Our London office (Holborn Gate, 330 High Holborn, London, WC1V 7QH) regularly advises internationally mobile investors considering entry routes to South Asian markets. The item below gives a high‑level overview of the private investor (PI) visa pathway commonly used by foreign investors in Bangladesh and the principal commercial, corporate and immigration considerations. It is intended for sophisticated corporate clients and does not replace country‑specific legal advice.

What the PI route typically offers

In many jurisdictions a PI (private investor) visa is designed to facilitate entry by non‑nationals who are making a genuine capital investment in private commercial or industrial enterprises. Typical features (high level) include:

• visa status linked to an underlying investment or business activity;
• requirement for a formal recommendation or acknowledgement from the national investment authority or export processing zone authority;
• interaction with local work‑permit regimes where the investor also intends to take an executive or employed role;
• possible pathways to bring staff, subject to separate immigration authorisations for employees.

Commercial, corporate and immigration considerations

Before relying on an investor visa for market entry, consider:

• Structure and ownership: whether to invest through a 100% foreign‑owned vehicle, joint venture or local subsidiary, and the corporate governance implications of each option.
• Regulatory approvals: the need for investment‑authority recognition, sector licences and land or lease permissions where relevant.
• Work‑rights and role definition: whether the investor will act as an active director/employee (often requiring a separate work permit) or purely as a passive investor.
• Tax and residence exposure: corporate tax, personal tax residence and social‑security consequences arising from presence and remuneration.
• Employment and secondment: visas and permits for expatriate employees, contractor arrangements and local labour law compliance.
• Compliance and reputational risk: AML/KYC, sanctions screening and local statutory filings.

Practical checklist (high level)

1. Confirm intended corporate vehicle and provide incorporation/by‑laws or equivalent corporate records.
2. Document economic substance and evidence of committed investment (bank statements, capitalisation plans or contracts).
3. Obtain formal recommendation/acknowledgement from the national investment authority or EPZ authority where required.
4. Prepare identity documents and passports for investors and key personnel; ensure clean background checks and sanctions screening.
5. Draft board resolutions or shareholder minutes authorising the investor’s role and any local employment contracts for executives.
6. Open local bank account(s) and assemble supporting financial documentation for transfers and capitalisation.
7. Engage local counsel and an immigration specialist to coordinate applications, translations and any required security clearances.

Next steps and risk management

Engage advisers early to coordinate corporate structuring, employment, tax and immigration streams. Build contingency plans for adverse immigration decisions or changes in local policy, and ensure ongoing compliance with filing and reporting obligations. Local legal and immigration advice is essential to manage timing, conditions attached to any visa and employer/employee obligations.

Jurisdiction and sources

For country‑specific procedures and authoritative guidance consult the official bodies in Bangladesh, for example:

• Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA)
• Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA)
• Department of Immigration & Passports, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh
• Bangladesh High Commission/Embassy in the United Kingdom

General information only; not legal advice and not a substitute for advice on a particular matter.