Mode of Payments

Payment arrangements.
Under the Foreign Exchange (Control) Act and Rules, exports are permitted only against advance payment or documentary credit (L/C) to ensure that the payment for the goods is received in Nepal. Therefore, Nepalese Customs releases export shipments only after verifying the bank certificate of advance payment or L/C copy certified by a commercial bank. The exporter has to declare in form BBN I at the time of export that the export earnings will be repatriated within six months in case of transactions under L/C. If payment is not received within 6 months or such extended time as authorized by NRB, the commercial bank has to inform NRB for inquiry into the matter.

There is no limit on advance payment but the buyer has to remit the foreign exchange through a bank or has to exchange foreign currency with a bank while visiting Nepal. The bank issues a certificate of advance payment in a specified format (Annex 16) to the seller or exporter as nominated by the foreign buyer at the time of exchanging the currency. This certificate has to be produced to the Customs at the time of export. However, foreign nationals can carry out as accompanied or unaccompanied baggage Nepalese products up to a value of US $ 1000 without producing foreign exchange certificate of a bank. 
When using the other payment method, the L/C specifies the terms and conditions for shipment. After the L/C is received from its correspondent bank, the bank sends a copy to the exporter. It is the responsibility of commercial banks to see that L/C terms and conditions are fully met before accepting shipment documents and releasing payments to an exporter. Nepalese exporters prefer the irrevocable L/C, as it is normally withdrawn only when the exporter does not meet the terms and conditions of shipment leading to the rejection of documents for negotiation by the bank. Therefore, this type of L/C ensures safety of payment to the exporter. Currently banks at the both ends normally mention in most L/C documents that the credit is subject to the UCP 500 (1993). 
The commercial banks experience on average 4 shipments out of 1000 that exceed the shipment date specified by the L/C, and most of the documents are subject to discrepancies. Therefore, it has become a normal practice to accept such documents on exporter's risk for negotiation with the correspondent bank.Depending upon the credit status of an exporter, the bank may or may not release payment to the exporter against discrepant documents before confirmation of acceptance of such documents from the correspondent bank.