Dhaka Entry Requirements

Dhaka Entry Requirements

Visa, immigration, and customs information

Important Notice Entry requirements can change at any time. Always verify current requirements with official government sources before traveling.
Dhaka slaps you with humid air laced with diesel and the sweet drift of jasmine from flower stalls just beyond the exit. Inside Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Bangla and English announcements crackle over the PA while ceiling fans churn warm currents above fluorescent-lit counters. Almost every foreigner steps into Bangladesh through this lone international gate, watched by officials in dark-green uniforms who stamp passports beneath framed portraits of national leaders. Expect queues that coil around baggage carousels clattering with the dull thud of suitcases. The full march from aircraft door to curbside taxi usually clocks 45, 75 minutes during the evening rush. Keep crisp USD or EUR in small notes. The soft clink of foreign cash often shortens the wait when an officer hints at a 'processing fee'.

Visa Requirements

Entry permissions vary by nationality. Find your category below.

Visa-Free Entry
90 days

Citizens of Barbados, Bhutan, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guinea, Jamaica, Lesotho, Malawi, Maldives, Papua New Guinea, Saint Kitts & Nevis, Samoa, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia, and all holders of diplomatic or official passports from any country.

Includes
Barbados Bhutan Botswana Fiji Ghana Jamaica Maldives Seychelles Zambia

Entry stamp issued on arrival. Onward ticket and hotel booking may be requested

Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA/eVisa)
30 days single-entry, 60 days double-entry, or 90 days multiple-entry

Visitors from the United States, United Kingdom, all EU Schengen states, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, China, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Turkey, UAE, Saudi Arabia, and most other nations must secure an eVisa before boarding.

Includes
United States United Kingdom Germany France Canada Australia New Zealand Japan South Korea Singapore
How to Apply: File the form at visa.gov.bd; upload the passport bio page, a fresh photograph, and proof of hotel booking. Approval lands in 3, 5 working days
Cost: USD 51 for 30-day single-entry tourist visa

Print the approval letter. Officers at Dhaka immigration will not accept a digital copy on your phone

Visa Required
30 or 60 days as issued

Passport holders from Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Yemen, Kosovo, and Palestine have to appear in person at a Bangladeshi embassy or consulate.

How to Apply: Take your passport, two photos, an invitation letter or hotel voucher, a bank statement, and the fee to the nearest embassy. Expect 7, 14 days for processing

Visa issued as a sticker. No visa-on-arrival facility for these nationalities

Arrival Process

From the moment the plane doors open onto Dhaka's sticky jet bridge, you will pass through four separate checkpoints.

1
Health Screening
Thermal cameras hunt for fever. Staff in white coats may demand yellow-fever certificates if you are flying in from an endemic zone.
2
Immigration Control
Hand over passport and printed eVisa or visa. Officers snap a photo, press both index fingers onto a scanner, and slam the stamp with a metallic thud under harsh strip lights.
3
Baggage Claim
Carousels groan with bags sheathed in neon plastic. Porters in turquoise shirts weave through the crowd offering to haul luggage for a small tip, shouting above the drone of fluorescent lights.
4
Customs Channel
Choose the green channel if you have nothing to declare, the red channel if you do. Officers may ask you to unzip bags, releasing the scent of foreign perfume or freshly unboxed electronics.

Documents to Have Ready

Passport valid for at least six months
Checked at airline check-in abroad and again at Dhaka immigration desk
Printed eVisa approval or visa sticker
Digital PDFs on phone screens are rejected. Keep two hard copies
Return/onward ticket
Airlines and immigration both verify to prevent overstays
Hotel confirmation or host address
Name, phone, and street address in Dhaka must be filled on arrival card

Tips for Smooth Entry

Fill out the arrival card on the plane. Pens are in short supply at Dhaka immigration counters
Keep USD 50, 100 in crisp bills for unexpected baggage or customs fees
After midnight, duty-free shops and money-changing booths shut. Pull taka from airport ATMs with international cards

Customs & Duty-Free

Dhaka customs mixes British-era rules with South Asian pragmatism. Anticipate courteous questions and the odd polite hint for a small facilitation payment.

Alcohol
Two bottles of spirits and 12 cans of beer per adult
Only non-Muslims may import. Customs may ask religion on arrival card
Tobacco
200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250 g loose tobacco
Excess attracts 200% duty plus fine
Currency
USD 5,000 or equivalent must be declared on form
Export of undeclared foreign cash over USD 5,000 is prohibited
Gifts/Goods
Items up to BDT 3,000 duty-free for personal use
Electronics, jewellery, and perfumes may be assessed at inflated values

Prohibited Items

  • Narcotics and psychotropic substances, lifetime imprisonment possible
  • Maps that inaccurately depict Bangladeshi borders, immediate confiscation
  • Satellite phones or walkie-talkies, require special security clearance

Restricted Items

  • More than one laptop per person, duty and registration required
  • Gold jewellery over 200 g, 10% duty plus paperwork
  • Medicines containing pseudoephedrine, bring prescription and quantity proof

Health Requirements

Bangladesh asks for proof of yellow-fever vaccination only if you arrive from infected regions; COVID-19 restrictions were dropped in October 2023.

Required Vaccinations

  • Yellow fever, if arriving from endemic country within six days

Recommended Vaccinations

  • Hepatitis An and B
  • Typhoid
  • Japanese encephalitis for rural travel
  • Rabies for extended stays
  • Routine MMR, DPT, influenza

Health Insurance

Travel health insurance is optional but wise; Dhaka hospitals insist on cash up front and bills rise fast.

Current Health Requirements: Check the Bangladesh Directorate General of Health Services website for any sudden comeback of COVID-19 PCR or vaccination requirements.

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Important Contacts

Essential resources for your trip.

Embassy/Consulate
Find your country's embassy or consulate
Most embassies huddle in Gulshan and Baridhara. Confirm exact addresses on your government's travel advisory website
Immigration Authority
Official immigration website
visa.gov.bd for eVisa applications and policy updates
Emergency
Emergency services number
Dial 999 from any mobile for police, ambulance, or fire in Dhaka

Special Situations

Additional requirements for specific circumstances.

Traveling with Children

Bring the child's birth certificate showing parents' names; a consent letter is needed if one parent is absent. Minors ride free on a parent's visa

Traveling with Pets

Secure an import permit from the Department of Livestock Services 14 days ahead. Rabies vaccination must sit between 30, 365 days before arrival. Expect 30 days of home quarantine in Dhaka

Extended Stays

Apply at the Dhaka Immigration & Passport Department in Agargaon for 30-day extensions up to 150 days total. Overstay fines run BDT 200 per day

Know What to Pack

Climate-specific clothing, travel documents, electronics, and gear, with shopping links for every item.

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