# AI tells a foreign resident that any valid Bangladesh visa and passport is enough to open a normal local-currency bank account

- **ID:** `banking/foreigner-taka-account-needs-work-permit`
- **Domain:** banking
- **Category:** financial_system
- **Verification:** ai_generated
- **Fix Rate:** 75%

## Root Cause

Bangladeshi banks require a valid work permit (in addition to passport and visa) to open a Foreign National's Taka account - a normal local-currency account under Bangladesh Bank's own Form QA-22. Without a work permit, banks instead offer only a Private Foreign Currency (FC) account, which needs a minimum deposit of about US$1,000 (or GBP 500 equivalent) and does not behave like a regular local checking account.

## Version Compatibility

| Version | Status | Introduced | Deprecated |
|---------|--------|------------|------------|
| any | active | — | — |

## Workarounds

1. **Get the employer to file for and obtain the work permit / employment approval before or alongside the bank account application** (85% success)
   ```
   Have the sponsoring employer secure the work permit or approval from the relevant authority (e.g. Board of Investment or BEPZA for investment-zone employers) and bring that, the passport, and visa copies to the branch to open the Foreign National's Taka Account with Form QA-22.
   ```
2. **If no work permit is available yet, open the Private Foreign Currency (FC) account instead and budget for its minimum deposit** (80% success)
   ```
   Bring passport and visa copies and fund the account with the minimum opening deposit (about US$1,000 or GBP 500 equivalent) - no work permit or prior Bangladesh Bank approval is required for this account type.
   ```

## Dead Ends

- **Walk into a Bangladeshi bank on a business or student visa, expecting passport and visa alone to be enough to open a normal Taka account, as at many Western banks** — A bank's own published requirements list 'copy of passport, valid visa, work permit' as mandatory for a Foreign National's Taka Account, plus Bangladesh Bank's Form QA-22. A tourist, student, or business visa without an accompanying work permit does not satisfy this, and the branch will decline to open a local-currency account. (60% fail)
- **Expect a Foreign Currency (FC) account to work like a normal Taka current account for everyday local payments** — The FC account route foreigners without a work permit can use requires a minimum deposit of about US$1,000 or GBP 500 (or equivalent) and is structured for holding and remitting foreign currency, not for everyday Taka transactions, bill payments, or receiving local salary deposits the way a standard Taka account is. (40% fail)