India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Sunday, 21 December 2025, ordered an immediate and open-ended suspension of visa operations at the Indian Visa Application Centre (IVAC) in Chittagong. The decision follows a surge of political violence in Bangladesh’s port city after the death of youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi and a subsequent demonstration that briefly moved to the perimeter of India’s Deputy High Commission.
Consular staff were instructed to close the centre hours before normal opening time, and security cordons were reinforced around both the IVAC and the High Commission in Dhaka. An MEA official told reporters the measure was “purely precautionary” but would remain in force “until the local law-and-order situation stabilises.” On an average working day the Chittagong IVAC processes 1,200–1,400 applications, most for family, business or medical travel to India.
The shutdown strands hundreds of Bangladeshi business travellers who transit India’s land borders for textile and light-engineering trade, as well as medical visitors headed to hospitals in Kolkata, Chennai and Vellore. Indian tour operators say December is normally peak‐season for cross-border short breaks; cancellations began within hours of the announcement.
![India suspends visa services in Chittagong as Bangladesh unrest intensifies]()
Travellers scrambling for alternative arrangements may find it useful to work with third-party facilitators. VisaHQ, for example, can monitor appointment availability across all Indian missions, provide document-preparation guidance, and reroute applications through its online platform when physical centres close. Its India portal (https://www.visahq.com/india/) also issues real-time alerts, helping companies and individual passengers stay ahead of sudden policy shifts.
For Indian companies with operations in Chittagong port and the nearby Karnaphuli EPZ, the halt adds a new layer of complexity. Managers who need to rotate Indian specialists now have to route them through Dhaka—already facing month-long appointment queues—or postpone travel. Firms should review remote-work options, ensure Bangladesh multiple-entry visas for key staff, and monitor MEA advisories daily.
Historically, India has closed visa centres only rarely and for short periods (e.g., during the 2013 Shahbag protests and the 2020 pandemic lockdown). The indefinite wording this time suggests authorities expect turbulence to persist into January, and companies should plan for at least a two- to three-week disruption. Travellers with urgent humanitarian or diplomatic needs can still apply in Dhaka, but routine visas are effectively paused.
Consular staff were instructed to close the centre hours before normal opening time, and security cordons were reinforced around both the IVAC and the High Commission in Dhaka. An MEA official told reporters the measure was “purely precautionary” but would remain in force “until the local law-and-order situation stabilises.” On an average working day the Chittagong IVAC processes 1,200–1,400 applications, most for family, business or medical travel to India.
The shutdown strands hundreds of Bangladeshi business travellers who transit India’s land borders for textile and light-engineering trade, as well as medical visitors headed to hospitals in Kolkata, Chennai and Vellore. Indian tour operators say December is normally peak‐season for cross-border short breaks; cancellations began within hours of the announcement.
Travellers scrambling for alternative arrangements may find it useful to work with third-party facilitators. VisaHQ, for example, can monitor appointment availability across all Indian missions, provide document-preparation guidance, and reroute applications through its online platform when physical centres close. Its India portal (https://www.visahq.com/india/) also issues real-time alerts, helping companies and individual passengers stay ahead of sudden policy shifts.
For Indian companies with operations in Chittagong port and the nearby Karnaphuli EPZ, the halt adds a new layer of complexity. Managers who need to rotate Indian specialists now have to route them through Dhaka—already facing month-long appointment queues—or postpone travel. Firms should review remote-work options, ensure Bangladesh multiple-entry visas for key staff, and monitor MEA advisories daily.
Historically, India has closed visa centres only rarely and for short periods (e.g., during the 2013 Shahbag protests and the 2020 pandemic lockdown). The indefinite wording this time suggests authorities expect turbulence to persist into January, and companies should plan for at least a two- to three-week disruption. Travellers with urgent humanitarian or diplomatic needs can still apply in Dhaka, but routine visas are effectively paused.
