Passport is a must to travel in foreign countries. There is no way you can visit a foreign country without a valid passport. The passport of Bangladesh is an ICAO compliant and issued by the Department of Immigration & Passports under the Ministry of Home Affairs, Bangladesh or the purpose of travel to foreign countries by the passport holder.
In the past, traditional handwritten or manual passports were issued in Bangladesh. From 2010, the Bangladesh government started to replace all the traditional handwritten passports with the machine-readable passports (MRP). All traditional handwritten passports were successfully withdrawn from circulation before ICAO’s international deadline of November 2015.
In 2016, the Government of Bangladesh announced its plans to issue e-passports. E-passports ease immigration, travel, and visa procedures for the passport holders. Bangladesh entered into the era of E-passport on 22 January 2020 when the honorable prime minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina inaugurated e-Passport services at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in Dhaka. Bangladesh is the first country in South Asia to introduce e-passport.
In this article, I will provide an in-depth analysis of e-passport, how to open e-passport, and rules and requirements. Make sure you bookmark this post for further use.
Types of Passport in Bangladesh
Bangladesh’s government issues three types of passports. They are:
Ordinary Passport: This type of passport has a green cover and they are issued to ordinary regular citizens of Bangladesh for international travel
Official Passport: This type of passport has a blue cover and they are issued to Bangladesh government employees, government officials and individuals who are representing the Bangladeshi government on official business.
Diplomatic Passport: This type of passport has a red cover and they are issued to Bangladeshi diplomats, top-ranking government officials, and diplomatic couriers.
E-Passport Fees
E passport fees in Bangladeshi taka, including tax, are as follows:
Rules and Requirements of E-Passport
There are a few rules and requirements for e-passport. You have to follow these rules and requirements to get the e-passport. They are:
- You must have citizenship of Bangladesh
- You have to submit two copies of the completed passport form for the new passport
- 2 passport size pictures verified by authorities
- Photocopy of National Identity Card or Birth Certificate
- Confirmed photocopy of relevant technical certificates (such as doctors, engineers, drivers, etc.) if applicable
- The relevant GO / NOC should be filed if applicable
How to Open E-Passport in Bangladesh – Step by Step Guide
Applying for e-passport in Bangladesh is very easy. Follow these steps:
Step 1: Check if the new e-passport is available in your area
The E-passport will be available step by step at the Regional Passport Offices in Bangladesh and the Bangladesh Missions around the world. So if you want to apply for the e-passport, first you have to check if it is available in your area. If you use the Online Application, You can easily check the availability of e-passport in your area by entering the district of your present address and the Police Station, which belongs to your residence.
Step 2: Fill in e-passport application online
If your area has e-passport availability, then you have to apply for the e-passport via online. Currently, e-passport applications are only possible as an online application. You can easily fill the form online as there are proper guidelines available for every step. Don’t forget to schedule an appointment for enrolment at the passport office to reduce waiting time while applying online.
Step 3: Pay passport fees
You have to pay the passport fees before you pay a visit to the passport office to complete the enrolment. You can pay the passport fees in two ways. Right after completing the online application process, you can pay the passport fees. You can also pay the fees to the supporting banks. Make sure you take the printed application form with you when making the bank payment.
Step 4: Visit Passport Office for biometric enrolment
Once you have submitted your online application and scheduled an appointment, you can go to the passport office for enrolment. Make sure you bring all the required documents with you when you visit the passport office. The required documents include the printed application form, payment slip from the bank or online payment, NID card or Birth Certificate, previous passport if available, and other necessary documents. You can only enroll at the passport office which belongs to the area according to your present address in Bangladesh. The address of the passport office will be shown in the summary of your online application.
Step 5: Collect the e-passport
You will receive an e-mail as soon as your new passport is ready for pick-up. If you have provided a mobile number, you will also receive a notification SMS. You have to pick-up the passport at the passport office. You have to bring the delivery slip and previous passport (if available) when collecting the new passport.
Finally, I hope this article was helpful for you, and you have got the necessary information about e-passport. Don’t forget to share this article with your friends and family if you think it can help them.
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