Dollar Card
Nepal · Forex & dollar cards
Dollar freedom & forex card manual
2082/83 · $500 & $3,000 cards · NRB rules · Charges
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$500 e-commerce card
Virtual card for online payments from Nepal — streaming, cloud, ads, app stores, international shopping, and similar services.
Nepal territory rule (online purchases)
For the $500 e-commerce card, you must be physically inside the territory of Nepal when you complete online purchases. Banks and NRB compliance treat this card as meant for use while you remain in Nepal; attempting to shop as if you were abroad can lead to declined transactions, card suspension, or regulatory issues. If you are traveling, use the appropriate travel / international card product instead.
Fiscal year reset
The $500 allowance refreshes on Shrawan 1 (mid-July), not on your card anniversary. Unused quota usually does not roll over—confirm with your bank.
- Example: you exhaust $500 before Shrawan 1 — you wait for Shrawan 1 for a fresh $500.
- Unused balance policy: verify with your issuer.
Required documents
| Document | Purpose | Note |
|---|---|---|
| PAN | NRB tracks $500 usage across banks | Linked to integrated reporting |
| Citizenship / ID | Identity verification | Original often required |
| Updated KYC | Address & profile | Typically within last 12 months |
| Bank account | Load NPR / settle charges | Same bank is simplest |
One person, one $500 card
NRB rules generally allow only one active $500 e-commerce card per person across all banks. A second application can be rejected if PAN already maps to an open card.
- Switching banks: close the old card and keep closure proof.
- Do not try to “stack” multiple $500 cards — compliance risk.
$3,000 travel card
Physical card for travel outside Nepal (not for India the way NPR Visa/Mastercard works — see India section). Loaded against passport, ticket, and visa.
Figures follow typical published card schedules; your bank’s live limits in app or agreement prevail.
Travel documents
- Passport — original; bank may endorse amount
- Visa — valid for destination
- Confirmed air ticket — often return ticket required
- NOC / supporting letter — student, medical, etc., when applicable
- Hotel / itinerary — if bank asks
Cash vs card (within per-trip entitlement)
Banks often split your per-trip entitlement between cash USD and card balance. That split is separate from daily / yearly usage caps on the card abroad.
- Cash USD: commonly capped (e.g. up to $1,500) — confirm when you apply.
- Card use abroad: also subject to per-transaction and daily limits (e.g. ATM up to $1,000 per txn; POS up to $1,500/day; e-com up to $1,000/day; combined up to $2,500/day) — full grid below.
Full transaction limit grid (foreign currency / travel card)
Typical issuer schedule — always verify against your bank.
| Category | Limit / count |
|---|---|
| Per transaction — ATM | 1,000.00 USD |
| Daily limit — purchase (POS) | 1,500.00 USD |
| Daily limit — e-commerce | 1,000.00 USD |
| Combined daily — POS + e-com + cash withdrawal (foreign) | 2,500.00 USD |
| Daily transaction count — ATM + POS + e-com | 30 times |
| Monthly transaction count (foreign) | 200 times |
| Monthly e-commerce transaction count | 100 times |
| Yearly limit — ATM + POS + e-com (foreign) | 5,000.00 USD |
* Limit is subject to change as per NRB / bank guidelines.
30-day refund rule after return
Unused travel dollars usually must be surrendered / sold back through banking channels soon after return — timelines are strict. Bring passport and arrival evidence; follow your issuing bank’s process.
- Holding large FX without qualifying travel can breach foreign exchange rules.
- Flight cancelled? Ask the bank immediately how to unwind the card / cash.
Fees & charges
Indicative costs — your bank’s tariff sheet wins if different.
| Fee | Typical range | When | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Issuance | Rs. 500–1,000 | One-time | Varies by bank |
| Load / top-up | Rs. 250–500 | Per load | Fewer loads = fewer fees |
| FX rate | Board rate + spread | Per conversion | Compare across banks |
| TDS on load | 0% or 15% | Per load | Personal vs business / consultancy — declare honestly |
| Reverse VAT | 13% | If applicable | Registered businesses buying digital services |
| Replacement card | Rs. 500–1,000 | If lost | Few working days |
Cost idea
$500 card with issuance + two loads might cost on the order of a few thousand rupees in fees and spread — model it before you commit.
Special-purpose cards
Separate products for education, medical treatment, or business — limits and taxes differ.
Using cards in India
Nepal’s USD travel / e-commerce dollar cards are generally not meant for spending in India the way you use NPR Visa/Mastercard.
Dollar cards & India
$500 and $3,000 products are typically blocked or inappropriate for Indian merchants / INR checkout — use NPR debit/credit cards that your bank has enabled for India.
What usually works in India
NPR Visa/Mastercard debit or credit: ATM, POS, and many online flows — inform the bank before travel.
| Use case | India |
|---|---|
| ATM (NPR card) | Often yes — per bank tariff |
| POS / online (NPR card) | Often yes — limits from bank |
Restrictions
High-risk categories can trigger blocks, fines, or legal exposure.
| Category | Examples | Risk |
|---|---|---|
| Crypto | Exchanges, token purchases | Block / enforcement |
| Gambling | Betting sites | Ban / penalties |
| Capital / assets | Foreign securities, property | Not permitted via retail card |
| India INR spend | Indian e-commerce on dollar card | Declines / compliance |
| $500 ATM | Cash withdrawal | Not available — online product |
Generally allowed
- Streaming, courses, SaaS, cloud, ads, app stores
- International retail sites that are not prohibited
Common questions
Refund to $500 card — does my annual limit go back up?
Usually the refund increases your spendable balance but does not always “give back” annual quota the way people expect. Treat refunds as a balance event and confirm with the bank.
Withdraw travel-card dollars as cash in Nepal?
No — surrender / convert through the bank’s refund process.
Flight cancelled — what about the card?
Contact the bank immediately; you typically must unwind balances without treating the card as open-ended FX storage.
Freelancer — load Upwork earnings to this card?
No — inbound remittance belongs in FCY / banking channels your bank approves, not the retail outward e-com card.
Security
OTP / 3-D Secure
Never share OTPs. Staff will not ask for them.
If compromised
- Temporary block in app
- Call bank 24/7 line
- Dispute quickly — delays can weaken recovery
Habits
- Alerts on
- Avoid saving card on random sites
- Review statements
Checklist
- PAN & KYC ready for $500 card
- Only one active $500 product — close old before switching
- E-com purchases only while in Nepal (territory rule)
- Travel card: passport, visa, ticket, endorsements
- Travel card: per-trip load $3,000 · yearly foreign use cap $5,000 · daily combined cap $2,500 (confirm in app)
- India: NPR Visa/Mastercard — not dollar card
- Return: refund unused FX on time
- No crypto / gambling / prohibited merchants