Bangladesh Business Law – 

Top Commercial Law Firm in Dhaka

Bangladesh

Business Visa in
Bangladesh | Types and
Requirements

Tahmidur Rahman, Managing Partner

8 jan 2020

Do you need to know the requirements of obtaining a

business visa in Bangladesh? This post in details will
explain various kinds of Business visas in Bangladesh. 
Business Visa in Bangladesh
Business visa is valid for six months in Bangladesh and as it is a multi-
entry visa. From up to three to five (3-5) years, you can extend your
business visa to Bangladesh.
 You don’t get a business visa to work in Bangladesh. If you’re going to
get a job, you need a work permit.
Nevertheless, you can use your business visa to carry out activities
such as:
 
 Meeting your (potential) business partners or government
officials
 Visit different business sites
 Conducting feasibility studies and market research
 Meeting with employees
 Establishing a company in Bangladesh
“Tahmidur Rahman|CLP is Considered as one of the leading
firms in Business Law in Dhaka, Bangladesh”
Carpe Noctem Bangladesh

Obtaining process of a visa in

Bangladesh 
Bangladesh offers various types of visas to foreign nationals who want
to use the current investment and work opportunities provided by the
Bangladesh government. Visa from any foreign country is relatively
 easy to obtain, but there are no clear guidelines and the procedure of
diplomatic missions in Bangladesh varies from mission to mission.
A visa to be obtained from the Bangladeshi diplomatic mission in the
country of the visa applicant will be required for business visitors to
Bangladesh. Depending on the political climate and other domestic
issues, visa availability varies. It is generally recommended to obtain a
visa before arrival in your home country.
General Requirement of visa (There will be additional
requirement based on the type of visas)
 Filled-in application form
 Photographs (Size: 37mmX37mm and recent one): 02 copies
 Valid passport and
 Payment receipt of visa fee
Types of Visas:
 

Here are the Visa Classifications in details:

 
 Business Visas in Bangladesh
 
 Business visa is usually approved for business people who want to
make use of the possibility of doing business in Bangladesh. For
example, meeting various business people and government officials to
make investments in Bangladesh, visiting factories and workers,
testing legal barriers, contacting various staff to discuss possible
business strategy in Bangladesh. However, the purpose of such a visit
should be limited to the type of activities mentioned above and the
person with business visa is not permitted to do any kind of business
without the permission of the relevant authority (e.g. BIDA, BEPZA)
or to engage in any kind of work without work permit.
 Eligible individuals: entrepreneurs or their members.
 Authorised length of stay: In general, B visa is granted with a
fixed length of stay in each entry for a period of 3 to 6 months. The
applicant must indicate the intent of the visa and how long the
applicant wishes to stay in the application form in Bangladesh.
 Indicative list of required documents: Endorsement from
recognised chambers of commerce or local sponsor’s endorsement in
Bangladesh and declaration of good standing / business credentials.
        Employment Visa in Bangladesh
A Bangladesh employment permit enables its holder to work and be
employed in the country. It is a multi-entry visa and is valid for three
(3) months in the beginning. Therefore, once it loses its value, you can
also expand it. Note, however, that the period of validity depends on
the duration of the contract of employment. The Department of
Immigration and Passports will subsequently extend the validity of a
multi-travel facility visa for a maximum period of 1 (one) to 2 (two)
years at a time, based on the receipt of a work permit for employees,
airlines, banks and insurance companies and on the recommendation
of Bangladesh’s sponsors. 
Eligible persons:
(A) Govt-employed experts / consultants / employees. /Half Govt.
Organization, organisations that are independent and similar.
(B) Local and Foreign Govt./Private, Industrial / Trading
Organizations and Liaison Office, Branch Office employees and
employees.
(C) Local and foreign workers and individuals. /Private undertakings
and institutions of the same class.
Authorized duration of stay: The relevant Bangladesh Mission
initially issues visa for a maximum period of 3 (three) months subject
to submission of papers/documents in support of the appointment
with application.
Indicative list of required documents: Letter of Appointment
and Letter of recommendation from the concerned Ministry in
Bangladesh / Bangladesh Investment Development Authority
(BIDA) / Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA)
 

 
 Investment Visas in Bangladesh
 
The primary purpose of the Bangladesh investment visa is to allow the
holder to attend business meetings and keep them. But these meetings
will, of course, be linked to their domestic investments.
The initial duration of this visa is one (1) year with a maximum of
three (3) months per year, which means that every three (3) months
the investor has to leave and re-enter Bangladesh. The visa may be
extended up to five (5) years if the investor decides to continue
investing in Bangladesh.
Note that a letter of recommendation is required for this visa. It can be
from either a local or a Bangladesh sponsor from abroad. Another
prerequisite is that you need a BEPZA or BOI certificate to prove you
have a Bangladesh investment.
In general, seven (7) working days are the process time for this visa.
You must seek a visa from a foreign embassy in Bangladesh.
Recall also that the investment visa does not allow employment to be
taken up. Therefore, if you are planning to be employed in Bangladesh
by a corporation, you must also obtain a work permit.
FE VISA in Bangladesh
Eligible Individuals: spouse and other dependent members of the
Principal Visa group E.
Authorized period of stay: the same length of stay as the Principal
visa trip in the E category.
Indicative list of required documents: Relevant documents e.g.
birth/ marriage certificates / letter from recommending authority
 

