Bangladeshis to get urgent medical visas to China in a day

The Chinese Embassy in Dhaka has launched a "green channel" for Bangladeshi nationals seeking medical treatment in China, allowing visas to be issued on the same day of application in urgent cases.

The initiative introduces a range of special facilitation measures aimed at simplifying the application process and accelerating approvals.

The move followed agreements reached during Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus's visit to China in March. It is intended to strengthen bilateral cooperation in public health and ease the movement of people between the two countries, according to a notice issued by the embassy yesterday.

As part of the new system, Bangladeshi travel agencies with valid business licences may now issue guarantee letters confirming travellers' bank deposit certificates and proof of kinship. This exempts applicants from having to authenticate these documents through Bangladesh's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

A dedicated counter for medical visas has been set up at the Visa Application Centre in Banani, where applicants can submit documents without waiting. Online submissions will be prioritised and processed immediately.

"For urgent medical cases, a special 'green channel' allows visas to be issued on the same day," the embassy said.

In addition, scheduled applicants will be granted priority interviews without queuing. If a patient is medically unfit to attend in person, interviews may be conducted remotely upon submission of a guarantee letter from the relevant travel agency.

Hotlines have also been launched for medical visa-related queries. Applicants may contact the embassy at 02222260103 or 01708464809, and the Visa Centre at 02226603261. A WhatsApp service group is also active at 01885041364.

There are no restrictions on which Chinese hospitals Bangladeshi agencies may partner with, nor on which licenced agencies may assist with visa documentation.