- India reportedly begins restoring full visa services in Bangladesh, easing travel after months of suspension.
- Travellers can expect phased reopening of tourist, business and student visa appointments soon.
- Centres resume operations gradually, with paper applications and in‑person biometrics still required.
Travellers, pay attention as India lifts the partial suspension of visa services for Bangladesh, which had been in place since December. On Friday, February 20, the High Commission of Bangladesh announced that it would restart its consular operations, reopening the path for travellers planning cross‑border visits. Visa operations in both countries were suspended from December 17 last year due to security concerns. According to India Today, visa services are now set to resume across all categories in a phased manner.
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"Medical and double-entry visas are being issued now, and steps are underway to resume other categories, including travel visas," said Aniruddha Das, India's senior consular official in Sylhet, during an interaction at the Sylhet District Press Club.
He added, "India-Bangladesh relations are founded on mutual respect and honour... Ordinary people of both countries will be the principal stakeholders in this stable, positive, and long‑term relationship."
What Travellers Can Expect
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According to an update reported by VisaHQ, tourist, business and student appointments are expected to reopen in staggered phases from early March.
Applications will begin reopening gradually at visa centres, which will be useful for travellers planning leisure trips, family visits, educational travel or medical tourism. The report notes that technical upgrades and redeployment of security staff are already in progress at visa centres to prepare for the increased demand.
The resumption of services will also ease travel for those who previously had to take costly detours through third countries during the suspension period - something that affected businesses on both sides of the border.
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Key Tips for Travellers
- E‑visas are not available yet. Paper applications and in‑person biometrics remain mandatory.
- Expect limited capacity initially. For instance, the Sylhet visa centre will operate at about 60% of pre‑suspension levels while addressing the backlog.
- Check appointment windows regularly, as reopening will be staggered.
So, when are you planning your trip to Bangladesh?
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