Bangladesh is continuing to digitize its immigration formalities.
The Special Branch of the Bangladesh Police, which is responsible for immigration controls among other duties, now provides an online portal allowing foreign passport holders to complete their Embarkation and Disembarkation Card (ED Card) electronically.
The system includes an E-Arrival Card for travelers entering Bangladesh and an E-Departure Card for those leaving the country.
The rollout of the service was confirmed on August 19, 2026, by Md Kamrul Islam, Special Superintendent (Immigration) at the Special Branch. He explained that foreign passport holders are required to complete an ED Card when entering or leaving Bangladesh through the country’s airports and can now complete the form online before going through immigration.
The portal also provides access to the advance Visa on Arrival application service, although this feature is not new: it was officially launched by Bangladesh’s Ministry of Home Affairs on February 13, 2025.
Foreign travelers can complete the E-Arrival Card before departure
The ED Card itself is therefore not a new entry requirement for Bangladesh. What is new is its digital format.
The Special Branch states that foreign nationals must complete the card when arriving in and departing from Bangladesh. Bangladeshi nationals are exempt from this requirement.
The new E-Arrival Card can be completed directly on the official Bangladesh Immigration portal at https://edcard.specialbranch.gov.bd/foreigner/register, which is administered by the Special Branch under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The service currently applies to air travel. The form asks travelers to provide, among other details, their country and city of origin, arrival date, and flight number, while the Special Branch also specifically refers to passengers entering or leaving the country through airports.
At this stage, the portal does not specify a particular submission window. Unlike some other digital arrival cards around the world, there is no indication that the form must, for example, be completed within 24, 48, or 72 hours before travel.
Authorities have also not announced that the paper version of the ED Card has been completely discontinued or that the electronic form is now the only way to complete the declaration.
What information is required on Bangladesh’s E-Arrival Card?
The online form is divided into several sections covering the traveler, the trip, accommodation, contact details, and visa information.
Personal information
Travelers must first provide:
- full name;
- passport number;
- date of birth;
- gender;
- nationality.
A “Search Your Existing Info” feature also allows travelers to retrieve information already stored in the system using their passport number and nationality.
Arrival information
The travel section then asks for:
- country of origin;
- city of origin;
- purpose of visit;
- arrival date;
- flight number.
The portal lists a wide range of travel purposes, including tourism, business, study, conferences, visits to family or friends, transit, investment, medical treatment, and various professional activities.
Hotel or address in Bangladesh
Travelers must then provide details of where they will be staying in Bangladesh.
Two address types are available: “Hotel” or “Home.”
When “Hotel” is selected, the form displays a drop-down list of hotels, allowing the traveler to select their accommodation.
For a private home or residential address, the portal asks users to select the district and Thana, before entering more detailed address information such as the apartment, house, street, or neighborhood.
A local phone number and email address must also be provided.
Visa information
A final section concerns the document authorizing the traveler to stay in Bangladesh.
The form asks for:
- visa number;
- visa category;
- single- or multiple-entry status;
- visa issue date;
- visa expiration date;
- authorized length of stay.
The E-Arrival Card also allows travelers to add accompanying members, including their name, passport number, and nationality.
The electronic arrival card remains a separate immigration formality: it does not replace a visa for US, UK, Canadian, Australian, European, or other travelers who are required to obtain one before entering Bangladesh.
What does Bangladesh’s E-Arrival Card look like?
Once the declaration has been submitted, the system generates a summary E-Arrival Card.
In a test carried out by VisasNews, the generated card appears as a single-page document displaying the official headings “Bangladesh Immigration,” “Special Branch,” and “Ministry of Home Affairs,” along with the title “E-Arrival Card.” A QR code appears in the upper-right corner.
The card first lists the traveler’s key identity details: name, passport number, date of birth, gender, and nationality, along with the arrival date and flight number.
It also summarizes the visa category and number, entry type, length of stay, visa issue and expiration dates, purpose of visit, and country of origin.
The traveler’s local contact number, email address, and hotel or declared address in Bangladesh also appear on the document, which includes the wording “Generated by E-Arrival Card System” at the bottom.
The document therefore brings together the main information electronically submitted to immigration authorities in a single format.
An E-Departure Card is also available for travelers leaving Bangladesh
The same portal also offers an E-Departure Card (https://edcard.specialbranch.gov.bd/foreigner/departure) for foreign travelers leaving the country by air.
The departure form repeats much of the information requested upon arrival, including identity and passport details, nationality, purpose of stay, accommodation in Bangladesh, contact details, and visa information.
The “Search Your Existing Info” feature is also available, allowing travelers to retrieve previously recorded information using their passport number and nationality.
A few details are different at departure
Instead of arrival information, travelers are asked to provide details of their departure, including:
- final destination;
- destination city;
- departure date;
- departure flight number.
The address used during the traveler’s stay in Bangladesh must also be provided.
As with the E-Arrival Card, selecting “Hotel” opens a drop-down list from which travelers can choose their property, while the private-address option allows users to enter the district, Thana, and full residential details.
Visa information remains the same: visa number and category, single- or multiple-entry status, issue and expiration dates, and authorized duration of stay.
Unlike the arrival form, the current E-Departure Card does not include a section for adding accompanying travelers.
Bangladesh is also moving ahead with a major visa policy overhaul
The digitization of ED Cards comes as Bangladesh is pursuing a broader modernization of its entry policy for foreign nationals.
On August 10, 2026, Bangladesh’s cabinet approved the draft Visa Policy 2026, which is intended to replace the policy adopted in 2006. The new framework includes 34 visa categories, up from the current 33, and is designed to provide a more integrated and modern system jointly implemented by the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Department of Immigration and Passports, and Bangladeshi diplomatic missions abroad.
Its stated goals include simplifying procedures, supporting tourism and the hospitality sector, attracting investors, businesses, and skilled professionals, and facilitating the transfer of technology and expertise. The principle of reciprocity with other countries also remains part of Bangladesh’s visa policy.
The draft published in May 2026 by the Ministry of Home Affairs, before the various stages of government review, already offers a glimpse of some of the changes under consideration.
It introduces dedicated MT visas for medical tourism and MA visas for patient attendants. Under the draft, the MT visa could allow a stay of up to three months with multiple entries, with extensions potentially available for up to one year. A patient could be accompanied by up to two attendants.
For private investors, this version of the policy also proposes “No Visa Required” status for foreign nationals investing at least US$5 million, subject to certification by the relevant Bangladeshi authorities.
The draft also explicitly refers to the future introduction of an electronic visa, or e-Visa, system. It sets out how visa numbers would be assigned once a computerized electronic visa issuance system is implemented.
This provision does not mean that a Bangladesh e-Visa is currently operational. Rather, it lays the administrative groundwork for the possible future digitization of visa issuance.
The document currently available from the Ministry of Home Affairs is still the version that was submitted for consultation in May. The final measures adopted following the government’s August 10 approval will therefore need to be confirmed when the new policy is formally published and implemented.
VisasNews Take
The new development announced in August 2026 is the digitization of the Embarkation and Disembarkation Card for foreign travelers, through the introduction of the E-Arrival Card and E-Departure Card. The advance Visa on Arrival application service available through the same digital environment has been in place since February 2025. At this stage, authorities have not announced a mandatory submission window for the ED Card or the complete elimination of the paper form. The change comes as Bangladesh prepares a broader modernization of its immigration procedures, including a new visa policy and the prospect of a future e-Visa system.