“Visa from any foreign country is relatively

easy to obtain, but there are no clear
guidelines and the procedure of diplomatic
missions in Bangladesh varies from mission
to mission.”
Visa on Arrival in Bangladesh:
 
Eligible people: HSIA may also apply for VOA from foreign
investors and business persons. VOA may not be qualified for by all
nationals. The issuance of this visa is the Bangladeshi immigration
officer’s sole discretion.
Permitted length of stay: 30 days.
Required document indicative list:
a. The candidate for the LP / VOA must have a return ticket together
with
b. Letter or identity certificate from various associations of export-
oriented commercial / industrial organizations (i.e.–FBCCI / BGMEA)
in their letterhead specifying the relationship between the claimant
and the organization and the length of the relationship.
c. The VOA applicant must have US $500 or equivalent foreign
currency endorsed in his/her passport, credit card, debit card,
travellers’ cheque or in cash.
 

 
 
➤ E1 Visa in Bangladesh –
 
Authorized length of stay: E1 visa is granted by the Embassy of the
People’s Republic of Bangladesh of the country concerned for a
maximum period of 6 (six) months, subject to the presentation of
papers / documents in support of the appointment.
 
Eligible persons: Persons visiting equipment and software / project
supervision supply / installation / maintenance etc. Indicative list of
required documents: invitation from the local sponsor, copy of the
agreement, recommendation from the Bangladesh Investment
Development Authority (BIDA)/Bangladesh Export Processing Zones
Authority (BEPZA)/department / agency.
 
 
 
➤ PI Visa in Bangladesh:
 
 
Eligible Persons: Investors in existing / new / under construction /
new industrial / commercial entity in the private sector under a joint
venture or a 100% foreign-owned company Authorized length of stay:
PI visas shall be issued at the first application for a period of 3 months,
if applied with the relevant documents.
Authorized duration of stay: PI visas are issued for a period of 3
months at the first application, if applied with relevant documents.
Indicative list of required documents: Certificate / Letter of
BIDA / BEPZA (if applicable) certifying that the applicant is a genuine
investor
 
 
 
➤ A3 Visa in Bangladesh-
 
Eligible Persons: Experts / advisers / officials / staff members /
labors working in any project under the bilateral / multilateral
agreement between Bangladesh government
and development partner agencies
Authorized duration of stay: The concerned Bangladesh Mission
grant A3 visa for a maximum period of 3 (three) months subject to
submission of appointment letter upon application.
Indicative list of required documents:
1. Recommendation from concerned Ministry / ERD / Govt.
Organization and copy of agreement.
2. Security clearance from Ministry of Home Affairs.
 
 ➤FPI Visa in Bangladesh
 
 
 
Eligible Persons: Spouse and dependent members of the Principal
travelling on PI category visa
Authorized duration of stay: same duration as Principal travelling
on PI category visa.
Indicative list of required documents: Relevant documents e.g.
birth/ marriage certificate / letter from recommending authority
➤FA3 Visa in Bangladesh:
 
 
Eligible Persons: Spouse and other dependent family members of
A3 visa holders.
Authorized duration of stay: same duration as Principal traveling
on A3 category visa.
Indicative list of required documents:
1. Recommendation from concerned Ministry / ERD / Govt.
Organization/copy of agreement/MOU etc. with GOB.
2. Police Verification Report
 
 
➤ J visa in Bangladesh
Eligible Persons: Journalists of newspapers / magazines / TV or
radio networks / news agencies / representatives of print, electronic or
satellite media / freelance journalists etc.
Authorized duration of stay: usually 3 years
Indicative list of required documents: A clearance from the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs ‘ External Publicity Wing is required for the
issuance of J category visa. Usually it takes 21 days to process after the
application has been submitted. The applicant must also apply,
together with the visa application form, duly filled in FF-I and FF-II
forms.

Bangladesh Work Permit And Visa

 (15 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

Our service area: Bangladesh work permit and visa;

 PI (Private investor visa), work permit of foreign employees visa (E visa)

from BOI and BEPZA
 New business set up, income tax, accounts and audit service;

Bangladesh work permit and visa-PI

and E visa procedure in Bangladesh
 Enclose permission letter in terms of liaison office;
 Provide  MoA and AoA and incorporation letter of Private  Limited or
Joint Venture business;
 Consent letter of board of directors with mentioning remuneration and
designation in letter head;
 Forward passport and color photograph of the directors;
 Do not forget to attach service contract or engagement letter of the
employees;
 All academic certificate and experience letter must attach along with all
copies;
 News paper advertisement for hiring man power is must for the wholly
own share holding limited or Joint Venture entity;
 Do not forget to provide business activities copy which shall be written
in letter head and attested by country manager;
 List of man power with organ gram (hierarchy) in letter head;
 Attach income tax only for branch office;
 News paper advertisement is not applicable for liaison office;
 Trade License, VAT, Export and Import letter, encashment certificate of
US Dollar 50 thousand (fifty thousand) must attach with application form;
 Make sure attested entire said papers by owner or CEO of the
company;
 Preserve all papers for PI and E visa and for work permit;
 Branch or representative or liaison office shall not provide trade license,
export, import and VAT papers;
 Enclose form 18 B from Bangladesh bank for open branch office only;
 Make sure attested mentioning documents by top management of the
entity;
 Contact to BOI or our firm to cooperate you;
 Except little bit changes rest of documents are almost same for vice
versa;
 Collect prescribe form from BOI or our office; attach them forwarding
letter addressing to Chairman or director of BOI;