India will resume accepting tourist visa applications from Bangladeshi citizens from Sunday, June 28, ending a suspension that lasted for nearly two years. The announcement was made by India’s newly appointed High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Dinesh Trivedi.
Speaking on Thursday, Trivedi said that under the revised application process, all applicants must secure an online appointment before submitting their documents. Applications can be lodged through any of the five Indian Visa Application Centres (IVACs) located in Dhaka, Chattogram, Rajshahi, Sylhet, and Khulna.
Applicants must first complete the online visa application form through the designated website. After accurately filling in the required information, they must download the completed form before proceeding to book an appointment.
Under the new guidelines, appointments must be scheduled on the working day prior to the intended document submission date. Applicants are required to upload their web file and complete the sign-up process between 2:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. each day. Only those who successfully upload their web file will be eligible to book an appointment slot from 5:00 p.m. onward.
During registration, separate one-time passwords (OTPs) will be sent to the applicant’s mobile phone and email address for verification. Once the verification process is completed, applicants can register their personal details, log in using their mobile number and password, upload the required documents, and select an available appointment slot. A one-time rescheduling option will also be available if necessary.
After confirming the appointment, applicants must pay the visa processing service charge online. The uploaded web file must be the original PDF version of the visa application form and must not be more than 30 days old. Altered or tampered documents will not be accepted.
To apply for a tourist visa, applicants must submit a passport valid for at least six months with a minimum of two blank pages, photocopies of the current passport, all previous passports, a recent passport-sized photograph, a National Identity Card or birth certificate, proof of address such as a utility bill, proof of occupation, and documents demonstrating financial solvency. The online application must also include the uploaded photograph and registration number.
While the Government of India does not charge a visa fee for tourist visas, applicants are required to pay a BDT 1,500 service fee to IVAC for processing. Once the application is processed, applicants will receive an SMS notification informing them when their passport is ready for collection.
Sources: High Commission of India in Bangladesh and IVAC.