Bangladesh Arrival Card — E-Arrival Card in English
Complete your Bangladesh electronic arrival card (E-Arrival Card) in English with our online form. Submit your application once your visa and flight are confirmed: we check that it matches your visa and file your card.
Welcome to Bangladesh
The Sundarbans mangroves, the beach at Cox's Bazar, the bustling lanes of Old Dhaka: before discovering Bangladesh, every foreign traveller must present an arrival card at immigration. Since August 2026, Bangladesh immigration has offered an electronic version, the E-Arrival Card, to be completed online before the trip. Free of charge, it comes in addition to the visa without replacing it and is valid for a single entry. It asks for precise information about your passport, flight, accommodation and visa: the slightest discrepancy can lead to additional checks at the counter.
Who must complete the E-Arrival Card?
The arrival card applies to all foreign travellers entering Bangladesh, whatever their age, nationality or visa type. It does not replace a visa: French nationals must obtain a visa from the Embassy of Bangladesh in Paris, or apply for a visa on arrival online before departure.
Foreign travellers
Tourists, business travellers, students, family visits, official missions: all foreigners complete the card, whatever the purpose of their stay.
Children and accompanying travellers
Group members travelling with you, children included, must be declared too, with their nationality.
Travellers with a visa on arrival
The card includes a “VOA” (visa on arrival) category. It complements the visa on arrival application, which is made online before departure.
Bangladeshi nationals
Bangladeshi citizens are not concerned: the E-Arrival Card is intended for foreigners.
Documents to complete the E-Arrival Card
Gather these items for each traveller before you start: every detail must match your official documents exactly.
- Passport valid for the entire stay
- Plane ticket: flight number, arrival date, country and city of departure
- Bangladeshi visa or visa on arrival: number, category, single or multiple entry, issue and expiry dates, length of stay
- Name of your hotel or address of your accommodation in Bangladesh, with the district and thana
- Local phone number in Bangladesh, if you have one
- Valid email address
- Details of accompanying travellers (children included), if any
Purposes of stay
A very detailed list of purposes
The E-Arrival Card offers a particularly fine-grained list of purposes of stay, covering almost every reason to travel to Bangladesh. Choose the one that exactly matches your trip and your visa.
- Business and employment: employment, business, investment, accounting, consultancy, engineering, private service, journalism, crew, seafarer
- Education and research: training, study, teaching, research, course at the NDC (National Defence College)
- Events and meetings: conference, seminar, meeting, workshop, South Asian Games (SAF Games)
- Tourism and visits: tourism, visiting relatives, family visit
- Diplomacy and official missions: security, delegation, diplomatic, UN service or mission, NGO, research at ICDDR,B, least developed countries (LDC)
- Religion: Hajj, Tabligh, Umrah, religion
- Residence and personal status: homemaker, residence, immigration
- Health, transit and other: medical treatment, transit, other
Required Information Table
| INFORMATION TO PROVIDE | PERSONAL DATA |
|---|---|
| IDENTITY AND PASSPORT | Name, Passport number, Date of birth, Sex, Nationality |
| TRAVEL | Country and city of departure, Purpose of stay, Arrival date, Flight number |
| ADDRESS IN BANGLADESH | Hotel or residence, District, Thana, Detailed address |
| CONTACT DETAILS | Local phone number, Email address |
| VISA | Visa number, Category (visa on arrival, tourism, business, employment, study…), Single or multiple entry, Issue and expiry dates, Length of stay in days |
| ACCOMPANYING TRAVELLERS | Group members travelling with you, children included, with their nationality |
Card and visa
A purpose that must match your visa
The E-Arrival Card repeats your visa information. On arrival, the immigration officer compares your card with the visa in your passport or your visa on arrival.
The same story on all your documents: if you are travelling on a tourist visa, choose a tourism purpose. Ticking “Business” or “Employment” with a tourist visa creates a contradiction that can lead to questions, additional checks and delays at the counter.
Copy your visa exactly: the number, category, entry type and dates must match your visa exactly. A single typo is enough to slow down your clearance.
The ArrivalCards solution: submit your application with a copy of your visa. We check that your passport, visa and chosen purpose are consistent before filing your card.
