Bangladesh Visa

Bangladesh might not be on most people’s top list of tourist destinations, but this greenery-filled South Asian country can hold its own. Despite the fact it is one of the poorest countries in the world, Bangladesh is filled with natural beauty and wildlife, as well as old cities and architecture.

To visit Bangladesh, citizens of most countries in the world will have to apply for a Bangladesh visa. There is, however, certain countries whose nationals are eligible to enter without a visa, as well as others who can get a Bangladesh Visa On Arrival.

This article is aimed at detailing the Bangladesh Visa: the types of visas, the application process, required documents, visa fees, and other commonly-asked questions.

What are the types of Visas for Bangladesh?

The most common categories of visas for Bangladesh are as follows:

• Bangladesh Tourist Visa, issued to foreigners entering the country simply for tourism purposes.
• Bangladesh Business Visa, for foreigners entering the country for business-related purposes. An invitation letter from a company in Bangladesh is usually required.
• Bangladesh Journalist Visa, for foreign journalists traveling temporarily for their work.
• Diplomatic/Governmental Visa, for officials who are traveling for diplomatic and governmental purposes.
• Bangladesh Research Visa, for foreigners participating in a research, training, or Internship program in a government-approved organization in Bangladesh.
• Bangladesh Transit Visa, for foreigners who will change flights in a Bangladesh airport. This type of visa is valid for a maximum of 72 hours.

Additionally, there are also other types of visas for Bangladesh for a longer period of time, including:

• Bangladesh Employment Visa, for foreigners who have found employment in Bangladesh
• Bangladesh Student Visa, for foreigners who want to study in an educational institution in Bangladesh

Foreigners who want to stay in Bangladesh for longer than 1-2 months have to register their stay with the Immigration & Passport Office in Dhaka.

Family members of Bangladeshi citizens (spouse and children) don’t need a visa – they qualify for the No Visa Required stamp (see below).

Bangladesh Visa Requirements

When you apply for a Bangladesh visa, you need to have several documents which support the purpose of your visit, such as:

• The printed Bangladesh Visa application form
• Your passport, which is valid for at least six more months
• Passport-size pictures taken in front of a white background
• Proof of payment of the Bangladesh visa fee (check the payment requirements of the Bangladesh diplomatic mission where you’re applying)
• For Bangladesh Tourist Visa:
  • Travel itinerary
  • Hotel reservation or a letter of invitation from a host along with their passport
  • Letter from your employer
  • Letter of Invitation from the company hosting you in Bangladesh
  • A Letter of Recommendation from the relevant Bangladesh Ministry
  • A letter from your institution in your home country
  • Letter of invitation from the institution in Bangladesh
  • FF-1 and FF-2 application forms, completed
  • List of the equipment you will take to Bangladesh with you
  • Letter of enrollment in your university
  • Proof of financial solvency (bank statements)
  • Letter from your employer in Bangladesh
  • A Letter of Recommendation from BEPZA/BOI

  Note on Bangladesh visa requirements:

  The required documents can change from one country to the other, so make sure to ask the specific embassy in which you’re applying to provide you with the list of documents you need.

  If you’re eligible for a Bangladesh Visa On Arrival, bring the relevant documents with you when you travel.

  Can you get a Bangladesh Visa Online?

  No, you cannot get a Bangladesh Visa entirely online. The online visa for Bangladesh merely refers to completing the Bangladesh Visa Application Form.

  You have to complete the application form online, after which, you have to submit it in person at a Bangladesh representative office and apply for the visa there.

  Who needs a Bangladesh Visa?

  Everyone who is not from one of the following countries needs to apply for a Bangladesh visa:

  • Barbados
  • Bhutan
  • Botswana
  • Burkina Faso
  • Fiji
  • Gabon
  • The Gambia
  • Ghana
  • Grenada
  • Guinea
  • Guinea-Bissau
  • Jamaica
  • Lesotho
  • Malawi
  • Maldives
  • Papua New Guinea
  • Saint Kitts and Nevis
  • Samoa
  • Seychelles
  • Sierra Leone
  • Tanzania
  • Tonga
  • Zambia

  How to apply for a Bangladesh Visa?

