What You Need for WhatsApp Business API in Nepal: Documents and Timeline



To get WhatsApp Business API in Nepal you need a registered company, a PAN or VAT certificate, a phone number not currently on WhatsApp, a business email, and a live website whose details match your documents exactly. The paperwork is straightforward. The mismatches are what cause delays.

The documents

Company registration certificate

Meta verifies a legal entity, so a registered business is not optional. Your certificate from the Office of Company Registrar — or the relevant registration for your business type — is the primary document.

The name on it becomes your legal business name everywhere in the process. Note it exactly, including whether it says "Private Limited" or "Pvt. Ltd.", because you will need to reproduce it identically.

PAN or VAT registration

Meta asks for a government-issued tax document showing the business name and number. Your PAN or VAT certificate serves this. The business name on it must match the registration certificate.

Proof of address, sometimes

Occasionally Meta asks for something showing your business address — a utility bill or bank statement in the business name. Not always requested, but worth having ready.

The technical requirements

A phone number not currently on WhatsApp

The one that catches everybody. The number must not be registered to the normal WhatsApp app or the WhatsApp Business app. If it is, you must delete it from that account first, and deleting permanently removes the chat history.

It can be a mobile or a landline, and it must be able to receive an SMS or a voice call once for verification. Most Nepali businesses buy a new SIM for this rather than sacrifice an existing number's history.

A business email address

Ideally on your own domain. A free email address will often work, but an address on the same domain as your website helps verification go smoothly.

A working website

It must be live and reachable, and it must show your business name, address and contact details. Meta cross-checks these against your documents.

A single-page site is fine. A site that is down, or that shows a different trading name from your registration, is a common cause of rejection.

The timeline

Stage	Typical time	What decides it
Gathering documents	1–3 days	Whether your registration and PAN are to hand
Meta business verification	2–7 working days	Whether the details match everywhere
Connecting the number	Same day	Receiving the verification code
Display name review	Minutes to 2 days	Whether the name follows Meta's rules
First templates approved	Minutes to a few hours	Whether the wording is clean
Integration with your systems	1–5 days	Complexity of what you are connecting

One to two weeks end to end is normal. A rejected verification adds roughly a week, which is why the checks below are worth the hour they take.

The mismatch problem

Nearly every avoidable delay we see in Nepal is a mismatch. Meta compares your registration certificate, your tax document, your website and your Meta Business Portfolio, and expects them to agree.

Before submitting, put them side by side and check:

• Business name — identical, character for character. "Dibi Tech Private Limited" and "DibiTech Pvt Ltd" are different names to a reviewer.
• Address — same format and same level of detail.
• Phone number — the website should show a number that belongs to the business.
• Website — live, loading, and the domain matches what you told Meta.

If your website footer has an old trading name, fix the website before submitting. It is a five-minute job that saves a week.

What you do not need

Clearing up recurring myths:

• You do not need the green tick. It is separate, optional, and judged on press coverage. See getting the WhatsApp green tick in Nepal.
• You do not need a developer to get set up, though you will need one to connect the API to your own systems.
• You do not need a foreign company or a foreign number. A Nepali company with a Nepali number is fully supported.
• You do not need a minimum message volume. There is no floor.

A decision to make before you start

Decide whether you will bill Meta directly with your own payment method, or buy message credits through a provider's credit line. Meta does not support switching an account from a card to a shared credit line afterwards, so this is easier to choose deliberately now than to change later.

Questions we get asked

Can a sole proprietorship get WhatsApp Business API in Nepal?

Only if it is registered and holds a PAN. Meta verifies a registered entity, so an unregistered business cannot complete verification.

How long does approval take in Nepal?

One to two weeks typically, most of it Meta's business verification. Matching details across your documents and website is the main thing that shortens it.

Can I use my personal WhatsApp number?

Only by deleting it from WhatsApp first, which erases that account's chat history permanently. A new number is usually the better choice.

What if my verification is rejected?

You can fix the cause and resubmit. The overwhelmingly common cause is a name or address mismatch between your documents, your website and your Meta portfolio.

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Dibi Tech Private Limited is an official Meta Tech Provider based in Janakpur, Dhanusha, Nepal. We handle verification and onboarding for Nepali businesses and check documents for mismatches before submission.