India Reopens Tourist Visa Processing at Five Centers in Bangladesh

India has restarted tourist visa processing at five Indian Visa Application Centres (IVACs) in Bangladesh, ending a long suspension that had limited applicants to medical and a narrow set of urgent categories. According to the High Commission of India in Dhaka, the tourist stream reopened on June 28 across centers in Dhaka, Chattogram, Rajshahi, Sylhet and Khulna.

What changed

Before the reopening, tourists in Bangladesh could not file for Indian tourist visas at all. Only medical cases and limited urgent categories were moving through the mission. The High Commissioner reviewed IVAC Dhaka operations on June 25, three days before the restart, and first-day demand ran high enough that the mission said it would add staff and counters at all five centers.

Under the reciprocal arrangement between India and Bangladesh, no visa fee is charged to Bangladeshi nationals, the High Commission said. Urgent medical cases continue to be handled the same day, and fast-track processing remains available for conferences and personal emergencies. Routine applications go through the IVAC network rather than directly to the High Commission, and the mission's website lists center addresses and helpline details for tracking.

What it means for nomads

For remote workers based in Bangladesh, the reopening restores an easier route for regional trips, family visits or a simple change of scenery. Foreign residents who route their India travel through Dhaka can now file at the IVAC nearest them instead of relying on medical-only channels.

One important limit: a tourist visa does not authorize work inside India. Anyone crossing for client meetings, paid engagements or longer stays needs the correct business or employment visa category, not the reopened tourist stream. This is a standard distinction, but it matters for nomads who might otherwise treat a quick border trip as a working visit.

Timing is also worth considering. The mission's own move to add capacity signals that the queue is already building. Travelers who deferred trips during the suspension now sit behind a backlog, and medical travelers who want to secure same-day processing may benefit from applying before demand climbs further.

For those weighing a longer base in the region, the reopened tourist route makes Bangladesh a more practical hub for reaching India, provided any work-related travel is matched with the appropriate visa category.

Originally reported by Stamped Nomad.