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:
Flight itinerary
Hotel reservation or a letter of invitation from a host along with their passport
For Bangladesh Business Visa:
Letter from your employer
Letter of Invitation from the company hosting you in Bangladesh
For Bangladesh Investor Visa: A Letter of Recommendation from BOI/BEPZA
For Bangladesh Researcher Visa:
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
For Bangladesh Governmental/Diplomatic Visa: A Note Verbale
For Bangladesh Journalist Visa:
FF-1 and FF-2 application forms, completed
List of the equipment you will take to Bangladesh with you
For Bangladesh Student Visa:
Letter of enrollment in your university
Proof of financial solvency (bank statements)
For Bangladesh Employment Visa:
Letter from your employer in Bangladesh
A Letter of Recommendation from BEPZA/BOI
For Bangladesh Family Visa: Proof of family relations
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:
BarbadosBhutanBotswanaBurkina FasoFijiGabonThe GambiaGhanaGrenadaGuineaGuinea-BissauJamaicaLesothoMalawiMaldivesPapua New GuineaSaint Kitts and NevisSamoaSeychellesSierra LeoneTanzaniaTongaZambia
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 countriesAustraliaBahrainCanadaChinaIcelandJapanKuwaitLiechtensteinMalaysiaNew ZealandNorwayOmanQatarRussiaSaudi ArabiaSingaporeSouth KoreaSwitzerlandThe United Arab EmiratesThe 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:
CountryCurrencyBangladesh visa fee for single-entry visaBangladesh visa fee for double-entry visaBangladesh visa fee for multiple-entry visaAfghanistanUSD70100130AlbaniaUSD223AlgeriaUSD112American SamoaUSD000AndorraUSD000AngolaUSD111122AnguillaUSD000AntarticaUSD000Antigua and BarbudaUSD000ArgentinaCAD242448ArmeniaUSD3030200ArubaUSD000AustraliaAUD150150150AustriaUSD393971AzerbaijanUSD40250250BahamasUSD5510BahrainUSD6666132BangladeshUSD000BarbadosUSD000BelarusUSD6060120BelgiumUSD414151BelizeUSD252537BeninUSD5510BermudaUSD000BhutanUSD000BoliviaUSD5510Bosnia and HerzegowinaUSD6612BotswanaUSD000Bouvet IslandUSD000BrazilUSD101030British Indian Ocean TerritoryUSD000Brunei DarussalamUSD6611BulgariaUSD565676Burkina FasoUSD000BurundiUSD5510CambodiaUSD252525CameroonUSD505050CanadaBDT330033006600Cape VerdeUSD000Cayman IslandsUSD000Central African RepublicUSD5510ChadUSD5510ChileUSD101030ChinaUSD142770Christmas IslandUSD000Cocos (Keeling) IslandsUSD000ColombiaUSD4040175ComorosUSD5510Congo, Democratic Republic (Zaire)USD5510Congo, People’s RepublicUSD000Cook IslandsUSD000Costa RicaUSD151530Cote D’IvoireUSD252525Croatia (Hrvatska)USD252550CubaUSD6600CyprusUSD5510Czech RepublicUSD212141DenmarkUSD282828DjiboutiUSD5510DominicaUSD000Dominican RepublicUSD5510East TimorUSD000EcuadorUSD000EgyptUSD292957El SalvadorUSD5510Equatorial GuineaUSD000EritreaUSD5510EstoniaUSD101020EthiopiaUSD50870Falkland Islands (Malvinas)USD000Faroe IslandsUSD000FijiUSD000FinlandUSD354057FranceUSD3333105French GuianaUSD000French PolynesiaUSD000French Southern and Antarctic