Key takeaway
The E-Arrival Card does not replace a visa. First obtain your visa or prepare your visa on arrival application, then complete the card with the same information.
When should you complete the E-Arrival Card?
The Bangladeshi authorities have not published a strict window: the card can be completed in the days or weeks before the trip. As it asks for your visa information, it is completed once you have your visa, or once your visa on arrival application is prepared.
Earliest
No official limit published: as soon as your visa and flight are known
Optimal
Within 72 hours before arrival, with flight, accommodation and visa confirmed
Latest
Before boarding your flight to Bangladesh
Arriving in Bangladesh with the E-Arrival Card
In Dhaka, Chattogram or Sylhet, clearance is smoother if your card is ready before departure.
- 1
Before departure
Download each traveller's PDF confirmation, keep it on your smartphone with its QR code and print a copy.
- 2
Visa on arrival
If you are travelling with a visa on arrival, first go to the dedicated counter with the acknowledgement of your online application and the required supporting documents.
- 3
Immigration
Present your passport, visa and E-Arrival Card to the immigration officer, who checks that the information matches.
- 4
During your stay
Respect the length of stay granted by your visa: it depends on the visa, not on the arrival card.
Common mistakes with the E-Arrival Card
The form demands a lot of care: a discrepancy with your official documents can lengthen immigration clearance.
A purpose inconsistent with the visa
The purpose you choose must match your visa category. A tourist visa with the purpose “Business” or “Employment” draws the immigration officer's attention.
Typos
Name, passport number, visa number and dates must be copied exactly. Reread every field before confirming.
Confusing the arrival card with a visa
The E-Arrival Card does not authorise you to enter: you need a visa or a visa on arrival, in addition to the card.
Reusing an old card
The card is valid for a single entry. A new card is needed for each new trip to Bangladesh.
Forgetting accompanying travellers
Group members travelling with you, children included, must also be declared.
Validity of the E-Arrival Card
The card is tied to one traveller and one specific arrival.
Duration
Valid for the declared arrival only
Entries
Single entry into Bangladesh
Extension
Cannot be extended: a new card for each new trip
Places to visit in Bangladesh
Bangladesh
The Sundarbans, the largest mangrove forest in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are explored by boat along the channels, in the territory of the Bengal tiger.
Cox's Bazar stretches out one of the longest natural sand beaches in the world, facing the Bay of Bengal, with its colourful fishing boats and sunsets.
Old Dhaka is home to Lalbagh Fort, the pink Ahsan Manzil palace and Sadarghat landing, where hundreds of boats cross the Buriganga River.
Srimangal and the Sylhet region offer hills covered in tea plantations, tropical forests such as Lawachara and lakes as far as the eye can see.
Bagerhat, a former mosque city listed by UNESCO, is home to the Sixty Dome Mosque (Shait Gumbad), a jewel of 15th-century Bengali architecture.
Information about the Bangladesh arrival card
What is the E-Arrival Card?
The E-Arrival Card is Bangladesh's electronic arrival card, run by Bangladesh immigration (Special Branch, Ministry of Home Affairs). It covers your identity and passport, where you are travelling from, the purpose of your stay, your arrival date and flight number, your address in Bangladesh, your contact details and your visa information: number, category, entry type, issue and expiry dates, length of stay. Once the card is submitted, you receive a PDF confirmation with a QR code.
Which nationalities are concerned?
The E-Arrival Card applies to all foreign travellers entering Bangladesh, whatever their nationality, age and visa type. Accompanying travellers, children included, must be declared too. Bangladeshi nationals are not concerned. The card does not replace a visa: French nationals must obtain a visa from the Embassy of Bangladesh or a visa on arrival, which is applied for online before departure.
Which points of entry are concerned?
The online form asks for a flight number: it is designed for arrivals by air, mainly at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka (DAC), as well as Chattogram (CGP) and Sylhet (ZYL). Bangladeshi seaports have no immigration service: it is not possible to enter the country by sea.
Frequently Asked Questions — Bangladesh
What is the Bangladesh E-Arrival Card?
It is Bangladesh's electronic arrival card, run by Bangladesh immigration (Special Branch, Ministry of Home Affairs). It brings together your identity, passport, flight, purpose of stay, address in Bangladesh, contact details and visa information.
