Bangladesh prepares new visa policy

Bangladesh is preparing a major reform of its visa policy.

The Bangladeshi government has formed a ministerial committee to review the Visa Policy 2006 and finalize the draft Visa Policy 2026. This new step was decided during a cabinet meeting held on July 2, 2026, in Dhaka.

According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS), the country’s national news agency, the committee is chaired by the finance minister. It is expected to make recommendations to make entry and exit rules for foreign nationals simpler, better structured, and more aligned with the country’s economic goals.

A reform designed to replace the 2006 policy

Bangladesh currently operates under a visa policy introduced in 2006. The draft Visa Policy 2026 aims to modernize that framework nearly two decades after it was first implemented.

Bangladeshi authorities describe the reform as a tool to facilitate international travel while maintaining control over the conditions of entry into the country. According to information released after the cabinet meeting, the new policy is intended to support foreign investment, business travel, the arrival of skilled professionals, tourism and hospitality development, as well as the transfer of technology and knowledge.

The draft also reflects national security and diplomatic considerations. Authorities say the future policy will continue to be guided by the principle of reciprocity, a key factor in the management of visas, exemptions, and fees applied to foreign nationals.

34 visa categories in the official draft

The draft Visa Policy 2026, published this spring by Bangladesh’s Ministry of Home Affairs, sets out a detailed visa structure.

The preparatory document lists 34 visa categories, each with its own conditions, validity periods, extension options, and supporting documents. The new classification covers, among others, official visits, business travel, investors, workers, students, journalists, medical travelers, accompanying persons, religious activities, and transit visas.

The aim appears to be a clearer distinction between traveler profiles and reasons for stay, rather than processing all applications within an overly broad administrative framework. For travelers, companies, and institutions, the key question will be whether the future policy makes procedures clearer and faster once it is adopted.

The e-Visa appears in preparatory documents

The official draft also refers to an e-Visa system. The text states that, when a visa issued through a computer program or electronically is introduced, the visa number must be indicated according to the code provided by the program.

This reference does not yet mean that Bangladesh is immediately launching a fully operational e-Visa for all travelers. It does show, however, that electronic visas are part of the official thinking around the new policy.

As early as 2022, Bangladesh had already raised the idea of introducing an e-Visa system to modernize its entry procedures. The new Visa Policy 2026 could therefore represent another step in that direction, although the practical details still need to be confirmed.

For now, Bangladesh’s official visa portal already allows certain visa applications to be completed online, including applications for a new visa, an extension, the “No Visa Required” facility, and visa on arrival. But the process still includes an in-person step, as applicants must print the form and submit their file to the relevant visa office or Bangladeshi mission. The introduction of a true e-Visa would therefore mark a more significant change in the traveler journey.

Visa on arrival also addressed

The draft visa policy also includes provisions related to visa on arrival.

According to the preparatory document, certain nationals could obtain a 30-day, single-entry visa on arrival at designated ports of entry for specific travel purposes. The text refers in particular to investors and development partners invited by the government or an investment authority, travelers from countries where Bangladesh has no diplomatic mission, certain nationals traveling for tourism or business, people of Bangladeshi origin, and holders of diplomatic passports or passports linked to the United Nations.

The draft also provides that authorities may review documents presented on arrival, such as an invitation, hotel reservation, return ticket, or proof of funds. Here again, these elements remain part of a draft currently under review and will need to be confirmed in the final version.