Bangladesh E-Passport Application 2026: Official Fees, 21 Rules, Police Verification & Step-by-Step Roadmap

The Department of Immigration and Passports (DIP), operating under the Security Services Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs, has fully established the biometric e-Passport across all 64 districts of Bangladesh and foreign missions worldwide. Designed with state-of-the-art German ICAO-compliant cryptographic chips, the Bangladesh e-Passport offers seamless passage through automated e-Gates at Shahjalal International Airport and international border crossings.

However, navigating the application process requires strict adherence to statutory circulars (notably Memo Nos. 58.00.0000.040.01.003.16-1234 and 58.00.000.043.99.022.22.22). Mismatches between your National Identity Card (NID) and previous Machine Readable Passport (MRP), incorrect A-Challan deposit codes, or failure to understand police verification exemptions frequently result in weeks of administrative standstill. This master guide outlines every statutory regulation, fee schedule, and operational nuance for 2026.

The 21 Statutory Rules of E-Passport Issuance

Under official Ministry of Home Affairs directives, all regional passport offices (RPOs) must operate under the following 21 binding guidelines:

1. 100% Online Initiation: All applications must be submitted online through the official portal (www.epassport.gov.bd). No paper application forms are accepted over the counter.
2. Absolute Ban on Attestation: No application form, citizen certificate, utility bill, or academic certificate requires attestation by a 1st-class gazetted officer or public representative.
3. No Physical Photograph Submission: Applicants do not need to paste, sign, or submit paper passport-sized photographs on the printed application summary. Photographs are captured digitally at the RPO enrollment booth.
4. Strict NID / BRC Synchronization: All personal data—including full legal name, spelling, parents' names, date of birth, and permanent address—must match the National Identity Card (NID) or 17-digit English Birth Registration Certificate (BRC) verbatim.
5. Identification by Age Brackets:
   • Under 18 Years: Verifiable 17-digit English Online Birth Registration Certificate (BRC) is mandatory, along with father's and mother's NID numbers.
   • 18 to 20 Years: Either a National Identity Card (Smart NID/Server Copy) OR a verifiable 17-digit online English BRC is accepted.
   • 20 Years and Above: National Identity Card (NID) is strictly mandatory. Birth registration certificates are rejected for adult first-time applicants unless covered by specific diplomatic waivers.
6. Parental Identification for Minors: When applying for children under 18, photocopies of the parents' National Identity Cards must be attached to the application file.
7. Validity Restrictions: Minors under 18 years and senior citizens aged 65 and above are legally restricted to 5-year validity e-Passports. They are not eligible for 10-year passports.
8. Special Children Under 6 Years: Children below 6 years of age must submit a recent 3R-size color photograph with a pure white background, as infants cannot easily be photographed in standard biometric enrollment booths.
9. Biometric Fingerprints & Iris Capture: All applicants aged 6 years and older must provide electronic 10-fingerprint scans, high-resolution iris scans, and digital facial photographs at the enrollment center.
10. Government Employee NOC / GO: Public servants, autonomous agency employees, and armed forces personnel must submit an official No Objection Certificate (NOC) or Government Order (GO) uploaded directly to their institutional website.
11. Address Jurisdiction: Applications must be submitted to the Regional Passport Office (RPO) corresponding to the applicant's Permanent Address or Current Address as verified by residential utility bills or institutional certification.
12. MRP to E-Passport Transition: If renewing or converting from an old Machine Readable Passport (MRP), the original physical MRP must be presented during biometric submission along with a clean photocopy of the bio-data page.
13. Lost Passport Protocol: In the event of a lost passport, an official General Diary (GD) entry from the local police station must be filed, and the original police GD report must be submitted.
14. Police Verification Exemption for Renewals: E-Passport re-issuance with identical data and unchanged permanent address does not require Special Branch (SB) police verification.
15. Dual Citizenship Clearance: Dual nationals must submit an official Dual Nationality Certificate issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Bangladesh.
16. Profession Documentation: Specific regulated professions (doctors, engineers, lawyers, journalists) must present accredited institutional registration certificates (e.g., BMDC, IEB, Bar Council, Press ID).
17. Student Verification: Enrolled students must submit a valid institutional student identity card or bona fide certificate to avail of student category processing.
18. Emergency Medical Priority: Urgent medical patients requiring treatment abroad can apply for Super Express delivery by attaching verified hospital admission receipts and specialist doctor referral papers.
19. Strict Prohibition of Middlemen: The physical entry of touts, unofficial brokers, and agents inside RPO premises is strictly punishable under the Passport Act of 1973.
20. Payment Non-Refundability: Government passport fees deposited via A-Challan are non-refundable and non-transferable once submitted to the national exchequer.
21. Delivery Slip Safeguard: The physical enrollment slip with barcode issued after biometrics is the sole legal instrument for collecting the printed e-Passport. Third-party collection requires written authorization on ৳150 non-judicial stamp.

Official E-Passport Fee Schedule 2026 (Including 15% VAT)

All fees are standardized nationwide by the Ministry of Finance and must be deposited through automated A-Challan directly to government treasury account codes:

Step-by-Step 5-Stage Enrollment Blueprint

Navigating SB Police Verification: Legal Rights & Best Practices

Police verification is conducted exclusively by the Special Branch (SB) of Bangladesh Police to confirm the applicant's citizenship, permanent address, and criminal antecedents:

• Required Documents for SB Officer: Photocopy of applicant's NID/BRC, father's/mother's NID, local Ward Councillor / Union Parishad Chairman certificate, land ownership deed (Khatian) or holding tax receipt, and institutional employment/student ID.
• Online Tracking: You can track whether your file has reached the SB headquarters or local Thana by logging into the e-Passport portal and observing the status: "Pending Police Verification".
• Avoiding Extortion: Police verification is an official state service. Legally, no unofficial fees or "speed money" are payable. If an investigator unethically delays your report, you can contact the Superintendent of Police (SP) or Special Branch Helpline directly with your application ID.

Solving MRP vs. NID Data Mismatches: Home Ministry Circular

One of the most frequent hurdles faced by applicants is a discrepancy between their old handwritten/MRP passport and their newly issued NID. Under the decisive Ministry of Home Affairs Circular No. 58.00.0000.040.01.003.16-1234:

• The National Identity Card (Smart NID) holds absolute legal precedence over prior passports.
• If your name, father's name, mother's name, or date of birth differs between your old MRP and NID, the e-Passport will be issued according to your NID data without requiring court affidavits, provided educational board certificates corroborate the NID.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)