LandsUSD000GabonUSD000GambiaUSD000GeorgiaUSD000GermanyUSD151530GhanaUSD5050100GibraltarUSD000GreeceUSD141428GreenlandUSD000GrenadaUSD000GuadeloupeUSD000GuamUSD000GuatemalaUSD121224GuernseyUSD000GuineaUSD000Guinea-bissauUSD000GuyanaUSD7714HaitiUSD000Heard and McDonald IslandsUSD000Holy See (Vatican City)USD000HondurasUSD121224Hong KongUSD212130HungaryUSD5555103IcelandUSD151515IndiaUSD000IndonesiaUSD4550100Iran (Islamic Republic)USD293652IraqBDT200020002000IrelandUSD000IsraelUSD000ItalyUSD5151102JamaicaUSD000JapanUSD505050JerseyUSD000JordanUSD303085KazakhstanUSD70140200KenyaUSD505050KiribatiUSD5510Korea, Democratic People’s RepublicUSD121224Korea, Republic ofUSD303050KuwaitUSD171734KyrgyzstanUSD70140200Lao People’s Democratic RepublicUSD121223LatviaUSD202040LebanonUSD4420132LesothoUSD000LiberiaUSD505050Libyan Arab JamahiriyaUSD23138138LiechtensteinUSD000LithuaniaUSD202060LuxembourgUSD112MacauHKD100177350Macedonia, Former Yugoslav RepublicUSD000MadagascarUSD505050MalawiUSD000MalaysiaUSD111124MaldivesUSD505050MaliUSD111123MaltaUSD9918Man, Isle ofUSD000Marshall IslandsUSD000MartiniqueUSD000MauritaniaUSD505050MauritiusUSD151530MayotteUSD000MexicoUSD369696Micronesia, Federated StatesUSD000Moldova, RepublicUSD252550MonacoUSD000MongoliaUSD4060180MontenegroUSD000MontserratUSD151530MoroccoUSD261154MozambiqueUSD252550MyanmarUSD357070NamibiaUSD000NauruUSD000NepalUSD3055100NetherlandsUSD424284Netherlands AntillesUSD000New CaledoniaUSD000New ZealandAUD150150150NicaraguaUSD252550NigerUSD404040NigeriaUSD10011250NiueUSD000Norfolk IslandUSD000Northern Mariana IslandsUSD000NorwayUSD232323OmanUSD282828PakistanUSD224PalauUSD000Palestinian Territory, OccupiedUSD14.14542.42PanamaUSD101020Papua New GuineaUSD7710ParaguayUSD5510PeruUSD121224PhilippinesUSD6080120PitcairnUSD000PolandUSD171734PortugalUSD171751Puerto RicoUSD000QatarUSD282855ReunionUSD000RomaniaUSD313166Russian FederationUSD5050100RwandaUSD5510Saint HelenaUSD000Saint Kitts and NevisUSD000Saint LuciaUSD000Saint Pierre and MiquelonUSD000Saint Vincent & GrenadinesUSD000SamoaUSD000San MarinoUSD000Sao Tome and PrincipeUSD000Saudi ArabiaUSD5454134SenegalUSD2222146SerbiaUSD000SeychellesUSD000Sierra LeoneUSD111123SingaporeUSD232323Slovakia (Slovak Republic)USD000SloveniaUSD303060Solomon IslandsUSD000SomaliaUSD353570South AfricaUSD40180180South Georgia & South Sandwich IslandsUSD000SpainUSD484879Sri LankaUSD101020SudanUSD5050100SurinameUSD171734Svalbard & Jan Mayen IslandsUSD000SwazilandUSD000SwedenUSD303030SwitzerlandUSD303059SyriaUSD445132TaiwanUSD5252104TajikistanUSD6373143Tanzania, United RepublicUSD5050100ThailandUSD6672165TogoUSD000TokelauUSD000TongaUSD5510Trinidad and TobagoUSD111111TunisiaUSD191938TurkeyUSD58116194TurkmenistanUSD313171Turks and Caicos IslandsUSD000TuvaluUSD5510UgandaUSD505050UkraineUSD7575150United Arab EmiratesUSD393977United KingdomUSD6584168United States Minor Outlying IslandsUSD000United States of AmericaUSD160160160UruguayUSD373774UzbekistanUSD70140200VanuatuUSD5510VenezuelaUSD202040VietnamUSD2550100Virgin Islands (British)USD000Virgin Islands (U.S.)USD000Wallis and Futuna IslandsUSD000Western SaharaUSD000YemenUSD111111YugoslaviaUSD000ZambiaUSD000ZimbabweUSD254050