  The application process for a Bangladesh visa is as follows:

  • Complete and print the online application form
  • Submit the form at a Bangladesh diplomatic mission

  Completing the Bangladesh visa online application form

  To start the process of applying for a Bangladesh visa, you first have to complete the online application form (here).

  The Bangladesh visa online application is divided into several sections.

  • Section 1: Your personal information, nationality, name, address where you will stay in Bangladesh, passport number, sex, and occupation. You also have to attach a picture of yourself with the following dimensions: 45mm x 35mm, 300KB maximum size, however, that is optional.
  • Section 2: Choose the type of application you are making. Assuming you’re applying for a new visa, select “New Visa Application”. Click “Save and Next”, and you will be redirected to a new tab where you will receive your password and log-on application ID. Do not lose these!
  • Section 3: Enter your passport information and whether you have visited Bangladesh previously.
  • Section 4: Visa fee payment information
  • Section 5: Information regarding your purpose of travel to Bangladesh and the duration of your visit
  • Section 6: Choosing the Bangladeshi diplomatic mission where you want to receive your visa.
  • Section 7: This section includes a document checklist, wherein you have to tick and enter the documents you have

  After completing the online application, you can print the visa application form, gather the necessary documents and submit them.

  If you cannot finish the application in one sitting, you can save it and finish later. The server will keep your incomplete Visa Application for 7 days. After 7 days, it will be lost and you have to start over.

  Submitting the application at a Bangladesh diplomatic mission

  At the end of the online visa application, you will receive the address of the diplomatic mission where you can submit your completed Bangladesh visa application.

  You will also receive the mission’s address and contact information, so you can contact them to inquire about their specific submission rules.

  Some diplomatic missions may allow you to apply via mail, but if you are going to apply in person, you must make an appointment.

  Note:

  If there is no diplomatic mission where you live, see whether there is a visa application center handling Bangladesh visa applications. If there is not, you may have to apply for a Bangladesh Visa On Arrival instead.

  Bangladesh Visa Processing Time

  The processing time for a Bangladesh visa depends on the specific embassy. Usually, a regular tourist visa is processed with 1-2 weeks, but may take up to a month, depending on the circumstances.

  If you’re applying by post, take into account the time it will take for your documents to be delivered and then sent back to you.

  As such, you should start applying for a Bangladesh visa 1-2 months before you intend to travel.

  What is a Bangladesh Visa On Arrival (Landing Permit) and who is eligible?

  The Bangladesh Visa On Arrival (VOA) is a type of Bangladesh visa which you apply for only after you have already arrived in Bangladesh. However, being eligible for a VOA does not mean that you are automatically granted permission to enter the country.

  Whether or not you can enter Bangladesh is up to the immigration officers at the point of entry to decide after they examine your documents. There are many cases where applicants were turned back because they were deemed ineligible to receive the visa.

  If granted, the Bangladesh Visa On Arrival is valid for a maximum of 30 days.

  Eligibility for a Bangladesh Visa On Arrival

  You can get a Bangladesh Visa On Arrival if you fall under one of the following categories:

  • • You live in a country where there is no Bangladesh diplomatic mission
    • You are an investor or businessman and you have a letter of invitation from an organization in Bangladesh. The letter has to be attested by the Board of Investment (BEPZA).
    • You are traveling to attend a conference, event, or symposium which is organized by the government of Bangladesh. You must have authorization from the relevant authority in Bangladesh, such as BOI, BEPZA, BGMEA, FBCCI, or the relevant Ministry.
    • You are an official from a foreign Mission, the UN, or one of its affiliated organizations, and you have the appropriate appointment letter.
    • You are from one of the countries listed below and you are traveling for tourism, business, investment, or an official duty:
    • • • One of the European Union countries
        • Australia
        • Bahrain
        • Canada
        • China
        • Iceland
        • Japan
        • Kuwait
        • Liechtenstein
        • Malaysia
        • New Zealand
        • Norway
        • Oman
        • Qatar
        • Russia
        • Saudi Arabia
        • Singapore
        • South Korea
        • Switzerland
        • The United Arab Emirates
        • The United States

        How to apply for Bangladesh Visa On Arrival?