Does the arrival card replace the visa for Bangladesh?
No. It is a mandatory, additional formality. French nationals must obtain a visa from the Embassy of Bangladesh, or a visa on arrival: the application is made online before departure, the visa is valid for up to 30 days for a single entry and the fee is paid in cash on arrival.
Who must complete the E-Arrival Card?
All foreign travellers entering Bangladesh, whatever their age, nationality or visa type. Accompanying travellers, children included, must be declared too. Bangladeshi nationals are not concerned.
How long before departure can I complete my arrival card?
There is no strict official window. We recommend completing it within 72 hours before your arrival, once your flight, accommodation and visa are confirmed: you will then have all the final information. On ArrivalCards, submit your application as soon as you have your visa.
How much does the E-Arrival Card cost?
The card is free on the official portal of the Bangladeshi authorities. On ArrivalCards, the service fee is €29 incl. VAT per arrival card issued, excluding any consular fees. This fee includes the guided English-language form, verification that your card matches your visa, submission and support from our team.
Do I need to print my arrival card?
It is strongly recommended. After submission, you receive a PDF confirmation with a QR code. Keep it on your smartphone and print a copy: it will save you time if the border post's IT systems are slow.
Can I declare my family on the same card?
Yes. The form lets you add the group members travelling with you, children included, with their nationality. Every traveller must be declared.
Which purpose of stay should I choose?
The one that matches your visa category. The list is very detailed (tourism, business, employment, study, conference, medical treatment, religion, transit…). A purpose that contradicts your visa, for example “Business” with a tourist visa, can lead to questions and additional checks on arrival.
Is the E-Arrival Card valid for several trips?
No, it is valid for a single entry. A new card must be completed for each new trip to Bangladesh. To leave the country, a separate departure card, the E-Departure Card, is provided.
I made a mistake on my arrival card. What should I do?
Complete a new card with the correct information. A discrepancy with your passport or visa can lead to additional checks at the counter. On ArrivalCards, our team checks your details before submission.
Document Timeline
History and evolution of the document.
Before August 2026
Foreign travellers fill in a paper arrival and departure card (ED Card), handed out on board or at the airport, and hand it to immigration.
Before August 2026
Foreign travellers fill in a paper arrival and departure card (ED Card), handed out on board or at the airport, and hand it to immigration.
August 2026
Bangladesh immigration (Special Branch, Ministry of Home Affairs) launches the E-Arrival Card, an electronic arrival card to be completed online before the trip.
August 2026
Bangladesh immigration (Special Branch, Ministry of Home Affairs) launches the E-Arrival Card, an electronic arrival card to be completed online before the trip.
August 2026
The same portal offers an electronic departure card (E-Departure Card) and gives access to the online visa on arrival application.
August 2026
The same portal offers an electronic departure card (E-Departure Card) and gives access to the online visa on arrival application.
Autumn 2026
The procedure is new: lists of countries, hotels and purposes, required fields and the layout of the form may still change.
Autumn 2026
The procedure is new: lists of countries, hotels and purposes, required fields and the layout of the form may still change.
Today
The E-Arrival Card is ideally completed within 72 hours before arrival. ArrivalCards prepares it, checks that it matches your visa and files it for you.
Today
The E-Arrival Card is ideally completed within 72 hours before arrival. ArrivalCards prepares it, checks that it matches your visa and files it for you.
How It Works
Simple, fast, and stress-free.
Fill in the online form
Complete our secure form with your personal information and travel details
Receive your arrival card by email
We process your application and send your electronic arrival card directly to your inbox
Present your card upon arrival
Upon arrival, simply present your electronic card to immigration authorities
A reliable and secure service.
Processing Time
Your arrival card is typically processed within 24 hours. We recommend applying at least 3 days before your travel date.
Requirements
Valid passport with at least 6 months validity, recent passport photo, travel itinerary, and accommodation details.
Fees
The service fee is €29 incl. tax per arrival card issued, excluding any consular fees. This covers form translation, application verification, and customer support.
Sources
- Bangladesh Immigration, Special Branch (Ministry of Home Affairs) — E-Arrival Card
- France Diplomatie — Bangladesh, entrée / séjour
Information checked in October 2026