Travel to Bangladesh for US citizenship

1. Pet microchip

To get to Bangladesh, your pet must first be a microchipped animal that meets ISO 11784/11785 standards, consisting of 15 digits and not encrypted. If your pet's microchip does not meet the ISO standard, you can bring a microchip scanner with you.  

2. Vaccination

Dogs and cats must be vaccinated against rabies at least 30 days and no more than a year before entry.  

3. Rabies test

A rabies test isn’t required when entering Bangladesh from any country.

4. Veterinary Certificate 

Two original veterinary certificates for Bangladesh must be completed by a licensed veterinarian. While this is not necessary, we recommend that a veterinarian licensed by the USDA or CFIA fill out the form and you certify it with the USDA or CFIA if you are traveling from the US or Canada. If you are traveling from another country, the forms must be certified by the governing body responsible for importing and exporting animals.

5. Permissions

If your pet arrives with you as checked baggage, you must receive a notification of any objections from the Department of animal husbandry and permission from the Office of the general controller of import and export.

If your pet arrives as an air cargo, then in addition to the NOC, you must obtain a preliminary permit from the Customs Service, and you will need a customs clearance agent for customs clearance of the animal.

6. Tick and tapeworm treatment

Treatment for internal and external parasites is optional, but it is recommended for dogs and cats entering Bangladesh.

7. Puppies and kittens 

Unvaccinated pets (dogs and cats only) under 3 months of age can be imported into Bangladesh, but there are additional rules that must be followed.

8. Entering Bangladesh by air

Pets must enter or leave Bangladesh as checked baggage or air cargo at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka. For this type of transportation, you will need an IATA-compliant animal cage.

When entering Bangladesh, pets may be subject to a 21-day home quarantine.

All domestic dogs and cats should be free of signs of human-transmitted disease when examined at the airport of entry. If your dog or cat is clearly unwell, you may need an additional checkup with a licensed veterinarian at your expense.

Airline rules for pets

• Pet carrier that meets airline requirements
• Airline cargo boxes

9. Prohibited breeds 

Bangladesh does not publish a list of prohibited breeds.

10. Removal of pets living in Bangladesh 

Pets can leave Bangladesh as checked baggage or air cargo. You must use the services of an agent in Bangladesh.

After receiving the relevant veterinary documents, you will need a certificate of no objections (NOC) from the Department of animal husbandry and a permit from the Office of the general controller of import and export.

11. Other animals

Birds, invertebrates, tropical fish, reptiles, amphibians, mammals such as rodents and rabbits are not subject to the rabies vaccination requirement, but you may need to meet other requirements and have a health certificate to enter Bangladesh. Pet owners are advised to contact the relevant authorities of their country and/or destination country for more information.

12. CITES

If your pet isn’t a dog, cat, or ferret, and especially a turtle or parrot, you should make sure that it is not protected by the convention on international trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and flora (CITES). In this case, you will have to apply for additional permissions. More than 180 countries participate in and enforce the CITES convention.

International Driver's license in Bangladesh

This is a legal document that translates your local driver's license into 12 languages UN-recognized. Driving in Bangladesh without an IDP can create problems on the roads. That is why you must first get an IDP, as this is one of the requirements when managing Bangladesh. We'll tell you more about IDP below to help you

Tourists, such as US citizens, need an IDP to drive legally in Bangladesh. When traveling to Bangladesh by car, you can use your local driver's license, but it will not be enough to present it as a legal document. You need to back it up with an international driver's license in Bangladesh. You must always have your IDP and local driver's license with you to avoid fines for driving without a license in Bangladesh.

Does IDP replace your local driver's license?

An international driver's license doesn’t replace a local driver's license. An IDP is just an additional document to your local driver's license. The authorities of Bangladesh will check it while driving in Bangladesh. Requirements for international driver's licenses in Bangladesh can be found on the website https://internationaldriversassociation.com  

Keep in mind that when driving in Bangladesh, you need to have an IDP. Before getting behind the wheel in Bangladesh, you need to get an IDP. Don't forget to bring your local driver's license and IDP, because you will face a fine for driving without a license in Bangladesh.

Who can apply for an IDP?

Anyone who wants to drive in Bangladesh with a valid local driver's license can apply for an IDP. You must also be at least 18 years old. Applying for an IDP is very simple: just go to the website.

You can apply for an international driver's license in Bangladesh at any time. The fact that you can access it online makes it much easier and more convenient for you. After submitting the application, the team of the International Drivers' Association will process and review it. And after 2 hours, if your application is approved, you will receive a digital copy of the IDP. As for the physical copy, it will be sent to you immediately.

Just make sure you enter the correct details in the application form, especially if you are traveling to Bangladesh, the exact zip codes will also avoid delays on your trip. For more information on how to apply for an international driver's license in Bangladesh, please visit.

When renting a car, you will need a local driver's license, an international driver's license, and a passport. Make sure that these two mentioned documents are still valid and have not expired yet. Also, prepare an additional identity card, as some car rental companies require it. Take these necessary documents with you so that the car rental process is smooth.

Traffic rules

Driving under the influence of alcohol

In Bangladesh, driving after drinking alcohol is prohibited. Because alcohol is banned in the country.

Speed limit 

• Highway / Motorway-80 km / h
• Rural area - 30 km / h
• Urban areas - 25 km / h

Legal driving age

The minimum driving age in Bangladesh is 18 years, and the maximum age is 65 years to drive vehicles in Bangladesh.

Free import

• 200 cigarettes or
• 50 cigars or
• 225 g of tobacco;
• Two bottles of alcoholic beverages or 1 bottle if you are not traveling for tourist purposes – only non-Muslim travelers are allowed;
• 250ml perfume;
• Gifts worth up to 500 BDT
• Residents can import up to 150 BDT in local currency and an unlimited amount of foreign money. Non-residents can import a similar amount in local currency up to 1,000 dollars USA although amounts exceeding 150 dollars USA must be declared at customs. All travelers can take out up to 100 BDT in local currency, while residents can take out an amount equivalent to 25 USD in foreign currency. Non-residents can export up to 150 in foreign currency.
• All visitors departing from Bangladesh must pay an additional export tax of 300 BDT before leaving the country.

Prohibited products

• Illegal drugs
• Weapons, explosives and ammunition
• Knives and deadly weapons
• edible cereals, including rice and flour products;
• milk and dairy products;
• maps and charts
• beef, lamb and animal fats;
• green coconuts, coconuts and copra;
• rare items of archaeological interest;
• legumes;
• eggs and poultry meat;
• shrimp and prawns other than frozen and processed;
• feature films that are not certified by the Bangladesh Film Censorship Board as suitable for export;
• counterfeit money and goods
• pornographic materials

Forbidden

• All weapons can only be imported with the permission of the Ministry of Defense.
• Imports of pharmaceutical raw materials and packaging materials are subject to approval by the director of the Medicines Authority of the Government of Bangladesh. Special documents are required to import food, animal feed, and poultry.

Bangladeshi embassies in various countries can be found here: https://www.embassypages.com/bangladesh