Umrah pilgrims from five countries including Bangladesh must provide their biometric data, including “fingerprints” in order to get an electronic Umrah visa, the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has announced. The four other countries are the UK, Tunisia, Kuwait and Malaysia. Read more: Age limit for Hajj pilgrims may be lifted from next year: State Minister Interested pilgrims will have to use the Saudi Visa Bio app that allows for visa registration via fingerprints and selfie biometrics to attend significant Muslim pilgrimages,  reports The Gulf News. The new app delivers on a commitment made by the Saudi government late last year to allow biometrics enrolment through mobile devices so pilgrims to Mecca can avoid visiting visa centres in person, and makes the country one of the first in the world to accept biometrics by mobile for visa issuance. Read more: How to Perform Umrah from Bangladesh? In February 2022, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) released an electronic passport with a chip that stores the user’s biometrics for authentication purposes.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Bangladesh and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in a bid to implement ‘e-Visa/e/-TA’ in the capital on Tuesday (October 18, 2022). Security Services Division under Home Ministry Md Abdullah Al Masud Chowdhury and UAE Ambassador to Bangladesh Abdulla Ali Abdullah Khaseif Al Hamoudi singed the MoU on behalf of the respective countries with Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan in the chair at a programme at the conference room of the ministry. Minister Asaduzzaman said the initiative to implement ‘e-Visa/e/-TA’ system on the basis of ‘G2G’ was taken through the MoU sign. Read: Bangladesh, UAE sign four MoUs on big projects Terming the MoU as a big achievement in the bilateral relations of the countries, he said the day (MoU signing day) will be marked as a milestone for Bangladesh and the UAE in digitalisation of the country’s ‘e-visa’ system. Describing UAE as a tested-friend, he said Bangladeshi workers have been playing an important role in the development of the both countries over the time. The minister said the UAE is one of the main investment partners of Bangladesh and mutual respect and significant cooperation between the countries is the historic base of the bilateral relations.   Read UAE Golden Visa, Green Visa, Job Visa 2022: How to apply He said the implementation of the ‘e-visa’ is one the significant pledges of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to digitalise the country as the current government has underscored on the use of digital technology. Asaduzzaman said the security services division will be able to provide online visa service once the ‘e-visa’ system is implemented. He hoped that number of foreign tourists and investment will be boosted to a great extent after the ‘e-visa’ is launched in the country. Read Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H): Who's eligible for Malaysian Golden Visa or Investor Visa The minister thanked the UAE government for their support to implement the ‘e-visa’ system.

India, which is located in south Asia, is a giant country that is home to many different types of landscapes, ranging from snow-capped mountains, numerous hill stations, pristine beaches, verdant forests, coastal beauties to vast plains, all of which bring in a large number of tourists from other countries throughout the year. With the majority of COVID-related entrance restrictions being loosened, tourism businesses all around the nation have begun preparing to open their doors to visitors with the assistance of the government. Every year, a good number of people from Bangladesh make trips to India for tourism, shopping and other purposes. Therefore, many outdoor enthusiasts want to know the process of getting the tourist visa of India. Stay with us, to know how to apply for an Indian tourist visa from Bangladesh. Is Application for an India Visa Open Now? India has now opened up all categories of tourist visas for international travelers. India had earlier resumed regular international flight operations on 27 March 2022. The online Indian visa application allows visitors from 156 eligible countries to apply for a tourist e-Visa. Read How to Apply for Indian Medical Visa from Bangladesh Documents Required for an Indian Tourist Visa Under normal circumstances, a tourist visa may only be granted to a citizen of Bangladesh who has a monthly salary that is more than 20,000 Bangladeshi takas. For this reason, the income of either the individual, their spouse, or their parents or guardians, if they have dependents, may be taken into consideration. Travel Visa Application Requirements for Bangladeshis Generally, every person must provide a photocopy of the citizenship or residency document, accompanied by an English translation specifying the address in full detail. Another mandatory requirement is to submit a copy of the most recent bill for the power, gas, or landline telephone service. - Government employees need to submit a letter from either the Head of the Department or a copy of the clearance received from the Government of Bangladesh; - Employees, working in the private sector, have to provide a letter from the organization giving the details of designation, duration of service, and address of the applicant; - Self-employed businesspersons should submit a copy of the Registration granted to the Business establishment by the Govt. of Bangladesh; - Employees, working in the public sector, a letter from the organization giving (if not in English). Read Qatar Travel Guide: Best Places to See, Amazing Things to Do Rules for Different Ports In the event that a change in the Port of departure (hyperlink the sources) is necessary after arriving in India, it may be granted by the following authorities if bona genuine and adequate grounds are provided in support of the request: - FRROs in Delhi, Bangalore, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Amritsar, and Chennai. - The Assam, Meghalaya, Bihar, Mizoram, and Tripura State Governments, together with the West Bengal State Government. Read How to comfortably travel with babies Alterations to the departure port could be permitted by the authorities mentioned up top provided they adhere to the following recommendations: - A Bangladeshi citizen who enters the country by airplane is allowed to leave the country via a terminal that is not the same as the one through which they entered or through the Haridaspur International Checkpoint (ICP) on land. - A Bangladeshi person who is exiting India by air may be permitted, under appropriate circumstances, to exit the country by one of the land ICPs other than Haridaspur. However, the authority that is allowing the move must provide prior notification of the entrance to the ICP. - If that is not possible, the Bangladeshi national must only travel via the authorized port. - A