Bangladesh Visa Fees 2026: Fees by Nationality, Visa on Arrival, NVR, Overstay Fines and Processing Times

Bangladesh visa fees in 2026: what foreigners actually pay

Bangladesh visa fees are not one number. In 2026 the charge a foreign national pays depends on nationality, the mission that issues the visa, the number of entries, the purpose of travel and whether the person is applying from abroad, at the airport or from inside Bangladesh. The Visa Policy 2026 fixes only a handful of amounts in figures and leaves the rest to reciprocity, so a British tourist, an American engineer and a Japanese investor can pay very different sums for visas that look identical on the page.

This guide sets out the fee tables that matter: what Bangladesh missions charge by nationality, the visa on arrival fee, the No Visa Required (NVR) fee, the conversion and transfer charges, extension and regularisation costs, the new overstay fines, sponsor penalties, payment methods, processing times, the no-refund rule and the options after a refusal. It is written for travellers, employers and HR teams who need to budget accurately. Category choice, the application form and the extension procedure are covered in our companion guides, which we link rather than repeat.

Summary: Bangladesh visa fees follow reciprocity: each mission charges a nationality-based fee published in its own schedule, and official and diplomatic categories are free. The Visa Policy 2026 fixes a USD 20 transit visa on arrival, a USD 200 conversion fee for those taking up employment after a visa on arrival, a USD 80 NVR fee, and overstay penalties of Tk 1,000 to Tk 3,000 a day. Fees are not refunded if an application is refused.

Key point: The overstay penalty is now the largest avoidable cost. Under the Visa Policy 2026 a foreigner who misses the extension deadline pays Tk 1,000 a day for the first 15 days, Tk 2,000 a day up to 90 days and Tk 3,000 a day beyond that, on top of a visa regularisation fee, and risks prosecution under the Foreigners Act 1946 once the overstay passes 90 days.

At a glance

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Table of Contents

How Bangladesh visa fees are set in 2026

The legal starting point is the Visa Policy 2026, published by the Ministry of Home Affairs in August 2026 to replace the 2006 policy and its amendments.[1] Condition 15 states the rule in one line: visa fees are applied on the basis of reciprocity or an agreement, arrangement or memorandum of understanding, and the A, A1, A2, FA2, D and ND visas are gratis.[1] Condition 2 adds that where a bilateral agreement or memorandum exists, visas are issued according to it, and that reciprocity governs anything the policy and the agreement do not cover.[1]

What reciprocity means in practice

Reciprocity means Bangladesh broadly charges a country's nationals what that country charges Bangladeshi applicants. There is therefore no single statutory schedule of Bangladesh visa fees in the policy itself. Each mission publishes its own table, in its own currency, and the London High Commission states plainly that fees are determined on the basis of reciprocity with the applicant's country.[2] The result is a wide spread, from no fee at all for some nationalities to several hundred pounds for long multiple-entry visas.

Categories that are free

Government delegates and officials (A), diplomatic and official passport holders (A1, D, ND) and staff of the United Nations and listed international organisations and their dependants (A2, FA2) pay nothing.[1] The policy's list of qualifying organisations for A2 is long and includes UN agencies, the World Bank, the IMF, the Asian Development Bank, JICA, KOICA and the EU, among others.[1] A development-agency consultant travelling on an ordinary passport under a private contract is not automatically in a gratis category, so check the category before assuming no fee.

The few charges the policy fixes in figures

Against that background, a short list of amounts is fixed by the policy itself and applies whatever the nationality.

Each of these comes from the text of the policy.[1] Everything else, including the ordinary tourist, business, employment and student visa fee, is set by the mission schedule.

Bangladesh visa fees by nationality: mission schedules compared

The two most complete published schedules we have checked are those of the High Commission in London, which charges in pounds sterling, and the Consulate General in New York, which charges in US dollars. They are shown side by side below for common nationalities. They are not identical, because each mission converts and applies reciprocity in its own currency, and both state or imply that fees change without notice.[3] [5]

London figures are from the High Commission's all-country schedule and New York figures from the Consulate General's published table.[3] [5] For US nationals, New York separately confirms a visa fee of US$160.[6]

Why the same passport costs different amounts at different missions

A British national applying in London pays £105 for a six-month visa, while the New York schedule lists United Kingdom nationals at USD 124, expressed as GBP 78.[3] [5] The difference is not an error to exploit. Missions accept applications primarily from nationals and lawful residents of their jurisdiction, and London, for example, asks non-British applicants for evidence of UK residence status.[2] Budget on the schedule of the mission that will actually process the application, and confirm the figure on the day of submission.

