A bank solvency certificate for visa is a signed letter from your own bank, on its letterhead, confirming that you hold an account there and stating the balance on a given date. It is a snapshot. A bank statement shows months of transactions; the solvency certificate shows where the account stands today. In Bangladesh you request it in writing at the branch that holds your account, the bank checks the balance, and an authorized officer signs it. Since a Bangladesh Bank circular of 12 May 2026, visa-purpose financial documents from scheduled banks are meant to carry a verifiable QR code.
This guide is general information for Bangladeshi travelers, not financial or immigration advice. Every embassy sets its own document list, so the current checklist for your destination and visa type is the final word.
What a bank solvency certificate for visa actually says
The certificate is short, usually one page. The format differs from bank to bank, but the ones Bangladeshi banks issue typically carry:
- the account holder's name, exactly as it appears in the bank's records
- the account number and account type (savings, current, FDR and so on)
- the date the account was opened
- the balance on a specific date
- a line saying the certificate is issued at the customer's request
- the branch seal and the signature of an authorized officer, often the branch manager
What it does not do is guarantee anything. It does not say the money will still be there next month, and it does not say the bank vouches for your trip. It is a factual statement about one account on one day, which is why embassies almost always want it alongside a statement rather than instead of one.
Solvency certificate vs bank statement: why embassies ask for both
A lot of confusion comes from treating these as the same document. They answer different questions.
| Bank solvency certificate | Bank statement | |
|---|---|---|
| What it shows | Balance on one date | Every credit and debit over a period |
| Length | Usually one page | Several pages covering months |
| What a visa officer reads from it | "Does this person have funds now?" | "Where did the funds come from, and is the pattern normal?" |
| Who signs it | Authorized bank officer | Usually sealed and signed by the branch |
The statement is the document that tells a story. A large deposit a week before the application, with no visible source, is the kind of pattern that makes an officer ask questions. The solvency certificate cannot hide that, because the statement sits right next to it in the file. If you want the wider picture of how financial documents feed into a refusal, our guide to visa rejection reasons for Bangladeshis covers the grounds that actually appear on refusal letters.
The 2026 change: QR codes on visa financial documents
This is the part most older guides miss.
Bangladesh Bank's circulars page lists BRPD-1 Circular No. 12, dated 12 May 2026, titled "Verification of Bank Statement and Other Documents for Visa Applications". We confirmed the listing on the Bangladesh Bank circulars page on 25 September 2026. The circular itself is a Bangla PDF, available from the Bangladesh Bank website as BRPD circular 12 of 2026.
As The Daily Star reported the circular, it requires:
- Which documents: bank statements, solvency certificates, investment certificates and similar documents submitted for visa applications must carry a digitally verifiable QR code.
- What the QR shows: the account number, account name, opening and closing balances, the date the statement was generated, and statement details.
- Deadline for banks: 90 days from the date of the circular to prepare and put the systems in place.
- How long it stays checkable: the information is to remain stored and digitally verifiable for at least six months.
The reason given was that embassies and visa centers had no quick way to confirm these papers were genuine, which slowed processing and added work on their side.
What this means in practice for a traveler:
- When you collect a solvency certificate for a visa, look for the QR code on it. If it is missing, ask the branch whether it was issued as a visa-purpose document.
- Tell the branch the certificate is for a visa application when you request it. The QR requirement is tied to documents issued for visa purposes.
- The six-month verification window is not the same as an embassy's freshness rule. Many embassies want recent financial documents. The QR staying live for six months does not make an old certificate acceptable.
We have not seen how each individual bank has implemented this, and implementation details can differ between banks. The branch that holds your account is the place to confirm what its visa documents now look like.
How to get a bank solvency certificate in Bangladesh, step by step
The process is simple, but a few details save a second trip to the branch.
1. Go to the branch that holds your account
The branch where the account is maintained is the natural place to ask, because it holds your records and specimen signature. Some banks may accept requests at other branches or through a relationship manager; ask your bank which routes it offers.
2. Submit a written request
A short application addressed to the branch manager is standard. It should state:
- your full name as on your passport
- your account number
- the purpose, for example "for a visa application to [country]"
- whether you need the balance shown in a foreign currency as well as taka
- the date, and your signature matching the bank's specimen
Some banks have their own printed request form. Ask at the customer service desk before writing your own.
3. Bring identification
Carry your NID or passport, and a photocopy. If the certificate is for a visa, bring your passport so the name can be matched exactly. A spelling difference between the certificate and the passport is a small thing that causes real trouble at an embassy. If your name or date of birth differs across documents, our guide to name and date of birth mismatches on a Bangladeshi passport explains how that is usually resolved.
