On May 29, 2026, during the budget speech for fiscal year 2083/84 [1], Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle announced the closure of the Consulate General of Nepal in San Francisco. It was a single line in a long budget speech. A fiscal decision. A number on a spreadsheet.

But for over 150,000 Nepalis and people of Nepali origin living across eleven West Coast of US, that single line hit like a thunderclap.

We, the undersigned Nepali students, families, visitors, Non-Resident Nepalis, and foreign nationals across eleven states of the Western United States respectfully but urgently appeal to the Government of Nepal to reverse its decision to close the Consulate General of Nepal in San Francisco, California.

This is not just a policy decision. For hundreds of thousands of people who depend on this consulate, it is a matter of access, dignity, and connection to the country they call home.

THE REACH OF THIS CONSULATE

The SF Consulate is the sole consular presence serving Nepalis across California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Arizona, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, and Alaska; a vast region home to one of the largest and fastest-growing Nepali diaspora communities in the world.

WHO DEPENDS ON THIS CONSULATE AND WHAT THEY WILL LOSE

Students: Thousands of Nepali students enrolled in universities across the West Coast rely on the SF Consulate for passport renewals, emergency travel documents, and attestation services; essential for their academic and immigration status.

Visitors & Travelers: Nepali nationals traveling to or through the Western US depend on consular support for visa extensions, lost document assistance, and emergency repatriation. Without a local consulate, they will be left without recourse in moments of crisis.

Nepali Families: For Nepali families settled across these eleven states, the consulate is a lifeline for birth registrations, marriage certificates, citizenship documents, and the paperwork that holds their lives and their connection to Nepal together.

Non-Resident Nepalis (NRN): NRNs are Nepal's global ambassadors sending remittances, investing in development, and building bridges between Nepal and the world. Closing this consulate sends a painful signal: that Nepal does not value the community it has asked to represent it abroad.

Foreign Nationals: Citizens of other nations who wish to visit Nepal for trekking, tourism, business, or cultural exchange apply for Nepali visas through the SF Consulate. Closing it will diminish Nepal's tourism revenue and its global presence at a critical moment.

OUR APPEAL TO THE GOVERNMENT OF NEPAL

We respectfully urge the Government of Nepal to:

1. Immediately suspend the closure decision pending community consultation
2. Engage directly with Nepali diaspora leaders across the eleven affected states
3. Conduct a full impact assessment before any final action is taken
4. Reaffirm Nepal's commitment to its citizens and friends abroad by keeping this consulate open

A government that listens is a government that leads.

Come, let us stand together.

Organized by:
Nepali Association of Northern California (NANC)
sfconsulate@nancusa.org

References:

1. Budget Speech for the Fiscal Year 2083/84