FEPD Circular No. 16: Release of Foreign Exchange for Travelling Abroad Without Visa

Translated Foreign Exchange Policy Department Bangladesh Bank Head Office, Dhaka. www.bb.org.bd F.E. Circular No.16 Date: May 16, 2016 Head Offices/Principal Offices of All Authorized Dealers of Foreign Exchange in Bangladesh. Dear Sirs, Releasing foreign exchange to the resident Bangladesh nationals intending to travel abroad without visa Attention of the Authorized Dealers (ADs) is invited to the instruction mentioned in para 1(i), Chapter 12, Guidelines for Foreign Exchange Transactions (GFET), 2009 (Vol-1). Provision of releasing foreign exchange upto USD 200 or equivalent to outbound passengers travelling without visa have been mentioned in this instruction. 02. Now a days, visa is obtainable on port entry/arrival basis for travelling some countries. In this context, it has been decided that ADs may release foreign exchange without visa to the resident Bangladesh nationals proceeding to the countries/zones with provision of visa on port entry/ arrival basis upto the unused annual travel quota entitlement applicable for country concerned subject to complying with other relevant instructions. Besides having validity of the passport of the intending traveler for the period of minimum six months, the applicability of providing visa on port entry/arrival basis for travelling the country concerned shall have to be ensured by the AD upon receipt of information from the concerned passenger. However, utilization of foreign exchange issued without visa as mentioned above shall have to be ensured by AD prior to issuance of foreign exchange for the subsequent foreign tour of the passenger concerned. Issuance of foreign exchange against travel quota shall have to be reported to the online monitoring system of Bangladesh Bank besides endorsing to the passport. AD shall have to check the amount of foreign exchange endorsed/issued (in the forms of cash, international card, etc.) so far during the current calendar year before issuance of foreign exchange against annual travel quota. 03. In case of releasing foreign exchange for official visits abroad by the officials of Government/Semi-Government and Autonomous bodies [Para 3, Ch 12, GFET, 2009(Vol-1)] the above mentioned facility of issuing foreign exchange without visa for traveling the countries/zones having provision of visa on port entry/on arrival basis will also be applicable. 04. All other instructions stipulated in GFET, 2009 (Vol-1) and subsequent FE circulars regarding this issue shall remain unchanged. This instruction is being issued in pursuant to authority given in section 20(3) of Foreign Exchange Regulation Act, 1947 which will come into force immediately. Please inform the instructions of this circular to all concerned. Yours faithfully, (Jagannath Chandra Ghosh) Deputy General Manager Phone: 9530092 E-mail: fepd.femp1@bb.org.bd