Shipping from China to Biratnagar
China โ Biratnagar ยท via KTM air / Kolkata transit ยท clearance by Department of Customs, Nepal
We move freight cargo from South China into Biratnagar through KTM air / Kolkata transit. Biratnagar is eastern industrial city, which shapes the kind of cargo that moves on this lane and how it should be packed.
The clearing authority is Department of Customs, Nepal. Historical dwell on this gateway is around 5โ12 days, and it lengthens in AugโNov.
Routing and transit on this lane
Nepal has two very different routings. Sea cargo normally moves to Kolkata or Haldia and then crosses at Birgunj under Indian transit rules, which is slow but cheap. The direct land crossings from Tibet at Rasuwagadhi and Tatopani are much shorter but have limited capacity and are weather- and policy-sensitive. Air via Kathmandu is the reliable option for time-critical goods.
| Air gateways used | KTM (Kathmandu Tribhuvan) |
|---|---|
| Air transit, China to gateway | 3โ6 business days |
| Sea gateways used | Landlocked โ via Kolkata/Haldia (India) or the Rasuwagadhi and Tatopani land crossings from Tibet |
| Sea transit, China to gateway | 18โ28 calendar days via Kolkata transit |
| Gateway serving Biratnagar | KTM air / Kolkata transit |
| Inland leg to Biratnagar | +1 day from the gateway |
| Typical clearance / dwell | 5โ12 days |
| Peak season to plan around | AugโNov |
Duty, tax and clearance into Biratnagar
Imports into Nepal are cleared by Department of Customs, Nepal. The headline position is: VAT 13%; customs duty 5โ80% depending on commodity, plus excise on selected goods. The de-minimis threshold is No practical de-minimis.
Conformity is the part most first-time importers underestimate: Import license for controlled goods; Nepal Bureau of Standards approval for regulated products. Getting this wrong is expensive because it usually cannot be fixed after the cargo has landed.
Restrictions and known friction points for Nepal: Indian transit adds a separate bonded movement and its own documentation set. Land crossings from Tibet close seasonally and during Nepali and Chinese holidays. Confirm the routing in the quote โ the two options differ by weeks.
Air, sea or overland into Biratnagar?
| Mode | Transit to gateway | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|
| โ๏ธ Air Freight | 3โ6 business days | time-critical, high-value and low-volume cargo |
| ๐ข Sea Freight | 18โ28 calendar days via Kolkata transit | volume cargo where cost per kilo matters more than speed |
Transit shown is China departure to the Nepal gateway and excludes the +1 day inland leg to Biratnagar and 5โ12 days of clearance.
Before you book: Biratnagar checklist
- Check the de-minimis position (No practical de-minimis) against your invoice value before you decide how to split the shipment.
- Compare gross weight against volumetric weight (LรWรH รท 6000) โ the higher figure is what gets billed on air and express.
- Use ISPM-15 treated pallets. Untreated wood is the most common reason otherwise-clean cargo gets held.
- Declare lithium batteries, magnets, liquids and powders up front โ retro-declaring after booking usually means re-planning the whole shipment.
- Put the Biratnagar delivery address, contact name and phone number on the invoice, not just the packing list.
- Budget for the inland leg: +1 day beyond gateway clearance to reach Biratnagar.
Mode guides for Biratnagar
Frequently asked questions
How long does shipping from China to Biratnagar take?
China to the Nepal gateway is 3โ6 business days by air, 18โ28 calendar days via Kolkata transit by sea. On top of that, allow 5โ12 days of clearance with Department of Customs, Nepal and a +1 day inland leg to Biratnagar.
What duty and tax will I pay importing into Biratnagar?
Department of Customs, Nepal applies: VAT 13%; customs duty 5โ80% depending on commodity, plus excise on selected goods. The de-minimis position is No practical de-minimis. Under a DDP arrangement these are pre-paid, so nothing is collected on arrival in Biratnagar.
Can you deliver door-to-door in Biratnagar?
Yes. Delivery to a Biratnagar address is quoted as one figure covering freight, duty and tax owed to Department of Customs, Nepal, and the +1 day inland leg. Confirm whether your consignee wants the goods at a warehouse, a marketplace fulfillment center or a shop front, because the last-mile requirement differs.
Is sea freight cheaper than air freight into Biratnagar?
Per kilo, yes โ usually by a wide margin. The trade-off is time: 18โ28 calendar days via Kolkata transit by sea versus 3โ6 business days by air to the Nepal gateway, before clearance and the +1 day inland leg. The crossover point is normally somewhere between 100 and 300 kg depending on the density of your cargo.
When is the busiest time on the ChinaโNepal lane?
Space and rates tighten around AugโNov, plus the China-side windows of Chinese New Year in January or February and Golden Week in early October. Book one to two weeks earlier in those periods.
How is the chargeable weight calculated for Biratnagar?
We compare actual gross weight against volumetric weight โ length ร width ร height in centimeters divided by 6000 for air โ and bill the greater of the two, rounded up to the next kilogram. Light, bulky cargo is almost always billed on volume.
Other delivery cities in Nepal
References & official sources
Duty rates, thresholds and conformity requirements for Nepal change by ministerial decision, sometimes mid-year. The figures on this page are buyer-planning references, not a customs ruling โ confirm the current position for your own HS code with Department of Customs, Nepal or your broker before you ship.
- Department of Customs, Nepal
- WTO โ Tariff Profiles (applied MFN duty by country)
- World Bank โ Logistics Performance Index
- ICC โ Incoterms 2020 rules (DDP, DAP, FOB definitions)
- IPPC โ ISPM 15 wood packaging standard
- WCO โ Harmonized System nomenclature
Page data last reviewed: 10 ๆ 2026.
Shipping by industry
This page covers the route and clearance picture for the destination. Packing, classification and the compliance step that actually holds a shipment depend on what you are sending โ these guides cover that by commodity.
- Sheet Metal Metal Products & Industrial Components
- Compressors General Machinery & Industrial Equipment
- Electrical Cabinets New Energy, Power & Electrical
- Flooring Building Materials & Construction Products
- Plastic Products Plastics, Rubber & Packaging
- Ceramic Tableware Glass & Ceramic Products
- Tableware Furniture & Home Products
- Display Stands Retail, Display & Commercial Fixtures
- Umbrellas Consumer Goods & Gifts
- Bearings Metal Products & Industrial Components
- Solar Panel New Energy, Power & Electrical
- Prefabricated Building Building Materials & Construction Products
Checking the Nepal duty position yourself
Duty and tax figures on this page are planning estimates. The binding assessment is made by Department of Customs, Nepal against your declared HS code at the time of entry; where the amount is material, verify the current rate through ITC Market Access Map before committing to an order.
Classification drives everything downstream: the same carton can attract very different duty depending on the heading it lands in, and the structure those headings come from is the World Customs Organization Harmonized System. If your product sits near a boundary between two headings, resolve it before shipping rather than at the border.
For ocean cargo, restricted commodities move under the IMO's IMDG Code, and the container has to be declared and stowed accordingly. Batteries, flammables and corrosives all have a compliant ocean path; what causes rolled bookings is finding out about them after the container is packed.
Watch: the process behind this route
This guide covers routing and clearance for Biratnagar. The video below covers the wider shipping process that sits around it.
What Is CBM? Sea Freight Volume Explained (Calculate Shipping Cost Fast!) — DDPCHAIN. Published on YouTube by a third party; we link it because it explains the process well, not because we produced it or endorse the provider.
Customs clearance in Nepal
Duty and tax position, certification, typical port dwell and what actually holds shipments at this border โ plus who files the entry.
Nepal clearance requirements →