US Bans Nepal's Archaeological Loot at the Border
Published Date: 8/12/2026
Rule
Summary
This document amends U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) regulations to reflect the imposition of import restrictions on certain archaeological and ethnological material from the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal (Nepal). These restrictions are imposed pursuant to an agreement between the United States and Nepal, entered into under the authority of the Convention on Cultural Property Implementation Act. This document amends the CBP regulations by adding Nepal to the list of countries which have bilateral agreements with the United States imposing cultural property import restrictions and contains the Designated List, describing the archaeological and ethnological material to which the restrictions apply.
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 2 costs, 0 mixed.
U.S. import restrictions on Nepali cultural items
If you import, sell, or trade cultural objects from Nepal, certain archaeological and ethnological materials are restricted from entry into the United States effective August 12, 2026 through January 8, 2031. These items cannot be brought into the U.S. unless the conditions set forth in 19 U.S.C. 2606 and 19 CFR 12.104c are met; the rule also adds Nepal to CBP's list of countries with bilateral cultural property import restrictions.
Which Nepali objects are covered
The rule's Designated List covers archaeological material dated approximately 32,000 B.C.E. through 1770 C.E. and ethnological material dated approximately the 13th century C.E. through 1950 C.E. Covered categories explicitly include wide classes such as stone, ceramics, metal, paintings, ivory and bone, glass, manuscripts, wood and other organics, human remains, religious architectural elements, religious/ceremonial items, and manuscripts.
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