment of the embassy has been a long-awaited development for the Nepali community in Portugal, which has faced significant challenges in accessing consular services.

Previously, Nepali citizens in Portugal had to travel to nearby countries like Spain and France for consular services.

With the opening of the embassy, many such challenges will now be addressed within Portugal.

The embassy's permanent office is in the process of being set up, and a building is currently being searched to accommodate the embassy’s staff and operations.

Portuguese authorities estimate there are around 60,000 Nepali citizens in the country.

This comes after years of efforts by various Nepali organizations and community leaders in Portugal, who have actively campaigned for the establishment of the embassy.