Entry type and duration premiums

Many schedules distinguish single, double or re-entry, and multiple-entry visas, and some price by duration. The London table is the clearest example: a multiple-entry visa for a UK national costs £105 for up to six months, £300 for up to one year, £400 for up to two years and £695 for up to five years.[3] For a frequent business traveller, one five-year visa can be cheaper than repeated short visas, provided the category and the policy's maximum duration for it allow a long grant.[1]

Employment and urgent surcharges

Some nationalities pay more for an employment visa than for a visit. US nationals pay £174 rather than £146 in London and USD 190 rather than USD 160 in New York for employment, and Pakistani nationals face a separate work-visa charge of £157 in London or USD 172 for a one-year multiple work visa in New York.[3] [5] Both schedules also show urgent rates for certain nationalities, such as China, France, Spain, Romania and Russia, which roughly double the regular fee.[3] [5]

Nationals who pay nothing, or travel without a visa

Indian nationals require a visa but pay no fee, and Japanese nationals are charged no visa fee on reciprocity, in both schedules.[3] [5] The University of Dhaka's guidance for foreign students likewise records that no fee is required for Indian citizens.[12]

Fees for foreigners already in Bangladesh

Once a foreign national is in the country, the costs shift from the mission schedule to charges collected in Dhaka by the Department of Immigration and Passports (DIP). The procedure for extensions is set out in our guide to Bangladesh visa extension; this section deals only with what each step costs.

Extension fees and the regularisation fee

The policy does not publish an extension fee in figures. The University of Dhaka's step-by-step guidance for student extensions records that the processing fee "varies from country to country" and is deposited at the Sonali Bank counter inside the Passport and Immigration Office at Agargaon, with the money receipt then submitted to the DIP counter.[12] The policy's own label for the late-filing charge, the "country fee", confirms that the amount is nationality-based. If the extension application is filed after the visa has expired, the policy applies both the overstay penalty and a "visa regularization fee (country fee)".[1] A late filing therefore costs twice: the country fee for regularisation and the daily penalty.

The USD 200 conversion fee

A visa category cannot be changed inside Bangladesh, except for a visa on arrival, which may be converted into A1, D, ND, A2, FA2, E1, E2, E3, FE1, FE2, FE3, J, PI, FPI, P, RT, FBN or NVR.[1] The conversion fee of US$200 applies only to those who take up employment. UN passport holders are exempt, and national passport holders converting to A1, D, ND, A2 or FA2 are also exempt.[1] A dependant converting to FE1 or a family member converting to FBN does not take up employment and, on the wording of the policy, should not pay the employment conversion fee.

The fee is only part of the cost. Conversion to E2, E3, J, P or PI needs a recommendation letter addressed to the Ministry of Home Affairs from BIDA, BEZA, BEPZA, BHTPA, PPA or another competent authority.[1] The 30-day life of a visa on arrival leaves little time to obtain it, so employers should line up the recommendation before the employee travels.

Transferring a visa or NVR to a new passport

A valid visa in an old passport can be transferred to a new passport on application "with relevant country fees if applicable", and an NVR in an old foreign passport is re-issued in the new passport "subject to payment of fees".[1] A passport renewal in the middle of a posting is therefore a cost event, not just an administrative one.

Work permit fees

Employment visas sit alongside a separate work permit. BIDA's published service page lists a fee of BDT 5,000 per individual per year for a new work permit, paid online through the BIDA One Stop Service, with a service time of 16 working days subject to the inter-ministerial committee.[13] The work permit fee is not a visa fee, but it belongs in any honest budget for an expatriate hire. Our guide to Bangladesh work visa requirements covers eligibility and documents.

Visa on arrival fee and process

The visa on arrival is the main alternative to a mission visa, and its cost is low. The policy grants a 30-day single-entry visa on arrival at designated ports to listed groups, including investors and development partners invited by the Government or an investment authority, travellers from countries with no Bangladesh mission, foreign citizens of Bangladeshi origin and their families, diplomatic and UN passport holders, and nationals of Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, China, Japan, South Korea, Brunei, the Gulf states, Egypt, the United States, Canada, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, Turkey, the United Kingdom and other European countries travelling for tourism or business.[1]

How much the visa on arrival costs

The policy does not state the standard visa on arrival fee. Special Branch's visa on arrival portal instructs travellers to pay "a visa fee USD 50 (excluding processing fees) OR fee's as per decided by the authority" at the Sonali Bank counter in the arrivals area of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, and to obtain a receipt before joining the visa on arrival queue.[9] The London High Commission also gives the fee as 50 dollars, payable in foreign currency in cash.[11] The transit visa on arrival, by contrast, is fixed in the policy at USD 20 for a stay up to the next connecting flight and no more than 72 hours.[1]