4. Pay the service charge
Banks charge a fee for issuing a solvency certificate, and the amount is set in each bank's published schedule of charges. It differs between banks and between account types, so check your own bank's current schedule or ask at the counter. We do not quote a figure here because it varies and changes.
5. Collect and check it
How long it takes depends on the bank and the branch, so ask when you hand in the request and leave room in your visa timeline. Before you leave the counter, check:
- your name matches your passport letter for letter
- the account number is correct
- the date of the balance is recent
- it is signed and sealed
- it carries the QR code if it was issued for a visa
Whose certificate: yours, a sponsor's, or a business's?
Embassies ask different people for different documents.
Your own account. For most tourist and visit visas, the applicant's own finances come first. The certificate goes with your statement and your proof of income.
A sponsor's account. Students and dependents often rely on a parent, spouse or relative. In that case the embassy usually wants the sponsor's solvency certificate and statement, plus proof of the relationship and a letter confirming the sponsorship. Check whether the embassy needs the sponsor's documents in original or attested form.
A business account. Business owners are sometimes asked for company bank documents along with personal ones, plus trade license and tax papers. A company certificate on its own rarely replaces personal financial evidence.
Fixed deposits and savings instruments. If some of your funds sit in an FDR or savings certificates, the bank or issuing office can usually provide a separate certificate for those. Whether an embassy counts them is its own decision.
How much balance does the certificate need to show?
There is no single answer, and anyone who gives you one number for every country is guessing. Some embassies publish a daily amount or a fixed minimum for a visa type; many do not publish a figure at all and assess whether your funds fit your trip, your income and your circumstances.
Three points hold across most applications:
- The balance should make sense against your income. A balance far larger than your salary history can explain raises the same question as a sudden deposit.
- The statement has to support the certificate. Officers read the two together.
- The trip cost matters. The funds are weighed against where you are going, for how long and how you say you will pay.
The embassy's own page for your visa type is where any published figure lives. Our country guides, for example Japan visa financial documents for Bangladeshis, point to the official requirements for that destination.
Common mistakes that get certificates questioned
- Issuing it too early. A certificate dated long before submission may be treated as stale. Check the destination's rule and time the request close to your submission date.
- Name mismatch. An initial, a missing middle name or a different spelling from the passport.
- Certificate without a statement. Most checklists want both. A one-page balance letter alone is thin evidence.
- Money parked just before applying. The certificate will show the balance; the statement will show when it arrived.
- Old-format documents after the QR change. If a visa-purpose document has no QR code, ask the bank why before submitting it.
- Assuming a letter from a money changer or a non-bank counts. It is the account-holding scheduled bank that issues this letter.
Where the solvency certificate fits in your visa file
The certificate is one sheet in a folder that usually also holds a bank statement, proof of income (salary certificate, trade license, tax return), proof of ties to Bangladesh, and the itinerary. Embassies treat the folder as a whole. A strong certificate does not rescue a weak file, and a modest balance with a clear, consistent income history often reads better than a large, unexplained one.
If you also plan to carry foreign currency on the trip, that is a separate process with its own paperwork. The solvency certificate proves funds to an embassy; it does not authorize you to buy dollars. Our guide to documents for dollar endorsement covers what the bank asks for at that stage.
Rules and formats change. Before you apply, confirm the current document list with the embassy or its visa center, and confirm with your bank how it issues visa-purpose certificates today.
FAQ
What is a bank solvency certificate for visa?
It is a signed letter from your bank confirming your account and its balance on a specific date. Embassies use it as a snapshot of your available funds, usually alongside a bank statement that shows the history behind that balance.
Is a bank solvency certificate the same as a bank statement?
No. The certificate shows one balance on one date. The statement lists every transaction over a period. Most embassy checklists ask for both because they answer different questions.
Do solvency certificates in Bangladesh need a QR code now?
Bangladesh Bank issued BRPD-1 Circular No. 12 on 12 May 2026 on verifying bank statements and other documents for visa applications. As reported by The Daily Star, it requires a verifiable QR code on visa-purpose bank statements, solvency certificates and investment certificates, with 90 days for banks to implement. Confirm with your bank how it applies today.
How long is a solvency certificate valid for a visa?
The bank does not set an expiry; the embassy decides how recent it must be. Check the destination's checklist and request the certificate close to your submission date.
Can someone else's solvency certificate be used for my visa?
Many embassies accept a sponsor's financial documents, most often for students and dependents, usually with proof of the relationship and a sponsorship letter. Whether it is accepted, and in what form, depends on the embassy and the visa type.