A mandatory directive has been issued by the Bangladesh Bank (BB) to mandate that all scheduled banks integrate Quick Response (QR) codes into bank statements, solvency certificates, and investment certificates that are issued for visa application purposes.

According to a press release issued on Tuesday by BB, the objective of the initiative is to simultaneously reduce the administrative burden that foreign embassies and visa processing centers currently endure while improving the accuracy of financial document verification.

The central bank stated that the absence of a streamlined digital verification system has resulted in the difficulty of instantly verifying financial documents at various embassies and visa centers. 

The new directive aims to resolve the issue by reducing the time and administrative costs associated with visa processing and establishing an infrastructure that allows for the immediate online verification of submitted financial documents.

Under the new framework, banks are required to guarantee that the QR code on the specified documents provides secure and immediate access to five critical data points: the account number, account name, report date opening balance, report date closing balance, and statement generation date.

In addition, the directive stipulated that the information contained within the QR-based verification system must be digitally accessible for a minimum of six months from the date of document issuance.

All scheduled banks were instructed by Bangladesh Bank to complete the necessary technical preparations and system upgrades within 90 days of May 12, 2026.

In an effort to protect the financial information of customers, banks have been instructed to strictly adhere to the current data protection regulations and cyber security standards during the implementation and operation of the verification systems.

Under Section 45 of the Bank Company Act, 1991, the instruction was issued and became effective immediately.