Funds and documents travellers must show

The officer grants the visa only after examining the invitation and supporting documents, such as a hotel reservation, a return ticket and proof of funds in card or cash.[1] The London High Commission tells travellers to carry at least US$500 or its equivalent in cash or by credit card, together with a return ticket.[11] Special Branch is explicit that issue is not guaranteed and rests with the immigration officer at the port.[9]

The online pre-application and Sonali Bank payment

Special Branch runs an online application for the visa on arrival and transit visa: the traveller registers, uploads a photograph, the passport bio-page and an invitation letter, and prints an acknowledgement receipt to present on arrival.[9] When the system was launched in February 2025, the Home Affairs Adviser's office reported that the Sonali Bank PLC payment gateway had been integrated so that applicants could pay fees online, and officials said visas could then be issued in as little as ten minutes.[10] Carry cash as a fallback in any event, because Special Branch's airport instructions still describe a cash payment at the bank counter.[9] Full step-by-step guidance is in how to apply for Bangladesh visa.

Outdated overstay figures on the portal

One warning. The Special Branch visa on arrival page still tells visitors that overstaying costs BDT 200 a day for 15 days and BDT 500 a day after that.[9] Those rates have been overtaken by the Visa Policy 2026, which repealed earlier visa circulars and sets far higher penalties.[1] Anyone who plans to "overstay a few days and pay at the airport" on the strength of the old figures should recalculate using the 2026 table below.

NVR fee: what the policy says and what missions charge

The No Visa Required endorsement removes the need for a visa for the life of the passport. It is available to people of Bangladeshi origin who hold another citizenship outside the SAARC countries, to second and third generations and their spouses and children, to the foreign spouses and children of Bangladeshi citizens, and to foreign investors who invest USD 100,000 in heavy industry or long-term business, on a certificate from BIDA, BEPZA, BEZA or the investment authority.[1] Where the foreign citizenship or residence was obtained through investment, a favourable report from the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit is mandatory.[1]

The fee in three currencies

The policy fixes the NVR application fee at 80 US dollars or equivalent.[1] Missions translate that into their own charges: the London High Commission lists NVR at £70, payable by bank card only, and the New York Consulate General lists USD 88, payable by debit or credit card in person or by money order for postal applications.[4] [8] New York adds that fees, once received, cannot be refunded even if the application is withdrawn or the service cannot be rendered.[8]

Why NVR is usually the cheapest long-term option

For an eligible family, a one-off NVR fee replaces every future visa and extension fee for as long as the passport is valid, and it removes the overstay risk altogether. Compared with repeated multiple-entry visas at £300 to £695 for a British national, the saving is obvious.[3] The supporting documents differ by route and are covered in our guides to the types of visas in Bangladesh and the dual nationality certificate.

Overstay fines under the Visa Policy 2026

An extension must be applied for 15 days before the visa expires; an application lodged after expiry attracts both the penalty and the regularisation fee.[1] Condition 9 then sets the penalty for foreigners who came on valid visas: Tk 1,000 a day for the first 15 days; Tk 2,000 a day if the illegal stay exceeds 15 days, up to a maximum of 90 days; and Tk 3,000 a day if it exceeds 90 days, when a case may also be filed under the Foreigners Act 1946 on the initiative of the Additional Inspector General of Police, Special Branch.[1]

What an overstay costs: worked figures

The policy does not say expressly whether a higher rate applies to the whole stay or only to the days beyond each threshold. The figures below use the banded reading, which is how the bands are usually summarised; on the alternative reading the totals are higher.[1] All figures exclude the regularisation fee and any service charge.

Waivers that reduce the bill

The fine may be waived for foreign citizens of Bangladeshi origin and for the foreign spouses and children of Bangladeshi citizens. For foreign students it may be waived for up to three months; beyond three months a maximum fine of Tk 3,000 may be charged, and beyond six months the Tk 3,000-a-day rule applies.[1] An overstay caused by natural disaster, accident or flight cancellation is not treated as illegal, and the DIP may propose waivers to the Ministry for illness, on medical evidence, or for other well-grounded reasons.[1] The Ministry may also take account of a note verbale from the foreigner's embassy, particularly on humanitarian grounds.[1] The waiver procedure is explained in our visa extension guide.