        You have to apply for a Bangladesh Visa On Arrival once you arrive in the country. However, before that, you have to complete the Bangladesh visa online application form. The process is similar to a normal visa application, (as described above), but instead of selecting “New Visa Application”, select “Visa On Arrival”.

        Additionally, for a VOA, you also have to state the point through which you will enter Bangladesh and whether you’re traveling by air, land, or sea.

        Then, you can gather documents attesting to your purpose of travel and present them to the immigration officers upon arrival.

        Note on Bangladesh Visa On Arrival:

        Despite being eligible for a Bangladesh Visa On Arrival, many foreigners still choose to obtain one beforehand. That’s because it is not guaranteed that you will receive the visa, even though you have traveled there already.

        You have to “apply” for A Bangladesh Visa On Arrival as well, meaning you must have documents attesting to your purpose of travel with you when you arrive. The immigration officers will evaluate them and decide whether to grant you entry. One of the requirements for the Bangladesh Visa On Arrival is proving you have enough funds to sustain yourself financially.

        If you do not have the necessary documents (or if the immigration officers do not find them satisfactory), you will not receive the visa and you will have to turn back.

        How long is a Bangladesh Visa valid?

        The validity of a Bangladesh visa depends on the embassy in which you apply. However, visas are usually issued for up to 2 months, for single or multiple entries. If you overstay your visa, you have to pay a fine of BDT 200 per day for every day you have overstayed.

        If you overstay for more than 15 days, the fee is BDT 500 per day.

        Can you extend a Bangladesh Visa?

        Yes, you can. To apply for a Bangladesh Visa extension, you first need to complete an online application (here) and then visit the Immigration & Passport Office in Dhaka and pay the necessary fee.

        Who is eligible for the Bangladesh “No Visa Required” stamp?

        You are eligible to receive the “No Visa Required to enter Bangladesh” stamp on your passport if you fall under one of the following categories:

        • You are a former Bangladeshi citizen
        • You are the spouse of a Bangladeshi citizen/former Bangladeshi citizen
        • You are the foreign-born child of a Bangladeshi citizen/former Bangladeshi citizen

        You can apply for the Bangladesh “No Visa Required” stamp at a diplomatic mission of Bangladesh. If you receive it, the NVR stamp allows you to enter Bangladesh multiple times, for an unlimited duration as long as your passport is still valid.

        When applying as a former Bangladeshi citizen, you will need the following documents:

        • Application form for Bangladesh NVR (downloaded online)
        • Passport-size pictures
        • Your current foreign passport, valid for at least six more months
        • A copy of your former Bangladeshi passport
        • A copy of your Dual Citizenship Certificate (if applicable)
        • Paid processing fee
        • If you’re mailing the documents, include a pre-paid and self-addressed envelope

        When applying as the spouse of a Bangladeshi citizen/former Bangladeshi citizen, you will need the following documents:

        • Application form for Bangladesh NVR (downloaded online)
        • Passport-size pictures
        • Your passport, valid for at least six more months
        • Copy of your marriage certificate
        • Copy of your spouse’s former or current Bangladeshi passport (as applicable)
        • Copy of your spouse’s Dual Citizenship Certificate (if applicable)
        • Paid processing fee
        • If you’re mailing the documents, include a pre-paid and self-addressed envelope

        When applying as the foreign-born child of a Bangladeshi citizen/former Bangladeshi citizen, you will need the following documents:

        • Application form for Bangladesh NVR (downloaded online)
        • Passport-size pictures
        • Your passport, valid for at least six more months
        • Copy of your birth certificate, showing your parents’ names
        • Copy of your parent’s former or current Bangladeshi passport (as applicable)
        • Copy of your parent’s Dual Citizenship Certificate (if applicable)

        If your passport with the No Visa Required stamp expires, you can apply to transfer the NVR into your new passport.

