Visa Information
(source: Bangladesh Tourism Board)
VISA FORMALITIES
PASSPORT & VISA REQUIREMENT
a) Valid passport is required for nationals of all countries for a visit to Bangladesh. However, passports are not required for the holders of identity certificate, laissez passers issued by United Nations and its affiliated bodies and continuous Discharge certificate/Nullies/ Seaman Book (Traveling on duty to join or repatriate from ship) issued by any country recognized by Bangladesh.
b) Visas are required for nationals of all countries with the following exceptions: Bhutan, Barbados, Bostwoana, Burkina Faso, Cyprus, Fiji, Western Samoa, Tonga, Sierra Leone, Lesotho, Zambia, Tanzania, Kenya, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, Seychelles, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Jamaica, Mauritus, Malawi, Maldives, Singapore, Switzerland, St. Kitts and Nevis, Ghana and Gabon. ‘No visa required’ means that no visa is required for stay in Bangladesh upto 90 days only. For further extension of stay permission is required. European, North American and Australian passport holders of Bangladesh origin do not required visa provided they pay US$ 50.00 or equivalent and have their passports stamped “No visa required for travel to Bangladesh” by Bangladesh Missions abroads.
c) The Immigration Authority may issue landing Permit (LP) or Visa-on-Arrival (VOA) to the following category of visitors:
1. Residents and Nationals of the countries where Bangladesh Missions are not located and countries which extend LP or VOA formalities of Bangladesh. Nationals (on reciprocal basis); this however will not be applicable to residents and nationals of those countries against which the government has imposed sanction or embargo.
2. Foreign investors with proper documents or documents certified by the officials of the Board of Investments (BOI) or Bangladesh Export Processing Zone Authority (BEPZA) or Ministry of Industry presented at the Airport on the arrival.
3. Foreign delegates invited by Ministries or Division of the Government of Bangladesh to seminars, workshops, or International conventions for only the tenure of the stated event provided written request along with testifying documents satisfies the Immigration Authority.
4. Foreigners directly involve in export oriented establishments with documents & TIN (Tax Identification Number) of the concerned export oriented establishment certified by Federation of Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FBCCI) or Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) or other association of export oriented institutions of Bangladesh;
5. Foreign passport holders of Bangladeshi origin by birth, their children or spouse;
6. Foreign husband/wife of a Bangladesh national;
7. Foreigners with certified documents issued by Tablig Committee, Kakrail Mosque, Dhaka for the purpose of Tablig Jamat and
8. Doctors/Medical team with invitation letter issued by foreign embassies in Bangladesh, United Nations and/or its affiliate organizations for the purpose of emergency treatment and medical care of its officers or employees.
In all cases of LP or VOA the following procedures or conditions must be observed :
a. Arriving foreigners must have a return ticket and at least US$ 500.00 endorsed in their passport.
b. Entry-Exit of persons issued with LP/VOA must be through the same airport; and
c. LP/VOA may be issued for a maximum period of 30 (thirty) days unless otherwise stated and will not be extended under any circumstances (nor extendable).
CURRENCY REGULATIONS:
A tourist may bring in any amount of foreign exchange in the form of Traveller’s Cheque, foreign currency notes or other foreign currency instruments provided he/she fills up a Declaration in Form FMJ obtainable from the customs at the port of entry. However, no declaration is required for bringing in of foreign exchange upto US$ 5,000.00 by foreign tourists. While leaving Bangladesh a tourist can take out unspent balance of the foreign currency brough int.
AIRPORT EMBARKATION FEE:
All taxes including Airport emberkation fee are payable with price of the ticket.
