Bangladesh visa and entry requirements

Get it in advance

• Apply to the Bangladeshi mission in your own country before you travel. That is the FCDO's advice and Canada's, and they are unusually aligned about why.
• The visa starts from the date of issue, not the date of travel. A visa issued eight weeks early has eight weeks less life in it. This catches people who apply as soon as they book.
• The passport must be valid at least 6 months after the date the visa starts.
• If you are using Bangladesh as a hub for the region, ask for a multiple entry visa. A single entry one ends the moment you leave for Kolkata.

The visa on arrival, honestly

• It exists at Dhaka airport and it is single entry, valid 15 to 30 days, and available for business travel with a letter of introduction.
• It is not a right. Bangladeshi immigration officers issue it at their discretion, and Canada's wording is that applying on arrival carries a risk of being denied entry into the country.
• You need a return ticket and proof of funds to apply.
• Weigh that against the cost. A refused visa at Dhaka means a flight home at your own expense.

The passport itself

• At least 2 blank pages and no damage. A torn or water-damaged passport is a refusal.
• Get the entry stamp and look at the date on it. Immigration checks that date on the way out and an overstay is a fine.
• You may be asked for an onward or return ticket at the border, plus, during election periods, confirmation of accommodation and contact details.

Vaccination and extensions

• A yellow fever certificate is required if you are arriving from a transmission risk country, and a polio certificate in certain circumstances.
• Extensions come from the Department of Immigration and Passports, from inside the country.

If you have Bangladeshi family

• British nationals of Bangladeshi origin are considered Bangladeshi citizens by the government, even if born abroad and never holding a Bangladeshi passport. That limits the help a British consulate can give.
• A 'no visa required' stamp is the route for people in that position, applied for from the Bangladeshi High Commission.