Bangladesh Launches Online ED Card System for Foreign Travelers
Foreign travelers flying to or from Bangladesh can now complete their arrival and departure forms online before their trip. On Aug. 19, the Special Branch of Bangladesh Police launched an official online ED Card system, giving foreign passport holders a digital way to pre-submit the embarkation and disembarkation slips that were previously handed out on planes as paper forms.
What changed
The free portal handles both the E-Arrival and E-Departure cards for international air routes. All foreign nationals must complete the cards, including tourists, business visitors and remote workers, while Bangladeshi citizens are exempt from the arrival card requirement.
The online form collects several categories of information ahead of travel:
- Passport details — full name, number, sex and nationality
- Flight information — carrier number, travel dates and port of embarkation
- Local stay information — lodging address, local phone number and email
- Visa details — current visa number, category and validity dates, or a visa-on-arrival request
Principal travelers can also register accompanying family members under a single submission, which is useful for those traveling as a group.
Paper cards remain available at airport immigration desks during the initial rollout. Authorities have not announced a mandatory cutoff date for phasing out paper processing, so both options currently coexist.
What it means for nomads
If you are heading to Bangladesh, filling out the digital ED Card before departure lets you skip the manual paperwork at the immigration counter, which can shorten the wait at arrival and departure. It is a small step that removes friction rather than adding a new hurdle.
Importantly, the online submission does not replace standard immigration control. You still need to present your physical passport, boarding pass and visa or visa-on-arrival documentation to border officers on arrival. The portal simply moves the card-filling step online instead of eliminating it.
Because the requirement applies to all foreign passport holders, remote workers staying in Bangladesh for extended periods should factor this into their pre-travel routine on each entry and exit. Have your lodging address, local contact details and visa information ready when you complete the form.
With no firm deadline for retiring paper cards, travelers who miss the online step can still fill in a form at the airport for now. But completing it in advance is the faster route through the checkpoint, and adopting the digital process early avoids surprises once paper handling is eventually withdrawn.
Originally reported by Stamped Nomad.