        How Can I Visit Bangladesh as a US Citizen?

        US citizens are eligible to receive a Bangladesh Visa On Arrival when they are traveling for tourism, business, investment, or for an official assignment. This means you don’t have to apply for a visa before you travel. Technically, you can apply for a Bangladesh visa and get it at the point of entry.

        However, the downside to this method is that you have to travel all the way to Bangladesh, but you are still not guaranteed that you will be allowed to enter.

        The US governmental authorities advise their citizens to apply for a Bangladesh visa before they travel.

        If you want to get a visa to Bangladesh from inside the US, you have to apply to the Bangladesh Embassy in Washington D.C. or the Consulate General of Bangladesh in New York.

        How Can I Visit Bangladesh as an Indian Citizen?

        To get a Bangladesh visa as an Indian citizen, you have to apply to the Bangladesh High Commission in New Dehli, following the same application procedure as described above. So, you have to:

        • Complete the online visa application form and print it. You can complete the form here.
        • Submit the application and required documents at the Bangladesh High Commission in New Dehli.

        A Bangladeshi visa for Indians is free of charge, meaning you do not have to pay a visa fee.

        Bangladesh Visa Fees

        The fees for Bangladesh visas change from country to country. The current visa fees, as announced by the Bangladesh Government, are:

        Country	Currency	Fee for single-entry visa	Fee for double-entry visa	Fee for multiple-entry visa
        Afghanistan	USD	70	100	130
        Albania	USD	2	2	3
        Algeria	USD	1	1	2
        American Samoa	USD	0	0	0
        Andorra	USD	0	0	0
        Angola	USD	11	11	22
        Anguilla	USD	0	0	0
        Antartica	USD	0	0	0
        Antigua and Barbuda	USD	0	0	0
        Argentina	CAD	24	24	48
        Armenia	USD	30	30	200
        Aruba	USD	0	0	0
        Australia	AUD	150	150	150
        Austria	USD	39	39	71
        Azerbaijan	USD	40	250	250
        Bahamas	USD	5	5	10
        Bahrain	USD	66	66	132
        Bangladesh	USD	0	0	0
        Barbados	USD	0	0	0
        Belarus	USD	60	60	120
        Belgium	USD	41	41	51
        Belize	USD	25	25	37
        Benin	USD	5	5	10
        Bermuda	USD	0	0	0
        Bhutan	USD	0	0	0
        Bolivia	USD	5	5	10
        Bosnia and Herzegowina	USD	6	6	12
        Botswana	USD	0	0	0
        Bouvet Island	USD	0	0	0
        Brazil	USD	10	10	30
        British Indian Ocean Territory	USD	0	0	0
        Brunei Darussalam	USD	6	6	11
        Bulgaria	USD	56	56	76
        Burkina Faso	USD	0	0	0
        Burundi	USD	5	5	10
        Cambodia	USD	25	25	25
        Cameroon	USD	50	50	50
        Canada	BDT	3300	3300	6600
        Cape Verde	USD	0	0	0
        Cayman Islands	USD	0	0	0
        Central African Republic	USD	5	5	10
        Chad	USD	5	5	10
        Chile	USD	10	10	30
        China	USD	14	27	70
        Christmas Island	USD	0	0	0
        Cocos (Keeling) Islands	USD	0	0	0
        Colombia	USD	40	40	175
        Comoros	USD	5	5	10
