India’s High Commission in Dhaka said on 3 July 2026 that it will ‘significantly expand’ processing capacity after issuing more than 1,200 visas on the very first day tourist services resumed—nearly two years after a security-related suspension. Tourist visas were reinstated on 28 June at five India Visa Application Centres (IVACs) in Dhaka, Chattogram, Rajshahi, Sylhet and Khulna. Long queues quickly formed, reflecting pent-up demand for medical travel, shopping trips and family visits.
![Indian High Commission Ramps Up Visa Operations in Bangladesh After Record Demand]()
Travellers looking for a smoother application experience can turn to VisaHQ, whose India services handle everything from form completion and appointment scheduling to real-time status tracking—saving applicants the hassle of standing in lines and reducing the risk of documentation errors.
By Friday the mission had committed to reopening additional counters, extending working hours and deploying mobile biometric teams to manage the surge. The restart marks an inflection point in bilateral mobility. Bangladesh is India’s largest source of foreign medical patients; Kolkata hospitals alone treated an estimated 65,000 Bangladeshis in 2024. The visa freeze had forced many to defer surgery or transit through third countries. Business chambers also complained that suspended tourist visas complicated short sales visits that fall outside formal work-permit categories. Under the expansion plan, IVACs will pilot a digital-token queuing system and add same-day passport-return windows for urgent cases. Officials say the goal is to reach 5,000 daily visas by August, eventually matching pre-2024 volumes. The High Commission also confirmed that e-Visa channels remain open and encouraged travellers with time-sensitive needs to use them. For employers the immediate takeaway is reduced uncertainty. Companies sending technicians from Bangladesh to Indian plants should still allow extra lead-time, but routine multi-entry tourist visas—often used for after-sales support—are becoming available again. Mobility teams should watch for further announcements on slot-booking procedures and biometrics-on-arrival pilots rumoured for late 2026.
Travellers looking for a smoother application experience can turn to VisaHQ, whose India services handle everything from form completion and appointment scheduling to real-time status tracking—saving applicants the hassle of standing in lines and reducing the risk of documentation errors.
By Friday the mission had committed to reopening additional counters, extending working hours and deploying mobile biometric teams to manage the surge. The restart marks an inflection point in bilateral mobility. Bangladesh is India’s largest source of foreign medical patients; Kolkata hospitals alone treated an estimated 65,000 Bangladeshis in 2024. The visa freeze had forced many to defer surgery or transit through third countries. Business chambers also complained that suspended tourist visas complicated short sales visits that fall outside formal work-permit categories. Under the expansion plan, IVACs will pilot a digital-token queuing system and add same-day passport-return windows for urgent cases. Officials say the goal is to reach 5,000 daily visas by August, eventually matching pre-2024 volumes. The High Commission also confirmed that e-Visa channels remain open and encouraged travellers with time-sensitive needs to use them. For employers the immediate takeaway is reduced uncertainty. Companies sending technicians from Bangladesh to Indian plants should still allow extra lead-time, but routine multi-entry tourist visas—often used for after-sales support—are becoming available again. Mobility teams should watch for further announcements on slot-booking procedures and biometrics-on-arrival pilots rumoured for late 2026.
