Family in Nepal

Nepal's family system combines formal legal procedures with support provided by relatives and local communities. Marriage requires the free consent of two people who are at least 20 years old, have no existing marriage and are not within a prohibited degree of relationship. Child marriage below 20, forced marriage, dowry demands and polygamy are unlawful and may lead to criminal consequences or invalidity. A marriage is registered with the local registrar at the Ward office. The Ward office is the local municipal or rural-municipal office serving the family's address. The usual documents include citizenship or nationality documents and two photographs for each spouse. If one spouse is abroad, a consularly certified power of attorney may be used. Personal events such as birth, marriage, divorce, death and migration should generally be registered within 35 days without a fee. Late registration can incur a late fee, and false information can be punished. A birth can be reported by the father, mother or, when necessary, a family member aged at least 18. A hospital birth report or an immunization card can support a home-birth registration. The parents' marriage does not need to be registered first. Where paternity is unknown or the mother is raising the child alone, the child may use the mother's surname and address. The local authority checks the information and issues the birth certificate. The certificate supports later access to school, identity documents, public services and other procedures that require proof of birth. Spouses owe each other good faith, help, protection and respect. They generally live together unless they agree otherwise, contribute to maintenance and health care according to their ability, and make household decisions jointly. Marriage must not be used to prevent either spouse from working or earning an income. Parents share responsibility for a child's maintenance, health, education, sport and emotional care. They must not treat a son or daughter less favorably, and children with a disability or serious illness require additional care. Adult children have duties of respect, care, maintenance and medical support toward their parents according to their social and financial circumstances, including when they live separately. The child's best interests guide family care and protection. Parents, relatives and guardians must provide care, protection, education, health support and an environment that supports development. They must enable school attendance, must not expose a child to work that harms development, and must not leave a child below six years alone. Physical and psychological punishment is prohibited. These duties apply within households even when a child is cared for by relatives rather than both parents. Adoption is decided according to the child's best interests. A childless married couple may qualify after 10 years of marriage. A single, widowed, divorced or judicially separated person may also qualify when at least 45 years old and without a child. The application and adoption deed are handled by the competent District Court. Written consent from a surviving parent or caregiver is normally required, and a child older than 10 must also consent. Adoption normally concerns a child below 14, with an age difference of at least 25 years between adopter and child. Financial influence is not allowed. Intercountry adoption requires government approval and involves only countries accepted under the relevant rules. Nepal does not provide one universal family allowance. Targeted social security allowances include Rs 4,000 per month for people aged 70 or older, Rs 2,660 for Dalit people and people in Karnali aged 60 or older, Rs 2,660 for a single woman aged 60 or older, Rs 2,660 for a widow of any age, Rs 3,990 for a person with a complete disability and Rs 2,128 for a person with a severe disability. The Ministry's schedule lists Rs 532 for eligible children only in designated areas or for Dalit families, limited to two children below five years per mother. Applications are made through the Ward office at the place of residence. After verification and entry into the system, payment normally starts from the following month, and annual renewal is required. A guardian or caregiver may act for a person aged 90 or older, a person with a severe disability or someone unable to manage the process independently. An allowance can stop after death, migration, remarriage or failure to renew. Family circumstances in Nepal often involve migration, single-parent care and relatives caring for children. The 2021 census recorded 2,190,592 people from 1,555,961 households living abroad, and 31.55 percent of households were headed by women. Among people below 18, 77.9 percent lived with both parents, 17.1 percent with only their mother, 1 percent with only their father and 3 percent with other relatives. The census also linked 38.2 percent of current internal or external migration to marriage. Early marriage remains a serious concern: the reported median age at first marriage was 19, while 22.3 percent of marriages involved ages 15 to 17 and 7 percent involved ages 10 to 14. These figures help explain why migration, early marriage, single-parent households and care by relatives have high practical relevance in family services. Spouses may divorce by mutual agreement at any time. A spouse may also seek divorce without the other's agreement in situations that include living separately for at least three years, being denied maintenance or expelled from the home, or suffering serious physical or psychological harm. Certain additional marriage or sexual offenses, including rape of the wife, can also support a claim. The application is filed at the District Court. The court first attempts reconciliation; if no agreement is reached, divorce may follow one year after the application. Property and maintenance questions can require separate civil-law treatment. Without an agreement, custody rules distinguish the child's age: a child below five normally stays with the mother, a child from five to below 10 with the father, and a child aged 10 or older with the parent chosen according to the child's wishes. The parent with the higher income generally contributes to maintenance, education and treatment for a child living with the other parent, according to an agreement or court decision. Contact may continue after separation, but it can be restricted when contact threatens the child's welfare. Divorce does not remove the parents' continuing duties or the child's rights. A divorce judgment is registered at the Ward office using citizenship documents and the court decision. A foreign divorce normally requires a consularly certified document. Domestic violence includes physical, psychological, sexual or economic harm within a family or household relationship. A person can make a written or oral complaint to Nepal Police, the National Women Commission or the local level. Nepal Police generally applies a 90-day period for complaints, so delay can affect access to the formal process. The Women, Children and Senior Citizens Service Directorate provides specialized police services. The National Women Commission can be reached free of charge at 1145, the police at 100 and the child helpline at 1098. The child helpline can arrange rescue, emergency support, advice, short-term protection, family reunification and reintegration. Number 104 supports locating children. Deaths are reported by a parent, spouse, son, daughter or another family member aged at least 18. Registration within 35 days is generally free. Complete civil registration becomes especially relevant when a family moves, a member migrates or a benefit claim is updated. The responsible Ward office and other local authorities may have different practical capacity, so the exact office, documents and service availability should be confirmed locally.