Tourist Baggage (Import) Rules -1981 shall apply to visitors staying in the country for more than 24 hours but not for more than 06(six) months on condition that the visitors shall not intend to reside in the country nor shall get renumerated from within it and in that event she/he shall be allowed to import the following items without duty or tax :
1. Personal imitation jewellery of value not exceeding BDT 3,000.00;
2. One in use wrist watch;
3. One cigarette lighter, two fountain pens, one penknife or instrument of similar use that can be carried in pocket or on person;
4. One electric iron, portable electric plate, a hair drier and an electric shaver;
5. One still camera;
6. One movie camera;
7. One cinematographic camera and a projector;
8. Pair of binoculars;
9. One portable sound recording machine;
10. One portable music system;
11. One portable type writer;
12. One wheel/invalid chair in use;
13. One perambulator or go cart;
14. Fire arms or shooting and other sports accessories;
15. Metal objects trophy, medallion, crests etc;
16. Clothing for personal use;
17. Handbag and goods essential for traveling;
18. Other personal wearing apparels, makeup and cosmetics;
19. Spectacles, physical aid and travel clock;
20. Five photographic films and 10 film plates;
21. Reasonable quantity of film for movie camera;
22.Two rolls of film for cinematographic camera;
23. Reasonable quantity of toys for use of accompanying children;
24. 200 sticks of cigarette or 50 cigars or half lb. of tobacco or less than half lb. of hand made cigarettes;
25. Not more than one third galon of alcoholic beverages;
26. Half lb. of perfume and toiletries;
27. Not more than BDT 100 of confectionery and non alcoholic beverages.
The exemption is made with the understanding that a tourist shall re-export items 1-15 listed above. In addition he/she may import non-professional video camera and/or microcomputer with less than 1 megabyte initial random access memory and C&F value not exceeding BDT 100,000 provided the intention to re-export the said computer and/or video camera is endrosed in passport and also a written declaration of such intentions is made to the Assistant Commissioner of Customs.
Visa on Arrival
Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh
Ministry of Home Affairs
Immigration-II
Circular
Subject: Issuance of Visa on Arrival.
1. In order to attract foreign investment and technologies, expansion
of commerce and trade, and development of tourism, the government has
decided to provide Visa on Arrival (VOA) to the foreign nationals
including those of Bangladeshi origin. The immigration authority at the
International Airports and Land ports after examining the necessary
travel documents and being satisfied can issue visa on arrival for a
period of maximum 30 days to the citizens of the countries mentioned
below under the following conditions:(a) The nationals of those countries where there is no diplomatic mission of Bangladesh may be granted visa on arrival after examining the genuineness of their visit;
(b) On the basis of invitation letters of interested/required body being attested by the Board of Investment/BEPZA, the foreign investors/businessmen may be allowed to issue visa on arrival. In this case, interested/inviting organization must inform in advance the arrival of the foreign visitor(s) to the immigration and passport authority.
(c) Only for the purpose of official duty, business, investment and tourism citizens arriving from USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Russian Federation, China, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea, UAE, Saudi Arabia (KSA), Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain and the countries of Europe may issue visa on arrival after examining and being satisfied by the immigration authority at the International Airports and Land Ports;
(d) If any foreign national arrives in Bangladesh from a country other than his/her own country, where there is no mission of Bangladesh may be issued visa on arrival;
(e) Bangladeshi origin foreign citizens, their spouses and their offspring may be issued visa on arrival, on the proof of their being Bangladeshi origin;
(f) The staffs/officials of the foreign missions, UN or its affiliated organizations located in Bangladesh may be issued visa on arrival after examining their appointment letters or other related documents. Only UN passport holders will get such facilities gratis (free of charge).
2. If the foreign visitors require extension of their visa after arriving Bangladesh under visa on arrival (VOA), the Department of Immigration and Passports Authority may extend their visa in light of the existing Visa Policy.
3. Transit visa will be allowed to the passengers waiting for connecting flight for the period of maximum 72 hours or till the time of the next available flight on request of the concerned carrier. For this an amount of 20 USD or equivalent amount of foreign currency is to be deposited in the concerned bank account.
4. In respect of visa on arrival the following procedures to be followed:
a) Visa fees are to be paid in foreign currencies (US dollar, GB Pound/Euro etc.);
b) Visitor must possess minimum USD 500 or its equivalent amount of foreign currency in cash or credit card;
c) Visitors must have return ticket;
d) Must have necessary documents to justify his/her visit;
e) No visa fee will be applicable for the visitors from these countries which are exempted from visa fee.
f) On arrival visa fee will be applicable on the basis of reciprocity only.
g) The concerned intelligence agency must collect complete information of visitors to take necessary action. The immigration authority at Airports and Land Ports will send a monthly report on this issue to the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Department of Immigration and Passports.
5. Visa on arrival shall be issued only after being satisfied about the purpose of visit. In case of foreign military or defense forces, prior approval from the Ministry of Home Affairs must be taken.
6. Immigration officials at the Airports and Land Ports must stamp the passports of the visitors.
7. All previous circulars in respect of visa on arrival will be treated as null and void after the commencement of this circular.
8. This circular will come into force at once.
