The process of obtaining an on-arrival visa in Bangladesh has been significantly streamlined, with foreign nationals now able to receive their visas within just 10 minutes, Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (Retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury has announced.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday (13 February) at the Ministry of Home Affairs, organised by SB Immigration, the adviser stated that while on-arrival visas have long been available for citizens of multiple countries, processing times have often ranged from 45 minutes to an hour.
The newly implemented system, however, will drastically reduce this waiting period to just 10 minutes.
Under the new procedure, travellers will be required to submit their visa applications online in advance, providing all necessary details.
Upon submission, they will receive a code, which they must present at the airport along with the requisite payment in US dollars.
Once verified, the visa will be issued within five to ten minutes. The system has been officially launched as of today, with visas granted for a duration of one month.
The adviser further noted that the only delay in the process would stem from depositing visa fees at Sonali Bank.
Payments can be made via both card and cash.
Additionally, discussions are underway to simplify passport issuance by potentially removing police verification requirements or, at the very least, making the process more efficient.
The objective, he emphasised, is to ensure hassle-free passport issuance, with efforts geared towards eliminating verification procedures altogether.