Leaving after a short overstay

For an overstay of up to seven days, the passport holder can leave by appearing before the DIP or the immigration authority at the airport or land port and paying the fine, service charge and visa fee. Cash cannot be accepted: the amount must be deposited under the prescribed code in a scheduled bank of the Government of Bangladesh and the deposit receipt produced, and the period and the fine are recorded in the passport.[1]

The sponsor's exposure

Overstay and visa breaches can also cost the employer. If a foreign national arriving for employment, investment, business or education conceals information or breaches a visa condition, the appointing or sponsoring organisation is fined Tk 1,00,000 per person for the first time and Tk 2,00,000 for similar and subsequent violations.[1] For a company that hosts several expatriates, a single compliance lapse across a team can exceed the combined visa fees of a year.

How to pay Bangladesh visa fees

Payment rules are set by each mission and by the office that collects the charge in Bangladesh, and getting the method wrong is a common cause of a wasted appointment. The table summarises the methods we have verified.

The London rules are on its tourist visa and fees pages, New York's on its visa page, the airport and DIP arrangements in Special Branch and University of Dhaka guidance, the exit rule in the policy and the work permit method on BIDA's service page.[2] [4] [6] [9] [12] [1] [13]

Currency and "or equivalent"

Where the policy fixes a fee in dollars, it adds "or equivalent", and the visa on arrival is paid in foreign currency.[1] [11] Inside Bangladesh, extension fees, overstay penalties and the work permit fee are stated or collected in taka. Keep the Sonali Bank receipt for every payment: it is the evidence the DIP, the airport immigration desk and, later, an auditor will ask to see.

Processing times by category

Time is a cost in its own right, because a visa that arrives late can force a rebooked flight or a missed start date. The policy does not fix processing times for missions, but it does fix one internal deadline: where a police or security report is needed for issue or extension, Special Branch or NSI must provide it within 21 working days, failing which the visa authority may decide on the basis that the agency has no objection.[1]

The mission times come from London's visa pages and New York's processing-time page; the remaining entries come from the policy, the February 2025 launch report, the University of Dhaka and BIDA.[2] [7] [1] [10] [12] [13] London advises applicants not to buy flight tickets until the passport and visa are returned, warns that some cases need additional administrative processing that cannot be expedited, and may call applicants for interview.[2]

Validity runs from issue, not travel

London stresses a point that catches out many applicants: the validity of a Bangladesh visa begins on the date of issue, not the travel date written on the form.[2] Applying too early can waste paid-for validity; applying too late risks the trip. For a single three-month tourist visa, aim to apply three to four weeks before departure.

Step by step: budgeting and paying correctly

The following sequence keeps Bangladesh visa fees predictable and avoids the charges that arise from late or defective filings.

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Refund rules

The refund rule is short and strict. Condition 21 of the Visa Policy 2026 provides that visa fees shall not be refunded if a visa application is declined.[1] Missions go further. London states that the fee is non-refundable even if the visa is denied or the application is withdrawn.[2] New York states, for NVR, that fees once received cannot be refunded even if the application is withdrawn or the service cannot be rendered.[8]

What this means for planning

Three practical consequences follow. First, an applicant who chooses the wrong category pays twice, once for the refused application and again for the correct one. Second, a traveller who cancels a trip after applying cannot recover the fee. Third, there is no partial refund for a shorter grant than requested: if the mission issues a single-entry visa where multiple entry was sought, the fee schedule for the visa actually issued governs. The only real protection against the no-refund rule is a complete and accurate file.

Visa rejection and appeal options

The Visa Policy 2026 gives missions a broad discretion and no internal appeal. A visa is issued case by case "after careful examination of documents and on being fully satisfied about the purpose of the visit", with reasons recorded in writing, and the issuing authority may refer an issue to the Ministry of Home Affairs for decision.[1] The policy contains no procedure for appealing a refusal, and London warns that acceptance of an application does not guarantee a visa.[2] The common grounds for refusal are covered in how to apply for Bangladesh visa.

Option one: a corrected fresh application

For most refusals abroad, the fastest remedy is a new application that cures the defect: the right category, a stronger invitation, complete sponsor documents and a passport with at least six months' validity.[1] A fresh application means a fresh fee, because the first is not refunded.

Option two: escalation to the Ministry

The policy reserves to the Ministry of Home Affairs the right to decide any question about visas or NVR that the policy does not clearly answer, and allows it to waive, impose or relax conditions on conversion and on extensions beyond the maximum period.[1] Where a refusal turns on an ambiguity in the policy, or where an investor or development partner has a strong institutional sponsor, a reasoned request through the sponsor or the relevant investment authority can succeed where a second application would not.