        Congo, Democratic Republic (Zaire)	USD	5	5	10
        Congo, People’s Republic	USD	0	0	0
        Cook Islands	USD	0	0	0
        Costa Rica	USD	15	15	30
        Cote D’Ivoire	USD	25	25	25
        Croatia (Hrvatska)	USD	25	25	50
        Cuba	USD	66	0	0
        Cyprus	USD	5	5	10
        Czech Republic	USD	21	21	41
        Denmark	USD	28	28	28
        Djibouti	USD	5	5	10
        Dominica	USD	0	0	0
        Dominican Republic	USD	5	5	10
        East Timor	USD	0	0	0
        Ecuador	USD	0	0	0
        Egypt	USD	29	29	57
        El Salvador	USD	5	5	10
        Equatorial Guinea	USD	0	0	0
        Eritrea	USD	5	5	10
        Estonia	USD	10	10	20
        Ethiopia	USD	50	8	70
        Falkland Islands (Malvinas)	USD	0	0	0
        Faroe Islands	USD	0	0	0
        Fiji	USD	0	0	0
        Finland	USD	35	40	57
        France	USD	33	33	105
        French Guiana	USD	0	0	0
        French Polynesia	USD	0	0	0
        French Southern and Antarctic Lands	USD	0	0	0
        Gabon	USD	0	0	0
        Gambia	USD	0	0	0
        Georgia	USD	0	0	0
        Germany	USD	15	15	30
        Ghana	USD	50	50	100
        Gibraltar	USD	0	0	0
        Greece	USD	14	14	28
        Greenland	USD	0	0	0
        Grenada	USD	0	0	0
        Guadeloupe	USD	0	0	0
        Guam	USD	0	0	0
        Guatemala	USD	12	12	24
        Guernsey	USD	0	0	0
        Guinea	USD	0	0	0
        Guinea-bissau	USD	0	0	0
        Guyana	USD	7	7	14
        Haiti	USD	0	0	0
        Heard and McDonald Islands	USD	0	0	0
        Holy See (Vatican City)	USD	0	0	0
        Honduras	USD	12	12	24
        Hong Kong	USD	21	21	30
        Hungary	USD	55	55	103
        Iceland	USD	15	15	15
        India	USD	0	0	0
        Indonesia	USD	45	50	100
        Iran (Islamic Republic)	USD	29	36	52
        Iraq	BDT	2000	2000	2000
        Ireland	USD	0	0	0
        Israel	USD	0	0	0
        Italy	USD	51	51	102
        Jamaica	USD	0	0	0
        Japan	USD	50	50	50
        Jersey	USD	0	0	0
        Jordan	USD	30	30	85
        Kazakhstan	USD	70	140	200
        Kenya	USD	50	50	50
        Kiribati	USD	5	5	10
        Korea, Democratic People’s Republic	USD	12	12	24
        Korea, Republic of	USD	30	30	50
        Kuwait	USD	17	17	34
        Kyrgyzstan	USD	70	140	200
        Lao People’s Democratic Republic	USD	12	12	23
        Latvia	USD	20	20	40
        Lebanon	USD	44	20	132
        Lesotho	USD	0	0	0
        Liberia	USD	50	50	50
        Libyan Arab Jamahiriya	USD	23	138	138
        Liechtenstein	USD	0	0	0
        Lithuania	USD	20	20	60
        Luxembourg	USD	1	1	2
        Macau	HKD	100	177	350
        Macedonia, Former Yugoslav Republic	USD	0	0	0
        Madagascar	USD	50	50	50
        Malawi	USD	0	0	0
        Malaysia	USD	11	11	24
        Maldives	USD	50	50	50
        Mali	USD	11	11	23
        Malta	USD	9	9	18
        Man, Isle of	USD	0	0	0
        Marshall Islands	USD	0	0	0
        Martinique	USD	0	0	0
        Mauritania	USD	50	50	50
        Mauritius	USD	15	15	30
        Mayotte	USD	0	0	0
        Mexico	USD	36	96	96
        Micronesia, Federated States	USD	0	0	0
        Moldova, Republic	USD	25	25	50
        Monaco	USD	0	0	0
        Mongolia	USD	40	60	180
        Montenegro	USD	0	0	0
        Montserrat	USD	15	15	30
        Morocco	USD	26	11	54
