Indian Visa Slots Selling for Tk 25,000

The road in front of Jamuna Future Park in the capital swelters under the scorching sun. Crowds spill onto the street. Long queues have formed outside the Indian Visa Application Center (IVAC) since early morning. Some people clutch passports, while others wear expressions of anxiety. Indian visas have resumed after a two-year hiatus. But instead of relief, applicants now face mounting hardship. Although the visa fee remains nominal, ordinary people say they are being forced to pay exorbitant amounts to secure the elusive appointment ‘slot’ required for submitting applications.

As the day progresses, the queues grow longer. Police and security personnel struggle to manage the crowds. Among those waiting in line was Mim Akter, an employee of a private company. She is preparing to travel to Greece for higher studies. Since Greece does not have an embassy in Bangladesh, she must obtain a Greek visa from New Delhi. July 15 is the final date by which she must appear at the Greek Embassy in Delhi. If she fails to do so, she risks losing her hard-earned scholarship. Yet she has still been unable to secure a slot for an Indian visa. Her voice reflected deep concern and frustration. “The slot crisis has made my entire future uncertain,” she said.

Appointment slots have now become the biggest obstacle in the visa application process. Under normal procedures, applicants should be able to obtain them online. In reality, however, applicants say an artificial shortage has emerged.

Akram Hossain, a resident of Kathalbagan in the capital, came to extend his visa. Expressing frustration, he said, “My visa expired on June 23. I submitted a new application, but getting a slot has become the biggest challenge. The visa fee is around Tk 1,530; yet securing a double-entry slot can cost as much as Tk 25,000. That is not normal by any standard.”

Calling on the Indian High Commission to address the issue, he added, “Previously, we could apply online and submit documents the very next day. Now that is no longer possible because of the slot-related difficulties. If necessary, increase the visa fee. Even then, we want relief from this problem. It would be better for us if the previous system were reinstated.”

Travel becoming more difficult

Abul Kalam, who traveled from Kapasia in Gazipur, managed to submit his passport for a tourist visa. However, he described the entire process as overly complicated and called for it to be simplified.

“I have visited India before, but I never faced this level of difficulty,” Kalam said. “Because of various issues, people now have to stand in line for long periods. Compared with before, the process has become much harder.”

Matiur Rahman, the security officer in charge at the visa center, said crowds are heaviest between 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Police have been deployed to provide additional security. He said no incidents of disorder have occurred so far.

However, behind the orderly atmosphere, an invisible slot-trading syndicate has emerged, leaving ordinary applicants with few options. Thousands of affected people are now looking to the Indian High Commission to restore the simpler procedures that existed in the past.