Bangladeshi citizen who enters the country via the Haridaspur International Checkpoint (ICP) may be permitted to leave the country through the Kolkata or Delhi Airport. It is possible that a Bangladeshi professional or businessperson who is sponsored by a well-known chamber of commerce may be granted permission to depart from a land ICP that is distinct from their point of arrival. Read Qatar Travel Guide: Best Places to See, Amazing Things to Do Indian Travel Visa Application Fee from Bangladesh India is taking no charge for granting any type of Visa for Bangladeshi people. How to Apply for Indian Travel Visa Online The normal visa application form will need to be filled out and submitted through the internet system by all Bangladeshi nationals in order for them to be considered for a visa. Applicants may get this information by going online to the https://indianvisaonline.gov.in website. After you have successfully finished filling out the application form, the system will automatically request the following confirmation from you: Choose the option "Yes" if you want to look for an appointment and make a payment online; choose the option "No" if you just want to print the application form that has been submitted. If the answer to this question is "No," you are required to take a printout of the completed online application form, which you must then take with you to the appropriate Indian diplomatic post where it must be handed in together with any supporting documentation. Read Bhutan Travel Guide: Best places to visit, interesting things to do In the event that you respond with 'Yes,' the system will immediately follow the link to carry out the tasks listed below: - The date and time of the appointment may be chosen at the relevant Indian Mission. - Calculating the cost of the visa, the service charge, and the value-added tax After you have scheduled an appointment online, bring your application and all of the relevant papers to either the Indian Visa Application Center or an Indian Mission. Each individual who wishes to apply is required to arrange a separate meeting with the Indian Mission. Read 9 Best Countries to Retire Abroad Conclusion So far, we have discussed how to get the Tourist Visa of India from Bangladesh. The process might differe when you are applying from another country. While we currently live in a relatively transparent world, visa and entrance requirements in India are always being updated, just as they are everywhere else in the globe. This website will be updated on a regular basis with any new information on visa requirements and entrance regulations for India. All of the information shown here is derived from the most recent adjustment (on September 17, 2022) that was made to the visa rules of the nation. Happy travelling!

Since the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, India has granted 200 emergency e-visas to that country’s citizens, the government told Parliament on Wednesday, reported The Indian Express. “In view of the prevailing situation in Afghanistan, the Government of India has started an ‘e-Emergency X-Misc visa’ for a period of 6 months for Afghan nationals. …As on 24.11.2021, 200 e-Emergency X-Misc visas have been issued,” Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said in a written reply in Rajya Sabha. “Further, Stay visa is granted to Afghan nationals staying in India keeping in view present situation in that country. Presently, 4,557 Afghan nationals are staying in India on Stay Visa after extension of their visas,” he added. The Stay Visa/ Residential Permit is granted for a year at a time by authorities on a case-to-case basis after Home Ministry approval. The ministry had been asked questions related to Afghan refugees living in India. Also read: Thousands of Afghans seek temporary US entry, few approved “India is not a signatory to the 1951 UN Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and the 1967 Protocol thereon. All foreign nationals (including Asylum seekers) are governed by the provisions contained in the Foreigners Act, 1946, The Registration of Foreigners Act, 1939, The Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920 and The Citizenship Act, 1955 and rules and orders made there under. The data of foreign nationals who enter into the country without valid travel documents in a surreptitious and clandestine manner, claiming to be refugees or asylum seekers is not maintained centrally,” the minister said. In the wake of a humanitarian crisis unfolding in Afghanistan following the fall of Kabul to the Taliban, with thousands scrambling to leave the country after the takeover, India had in August introduced an emergency e-visa category for Afghan nationals to “fast-track” their applications. These visas are valid for six months and granted only after security clearance, sources said. In a statement issued then, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had said that after a review of provisions “in view of the current situation in Afghanistan”, a “new category of electronic visa called e-Emergency X-Misc Visa” has been started for Afghan nationals. “India already provides X-Miscellaneous (X-Misc) category visas to foreigners whose purpose of entry does not match any prescribed category. In the case of Afghanistan, the e-visa facility was not extended to nationals of that country until then. However, since our mission is now shut in Afghanistan, people were allowed to get online visas,” an MHA official said. The MHA policy document on X-Misc visa states that they “may be granted only with single entry and for the specific duration taking into account the purpose of visit”. Also read: US spl envoy discusses Afghanistan with top Indian officials “If the visa is granted for a period of stay exceeding 180 days, the foreigner will have to register himself/ herself with the FRRO/ FRO concerned within 14 days of arrival. This visa will be non-extendable and non-convertible to any other type of visa,” it states. India has in the past granted long-duration visas to Afghan nationals facing persecution in their country, including a large number that fled after the first Taliban takeover and during the two decades of conflict that followed. In these cases, the Stay Visa/ Residential Permit is granted for a year at a time by authorities on a case-to-case basis after MHA approval. These permits are location-specific with movement of beneficiaries restricted to the state/UT where they are permitted to stay. Any relaxation in this norm requires prior permission. These visas are not granted to economic immigrants, and are subject to police reporting every year at the place where the Afghan national is allowed to stay. Notably, Afghanistan falls under the Prior Reference Category (PRC) of countries for grant of visa, which means Afghan nationals have to be cleared by MHA for any visit. Others in this category include nationals of Pakistan, Iraq, Sudan, foreigners of Pakistani origin and stateless persons.