        Mozambique	USD	25	25	50
        Myanmar	USD	35	70	70
        Namibia	USD	0	0	0
        Nauru	USD	0	0	0
        Nepal	USD	30	55	100
        Netherlands	USD	42	42	84
        Netherlands Antilles	USD	0	0	0
        New Caledonia	USD	0	0	0
        New Zealand	AUD	150	150	150
        Nicaragua	USD	25	25	50
        Niger	USD	40	40	40
        Nigeria	USD	100	11	250
        Niue	USD	0	0	0
        Norfolk Island	USD	0	0	0
        Northern Mariana Islands	USD	0	0	0
        Norway	USD	23	23	23
        Oman	USD	28	28	28
        Pakistan	USD	2	2	4
        Palau	USD	0	0	0
        Palestinian Territory, Occupied	USD	14.14	5	42.42
        Panama	USD	10	10	20
        Papua New Guinea	USD	7	7	10
        Paraguay	USD	5	5	10
        Peru	USD	12	12	24
        Philippines	USD	60	80	120
        Pitcairn	USD	0	0	0
        Poland	USD	17	17	34
        Portugal	USD	17	17	51
        Puerto Rico	USD	0	0	0
        Qatar	USD	28	28	55
        Reunion	USD	0	0	0
        Romania	USD	31	31	66
        Russian Federation	USD	50	50	100
        Rwanda	USD	5	5	10
        Saint Helena	USD	0	0	0
        Saint Kitts and Nevis	USD	0	0	0
        Saint Lucia	USD	0	0	0
        Saint Pierre and Miquelon	USD	0	0	0
        Saint Vincent & Grenadines	USD	0	0	0
        Samoa	USD	0	0	0
        San Marino	USD	0	0	0
        Sao Tome and Principe	USD	0	0	0
        Saudi Arabia	USD	54	54	134
        Senegal	USD	22	22	146
        Serbia	USD	0	0	0
        Seychelles	USD	0	0	0
        Sierra Leone	USD	11	11	23
        Singapore	USD	23	23	23
        Slovakia (Slovak Republic)	USD	0	0	0
        Slovenia	USD	30	30	60
        Solomon Islands	USD	0	0	0
        Somalia	USD	35	35	70
        South Africa	USD	40	180	180
        South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands	USD	0	0	0
        Spain	USD	48	48	79
        Sri Lanka	USD	10	10	20
        Sudan	USD	50	50	100
        Suriname	USD	17	17	34
        Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands	USD	0	0	0
        Swaziland	USD	0	0	0
        Sweden	USD	30	30	30
        Switzerland	USD	30	30	59
        Syria	USD	44	5	132
        Taiwan	USD	52	52	104
        Tajikistan	USD	63	73	143
        Tanzania, United Republic	USD	50	50	100
        Thailand	USD	66	72	165
        Togo	USD	0	0	0
        Tokelau	USD	0	0	0
        Tonga	USD	5	5	10
        Trinidad and Tobago	USD	11	11	11
        Tunisia	USD	19	19	38
        Turkey	USD	58	116	194
        Turkmenistan	USD	31	31	71
        Turks and Caicos Islands	USD	0	0	0
        Tuvalu	USD	5	5	10
        Uganda	USD	50	50	50
        Ukraine	USD	75	75	150
        United Arab Emirates	USD	39	39	77
        United Kingdom	USD	65	84	168
        United States Minor Outlying Islands	USD	0	0	0
        United States of America	USD	160	160	160
        Uruguay	USD	37	37	74
        Uzbekistan	USD	70	140	200
        Vanuatu	USD	5	5	10
        Venezuela	USD	20	20	40
        Vietnam	USD	25	50	100
        Virgin Islands (British)	USD	0	0	0
        Virgin Islands (US.)	USD	0	0	0
        Wallis and Futuna Islands	USD	0	0	0
        Western Sahara	USD	0	0	0
        Yemen	USD	11	11	11
        Yugoslavia	USD	0	0	0
        Zambia	USD	0	0	0
        Zimbabwe	USD	25	40	50