Visa on Arrival (VOA) Application Steps

What is a Visa on Arrival?
A 'Visa on Arrival' (VoA) is a type of travel document that can be obtained when you reach your destination country rather than in advance. In essence, it eliminates the need for securing a visa before commencing your journey, providing considerable flexibility to travelers. However, not all countries offer this facility, and those that do, offer it to citizens of specific countries under certain conditions. It's also worth mentioning that a visa on arrival is just one type among several kinds of visas - each with its own set of rules and procedures.

VoA Type: i) On Arrival Visa and ii) Transit Visa.

The Bangladesh Visa on Arrival
For eligible travelers, Bangladesh offers a visa on arrival facility. This visa is valid for a stay of a maximum of 30 days for tourism, business, investment, or a government job. To obtain a visa on arrival in Bangladesh, travelers must meet specific criteria set by the Bangladeshi government. However, bear in mind that the issuance isn't guaranteed and is subject to the discretion of the immigration officer at the port of entry. The facility has its pros, such as convenience and time-saving, and cons, like possible uncertainty, which we will discuss in more detail further in the article.

Who can get a Bangladesh visa on arrival?

• Citizens coming from The US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Russian Federation, China, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Egypt, Turkey, Brunei, and European countries to Bangladesh for tourism, trade, investment, or a government job may get a visa on arrival.
• In countries where Bangladesh has no embassy, only the incoming citizens of those countries can be given an On-Arrival Visa justifying the necessity of travel.
• If a person arrives in Bangladesh from a country other than his own country, where there is no embassy of Bangladesh, he can be given an On-Arrival Visa by verifying the justifiability of the travel.
• On-Arrival Visas can be provided for officials and staff of foreign embassies and the United Nations office in Bangladesh, verifying relevant papers.
• On-Arrival Visas can be given to foreign citizens of Bangladeshi born and their spouse/children based on Bangladeshi citizenship certificates/certificates of Bangladeshi origin.
• On-Arrival Visas can be issued based on an invitation letter from the inviting company and the Bangladesh Investment Promotion Board / BEPZA's certificate for foreign investors/traders. However, the inviting company will have to inform in advance about the arrival of foreign nationals to the directorate of immigration and passport and Immigration authorities.

Steps for getting a Bangladesh visa on arrival at Dhaka Airport
Upon landing at Dhaka Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, follow the signs directing towards the Arrivals section. A stair will guide your way, and once you descend, you'll immediately spot the Visa on Arrival (VOA) area to your right, which is also clearly signposted. Here's a simplified guide to the process:

1. Follow the signs leading to the Arrivals section.
2. Locate the Visa on Arrival area at the bottom right of the escalator.
3. Pay a visa fee USD 50 (excluding processing fees) OR fee's as per decided by the authority to the concerned SONALI BANK PLC. counter and get a receipt.
4. Join the VOA queue just beside the bank with the hardcopy of the VoA 'Acknowledgement Receipt.
5. After getting your VOA, proceed to immigration.
6. Finally, collect your luggage and make your way through customs.

Once inside the VOA area, your initial task is to approach the counter of Sonali Bank Limited. Here, each traveler must pay a visa fee of $50 USD OR fee's as per decided by the authority to the concerned SONALI BANK PLC- and complete your visa and immigration formalities at the 'On-Arrival Visa' desk. Only cash is accepted.

This location also provides a facility to exchange currency at a rate equivalent to that outside the immigration area. Hence, it is highly recommended to take advantage of this service.

Upon payment, you'll receive a receipt which you must present at a separate counter next to the bank to get your visa stamped into your passport.

You may be questioned regarding the purpose of your visit, duration of stay, accommodations, etc.

Once these steps are completed, you can proceed to the immigration area. Take the line for the airline crew/diplomats, show your VOA, and come outside.

After immigration, you can retrieve your luggage from the baggage claim area and then navigate through customs. Be prepared for a slightly slow process here, as your luggage must undergo scanning.

Extending a Bangladesh Visa on Arrival
Visitors who enter Bangladesh with a Visa on Arrival can extend their stay beyond the initial duration granted at the time of entry. The visa extension process allows individuals to legally prolong their stay in the country for tourism, business, investment, or a government job.

To apply for a Bangladesh Visa extension, you must visit the Department of Immigration and Passport (DIP) office, the designated authority responsible for visa-related matters. This office is located adjacent to the passport office in Agargaon, Dhaka.

Please note that extending your visa on arrival through this office will be a big hassle, as you must make multiple trips there on different days. If you plan to stay in Bangladesh longer than 30 days, getting a visa in advance from home for a longer duration is strongly advised to avoid these hassles.

You can also overstay for a few days if you must, and pay the fine while leaving, to avoid going through the hassle of extending your VoA.

Overstaying on a Bangladesh Visa on Arrival: Consequences
You can overstay your on-arrival visa in Bangladesh for a few days if you must. Bangladesh is not very strict about that. The fine for overstaying a VoA is 200 BDT per day for the first 15 days and 500 BDT per day after that.

On top of the fine, you must also pay for a new visa, the same as the fee for an advance visa back home - not the VoA fees of $50 USD which is $160 for the US, £105 starting for the UK, and $150 AU for the Australian citizens OR fee's as per decided by the authority.