Option three: judicial review in the High Court Division

Decisions taken inside Bangladesh, such as a refused extension, a refused conversion or the cancellation of a visa, are taken by persons performing functions in connection with the affairs of the Republic. Under Article 102(2) of the Constitution, the High Court Division may, if satisfied that no other equally efficacious remedy is provided by law, declare such an act to have been done without lawful authority and of no legal effect, or direct the authority to do what the law requires.[14] Writ relief is discretionary and slow relative to a 30-day visa, so it suits cases where the stakes are high and the legal error is clear. Our guide to writ petitions in Bangladesh explains the threshold.

Protecting the stay while a dispute runs

A refused extension does not stop the overstay clock. If a challenge or a second application is pending as the visa expires, take advice on regularisation or an exit pass the same day, so that the cost of disputing the decision is not multiplied by daily penalties.[1] Departure restrictions unrelated to the visa are covered in our note on travel restrictions on foreign directors.

Bangladesh visa fees at a glance

The table brings the charges together by the stage at which they arise.

Mistakes that make Bangladesh visa fees more expensive

Most avoidable costs come from a small number of errors that we see repeatedly.

• Relying on old figures. Agent websites and even the Special Branch visa on arrival page still quote the pre-2026 overstay rates of BDT 200 and BDT 500 a day.[9] The 2026 rates are four to five times higher.[1]
• Using the wrong mission's schedule. The same nationality is priced differently in London and New York, and missions expect applicants from their own jurisdiction.[2] [3] [5]
• Paying for repeated short visas. Long multiple-entry visas or an NVR are often cheaper over a year for frequent travellers and eligible families.[3]
• Entering on a visa on arrival to work without planning the conversion. The USD 200 conversion fee and a recommendation letter are needed within the 30-day window.[1]
• Filing the extension late. A filing after expiry triggers both the regularisation fee and the daily penalty.[1]
• Arriving at the airport with only cash for an exit fine. Immigration cannot accept cash for overstay fines; the deposit must be made at a scheduled bank first.[1]
• Ignoring the sponsor fine. A concealed fact or a breached visa condition costs the sponsoring company Tk 1,00,000 per person on a first violation.[1]

For employers, the cheapest control is one owner for every expatriate's visa, permit and extension dates. For visitors, our guides to the Bangladesh business visa and the investor visa set out the category rules that sit behind the fees. TRW's immigration and visa services team handles fee-sensitive filings, conversions, regularisation and refusals.

Frequently asked questions

How much is a Bangladesh visa in 2026?

It depends on nationality and mission. In London, for example, a single-entry visa costs £105 for UK nationals and £146 for US nationals; in New York, US nationals pay USD 160. Fees are set by reciprocity and change without notice.[3] [6]

Who does not pay a Bangladesh visa fee?

Official, diplomatic and international organisation categories (A, A1, A2, FA2, D and ND) are gratis, and both the London and New York schedules show Indian and Japanese nationals as paying no visa fee.[1] [3] [5]

What is the visa on arrival fee for Bangladesh?

Special Branch lists USD 50, excluding processing fees, or the fee fixed by the authority, paid at the Sonali Bank counter at Dhaka airport. The transit visa on arrival is USD 20 under the Visa Policy 2026.[9] [1]

How much does an NVR cost?

The policy fixes the NVR fee at USD 80 or equivalent. The London High Commission charges £70 and the New York Consulate General USD 88.[1] [4] [8]

What is the visa conversion fee?

USD 200, payable only by those who convert a visa on arrival in order to take up employment. UN passport holders, and national passport holders converting to A1, D, ND, A2 or FA2, are exempt.[1]

What are the overstay fines in Bangladesh under the Visa Policy 2026?

Tk 1,000 a day for the first 15 days, Tk 2,000 a day beyond 15 days up to 90 days, and Tk 3,000 a day beyond 90 days, when a case may also be filed under the Foreigners Act 1946.[1]

How do I pay a visa extension fee in Dhaka?

The fee, which varies by nationality, is deposited at the Sonali Bank counter inside the Passport and Immigration Office at Agargaon, and the money receipt is submitted with the application.[12]

Is a Bangladesh visa fee refunded if the visa is refused?

No. The Visa Policy 2026 provides that visa fees are not refunded if an application is declined, and missions treat fees as non-refundable even if the application is withdrawn.[1] [2]

Can I appeal a Bangladesh visa refusal?

There is no appeal procedure in the Visa Policy 2026. The options are a corrected fresh application, escalation to the Ministry of Home Affairs where the policy is unclear, and, for unlawful decisions taken in Bangladesh, a writ petition under Article 102 of the Constitution.[1] [14]

How long does a Bangladesh visa take to process?

London requires at least seven working days in person and 21 working days by post; New York says usually two weeks. Where a security report is needed, the agency has 21 working days to respond.[2] [7] [1]