Travelling to Bangladesh

Visa on Arrival (VOA) Procedure

The application procedure of VOA by the Centre for our foreign guests and delegates are as follows as per the visa policy issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs on 4th April 2007:

Criteria:

1. Applicant must be citizen of a country where there is no Bangladesh Embassy or High Commission. In case of a guest arriving from visa restricted countries, clearance from the Ministry of Home Affairs has to be sought before arrival.
2. A memorandum should be sent to ERID Office through Executive Director, mentioning the details of the visit like purpose and schedule along with expected date of arrival.
3. The memorandum must reach ERID Office at least 28 (twenty-eight) days before the expected date of arrival of delegate(s) at the Zia International Airport.
4. All the visa requests for a specific program or event must be submitted together with a memorandum stating details of the program and a list of the participants with specific information on: i) Name of the applicant ii) Nationality iii) Passport number and iv) reason for visiting Bangladesh.
5. A guest who is a Bangladeshi by birth but holds national identity of another country may be given visa on arrival/ landing permit on examination of document.
6. A transit visa on arrival for availing next connecting flight can be issued for maximum 07 (seven) days. A service charge of USD 20 (USD Twenty) has to be given at nominated bank and on specified account.

Mandatory Supporting Documents are as follows:

1. A copy of the invitation letter that was issued by the ED and/or Centre’s appropriate authority.
2. Applicant’s CV with details like age, nationality, occupation and qualifications.
3. Copy of the first 4 pages of the applicant’s passport. If the passport has been renewed the page which has official seal to authorize renewal must be included.
4. A guest must have his/her return ticket.
5. A guest who is from a country for which there is no visa fee, s/he will be exempted from visa on arrival/landing permit fee.

It is a time consuming process since the Ministry of Home Affairs issues NOC (No Objection Certificate) for VOA after having security clearance from Special Branch (SB) and National Security Intelligence (NSI).

Any office within ICDDR,B which requests VOA, must issue official letter or memorandum to ERID office and follow the abovementioned procedure.

Research (R) visa: Eligible persons for this visa include participants in research, training or internship at any government approved organization/institute. Depending on the official invitation letter issued by the host organization/institute and with consent of concerned ministry the Research (R) visa may be issued by the Visa Issuing Authority with multiple entry facility for a maximum of 3 months. The Immigration and Passport Department may extend the visa period with multiple entry facility for the duration of the programme or for a maximum of 3 years.

Only individuals having secured a Research (R) visa will be able to come to the Centre for any activities that requires a stay over 15 days.

Spouse and dependents of international staff visiting will need to apply for FA2 visa.

Remember, if you arrive in the country with the wrong visa we will not be able to help you.

Some Bangladesh missions abroad maintain web sites that provide additional information on the country and details of visa requirements and conditions, and from which visa forms may be downloaded. These include the Bangladesh Embassy in Washington DC and the Bangladesh High Commission in London.

Particular difficulties may arise with visitors who require visas and are currently in a country other than that of their nationality. Check with the nearest Bangladesh consular office for advice as early as possible.

If there is no Bangladesh mission in your country, contact the nearest one for advice. The Centre will provide letters of invitation in support of visa applications.

General advice for visitors to Bangladesh is provided by a number of overseas government departments on their web sites, for example, the US Department of State and the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Links to other governments’ travel advisory pages are given here.

Support from Travel & Estate Office

The usual point of entry into Bangladesh is the Zia International Airport in Dhaka. Visitors who provide the Centre with their flight details will be met at the airport by staff from our Travel and Estate Office, and taken by ICDDR,B transport to their guesthouse or hotel.