A dual nationality certificate, Bangladesh's proof that a person holds Bangladeshi citizenship alongside a foreign one, is issued by the Government of Bangladesh through the Ministry of Home Affairs under Article 2B(2) of the Bangladesh Citizenship (Temporary Provisions) Order, 1972. Applications are now made online through the Ministry's Security Services Division, with a police report along the way. The dual nationality certificate Bangladesh issues is not a passport, not a visa and not an entry stamp. You still travel on a passport, either Bangladeshi or foreign with an NVR or visa.
This is general information drawn from Bangladesh government and mission pages. It is not legal advice. Citizenship depends on personal history, and the Ministry of Home Affairs or the Bangladesh mission that serves you is the authority on your case.
What the certificate is
The certificate is proof of a legal status. Bangladeshi law allows certain people to be citizens of Bangladesh and of another country at the same time, and the certificate records that the Government has recognized this for the named person.
The legal basis is Article 2B of the 1972 Citizenship Order. The text published on the government's Laws of Bangladesh site (bdlaws.minlaw.gov.bd), which we read on 27 September 2026, works in three parts. Clause (1) says a person generally does not qualify as a citizen if they owe allegiance to a foreign state, except as provided in clause (2). A proviso adds that a citizen of Bangladesh does not stop being one merely because they are or become a citizen of a state specified under clause (2). Clause (2) then allows the Government to grant citizenship to a citizen of any state of Europe or North America, or of any other state the Government specifies by notification in the official Gazette.
Two practical points follow:
- Your other country matters. Europe and North America are named in the law; other countries depend on Government notifications. Which countries are covered today is a question to put to the mission or the Ministry.
- It is a status, not a stamp. Unlike an NVR, the certificate is not tied to one foreign passport.
Who applies
The Bangladesh Consulate General in New York says US citizens of Bangladeshi origin by birth, and their children, may apply for a dual nationality certificate. Other missions publish their own guidance for their own countries. People who were born abroad and never held Bangladeshi documents can still apply in some cases by showing a parent's Bangladeshi documents, as described below.
How the application works
The process has moved online. The Bangladesh High Commission in London, on its dual nationality certificate page read on 27 September 2026, says applicants apply directly online through the Security Services Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs at scs.ssd.gov.bd. When we opened that portal on the same day, it listed "Dual Citizenship" as a citizen service, with options to apply for the first time or check an existing application, and a downloadable guideline.
The steps, as the official pages describe them:
1. Prepare and notarize the affidavit
London says applicants abroad do not need the non-judicial stamp that applies in Bangladesh. Instead, they use the affidavit form provided and have it notarized by a Notary Public.
2. Apply online with your documents
The online application takes the completed form and scanned supporting documents. The document list is below.
3. Police verification
The Special Branch of Bangladesh Police says the Ministry of Home Affairs sends each application to the SCO Wing of the Special Branch for a police report. This is an internal check within the application. It is not the same thing as a police clearance certificate you might need for a visa elsewhere; our guide to the police clearance certificate for travel covers that separate document.
4. Download the certificate
London says that once the process is complete, the system generates a PDF of the certificate, which you download and print in color.
How long it takes
London states that "the whole process may take around 3 to 6 months." That is London's published estimate; timing depends on the police report and the Ministry's queue.
Applying through a mission instead
Not every mission describes the online route the same way. The New York consulate describes accepting applications and forwarding them with supporting documents to the Ministry of Home Affairs in Dhaka, then notifying applicants when the certificate arrives. It also says people temporarily staying in Bangladesh should submit directly to the Ministry of Home Affairs at the Bangladesh Secretariat in Dhaka. Check which route your mission currently uses.
Documents usually asked for
The Special Branch's dual citizenship page, read on 27 September 2026, lists:
- photocopies of the foreign passport and the Bangladeshi passport
- the foreign country's citizenship certificate
- a notarial declaration
- a bank receipt
- a birth certificate, if born abroad
- the NID or passport of a parent or close relative
For people without their own Bangladeshi documents, London describes attaching a foreign birth certificate showing the parents' names, together with a Bangladeshi passport, NID, birth certificate or dual nationality certificate of at least one parent.
If names or dates of birth do not match across these documents, expect questions. Our guide to name and date of birth mismatches on a Bangladeshi passport explains where these differences usually come from.
What about the fee?
The Special Branch list includes a bank receipt, which indicates a government fee is paid. None of the pages we read on 27 September 2026 stated the amount. The portal's guideline and your mission are the places to confirm the current fee before applying.
What the certificate is not
This is where most confusion sits.
It is not a travel document. You cannot board a flight or pass immigration on a certificate. You travel on a passport.
It is not an NVR. An NVR is an entry endorsement in a foreign passport, issued by a mission, valid for that passport only. If you travel on a foreign passport, the certificate does not replace the NVR or visa that passport would normally carry; ask your mission what it expects to see in your case. Missions do, however, accept a dual nationality certificate as proof of origin for an NVR: the New York consulate lists it among accepted documents.
It is not always needed for a Bangladeshi passport. The London High Commission says a certificate is not required to apply for a new or renewed Bangladeshi passport for people who acquired UK citizenship but previously held a Bangladeshi passport, or for second- or third-generation UK citizens of Bangladeshi origin. They show proof of origin instead, such as a previous Bangladeshi passport or NID, a foreign or Bangladeshi birth certificate, or a parent's Bangladeshi passport or NID. This is London's stated position for UK citizens; confirm with your own mission. For passport timing, see our guide to e-passport renewal in Bangladesh.
It is not a statement about your other country's law. Whether your other country allows you to hold Bangladeshi citizenship is decided by that country, not by Bangladesh.
When a certificate is worth considering
These are general patterns, not recommendations:
- You want your Bangladeshi citizenship formally recorded alongside a foreign nationality.
- Your mission asks for one in a process you are going through.
- Family members born abroad want a document that ties them to Bangladeshi citizenship rather than a visa-free entry stamp.
For a simple family visit on a foreign passport, many people use an NVR instead. Published NVR processing times are measured in working days, while London puts the certificate at months. Our comparison of NVR, a tourist visa and dual citizenship sets the three side by side.
If you have technical trouble with the online application, London's page gives the contact of the System Analyst, ICT Cell, Security Services Division: sa@ssd.gov.bd.
Rules and procedures change. Before applying, confirm current requirements, fees and eligible countries with the Ministry of Home Affairs or the Bangladesh mission that serves you.
FAQ
What is a dual nationality certificate in Bangladesh?
It is the Government of Bangladesh's record that a person holds Bangladeshi citizenship alongside another nationality, granted under Article 2B(2) of the Bangladesh Citizenship (Temporary Provisions) Order, 1972 and processed by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Can I travel to Bangladesh with a dual nationality certificate?
Not on the certificate alone. You travel on a passport. On a Bangladeshi passport you enter as a citizen; on a foreign passport, entry normally rests on an NVR or a visa in that passport.
How long does a dual nationality certificate take?
The Bangladesh High Commission in London says the process may take around 3 to 6 months. It includes a police report by the Special Branch.
Do I need a dual nationality certificate to renew my Bangladeshi passport?
The London High Commission says it is not required for UK citizens who previously held a Bangladeshi passport, or for second- or third-generation UK citizens of Bangladeshi origin, who show proof of origin instead. Check your own mission's position.
Where do I apply?
London directs applicants to the Ministry of Home Affairs' online portal, scs.ssd.gov.bd. Some missions, such as New York, describe forwarding applications to the Ministry. Ask your mission which route it currently uses.