A traveller from India pays almost nothing in government fees. A traveller from the US or UK pays considerably more. And the route you take — visa on arrival at the airport, or an application filed weeks ahead — depends on your nationality too, not on how organised you are. Here is what each group actually pays, and why.
The two paths: visa on arrival vs applying in advance
Bangladesh runs two parallel systems. Citizens of a defined list of countries — including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, China, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, the Gulf states, Turkey and all European countries — can obtain a single-entry visa on arrival at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka, and at some land and sea ports. Everyone else, including Indian nationals, applies in advance through a Bangladesh mission.
Two things worth internalising about visa on arrival. It is not a right: issuance sits at the discretion of the immigration officer on duty, so meeting every requirement on paper still doesn't guarantee approval. And it is cash only. Turning up at the counter with a card and no dollars is the single most avoidable way to derail an arrival.
Whichever path applies to you, expect to show a passport valid at least six months beyond arrival with blank pages, a return or onward ticket, proof of sufficient funds, and either a hotel booking covering your stay or an invitation from a host in Bangladesh.
By nationality
United States
US passport holders are on the visa-on-arrival list. The fee is US$50–51 or the euro equivalent, paid in cash at the airport, valid 30 days single entry and extendable once for a further 30 days at the Department of Immigration and Passports in Dhaka. Applying in advance through an embassy instead is the safer route if your dates are tight or your itinerary is complicated — and there, published fees run as high as US$150 and above depending on the visa class.
United Kingdom
British passport holders are on the visa-on-arrival list. The official policy names the United Kingdom explicitly, alongside the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and all European countries — and eligibility does not depend on whether Bangladesh maintains a mission in your country. The terms are the same as the US route: US$50–51 or the euro equivalent, cash only at the airport, valid 30 days single entry, extendable once for a further 30 days.
An embassy-issued visa remains a perfectly good alternative if you would rather have everything settled before you fly. The Bangladesh High Commission in London does not publish a fixed tourist visa fee online, so confirm the current amount with them directly rather than relying on a figure quoted on a third-party site.
India
Indian nationals are not on the visa-on-arrival list and must apply ahead through a Bangladesh mission in India. The trade-off is cost: thanks to the long-standing bilateral arrangement between the two countries, Indian citizens pay among the lowest fees of any nationality: the government visa fee itself is waived entirely, leaving only a service charge at the application centre, currently around ₹825.
Timing matters more than price here. Visa services at the High Commission in New Delhi and its consulates were paused in December 2025 and only fully restored by May 2026. Given how quickly that changed, confirm current status with your nearest mission before you book anything.
Visa-free nationalities
A smaller group pays nothing at all. Ordinary passport holders from countries including Bhutan, the Maldives, Fiji, Jamaica, Ghana, Tanzania and Zambia can enter for up to 90 days with no visa — longer than the 30 days a visa on arrival buys an American.
Everyone else
For nationalities on neither list, fees are set per country and range from free to over US$150. Processing usually takes five to seven working days, though it varies by mission.
Why the price gap exists
Bangladesh sets most visa fees on a reciprocity basis: what your country charges Bangladeshi citizens for a visa strongly shapes what you will pay for a Bangladeshi one. That is a large part of why Western passports sit at the upper end of the schedule, and why neighbours with long-standing bilateral travel agreements — India especially — pay a fraction of it.
It also explains why the list moves. Reciprocity means a change in one country's policy can quietly reprice the other side, which is why a fee you read about eighteen months ago is a weak guide to what you will pay today.
Before you apply
Check current fees directly against the government's Online MRV Portal at visa.gov.bd or your nearest Bangladesh mission before paying anything. Third-party visa agencies frequently add a service markup on top of the government fee, and that markup is not always disclosed upfront.
If your planning has got as far as costing out a visa, our Visa & Entry guide has the full visa-on-arrival country list, the visa-free list, the documents each route needs, and what happens if you overstay. The Currency & Budgeting guide covers what the rest of the trip costs once you are through the airport.
Fees above reflect published rates as of 2026 and are subject to change without notice. Visa policy in Bangladesh changes often — always confirm against official sources before booking travel around them.