Student visa for international students in Bangladesh

Getting a student visa

You need a student visa to study in Bangladesh. Apply online at visa.gov.bd; the visa is then issued through the Bangladesh embassy in your country. If your country has no Bangladesh embassy, apply at the embassy in the nearest country.

Extending your student visa

After you arrive, you must extend your student visa every year to continue your studies. Renewal fees vary by country. Keeping a valid visa is mandatory, so start the extension on time.

Phase 1: Apply for the extension

1. Two months before your visa expires, come to the CIAC office in person.
2. CIAC gives you a form. Fill it in and hand it to the CIAC officer with photocopies of your passport information page; all used passport pages, including the last visa and arrival page; your UIU student ID card; and two passport-size photographs.
3. After two working days, collect your recommendation letters for the visa extension, a sponsorship certificate and a non-employment letter from CIAC.
4. Take these to the Department of Immigration and Passport, 7-E Agargaon, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka-1207. At Counter 1, submit two printed copies of the online application (visa.gov.bd); the university recommendation letters with the authority's signature; your passport and a photocopy of the information page; all used passport pages, including the last visa and arrival pages; your UIU student ID card; two passport-size photographs; and your first admission letter or offer letter.
5. After the documents are checked, pay the visa processing fee (varies by country) at the Sonali Bank branch inside the Passport and Immigration Office. Submit everything with the money receipt at Counter 3. You receive an MRV or call-date delivery slip.

Phase 2: Police report from the Special Branch (SBP)

An SBP officer contacts you and the CIAC officer to verify you. Collect these from your department and bring them to the SBP office in Malibagh:

• Photocopies of your passport, last visa and arrival page
• A "To whom it may concern" letter and recommendation letter
• Your offer or admission letter
• An attendance sheet (from your department or course teacher)
• A partial transcript (Controller of Examinations)
• A studentship certificate
• The MRV visa delivery slip
• The foreign student list with details
• Attested photocopies of the three recommendation letters

Make an appointment with your SBP officer first: either ask the CIAC international affairs officer to arrange it (recommended, because of the language barrier) or contact the officer directly. At the appointment, submit the documents and fill in Visa/Security Form 2. The police report usually takes three to four weeks.

Phase 3: Collect your visa

After three to four weeks, phone your SBP officer to check progress. When the report has reached the Passport and Immigration Office and the extension is ready, go there with your original MRV slip and passport, hand the delivery slip in at Counter 2, and receive your extended visa.

Exit visa (emergency travel)

If you must leave the country before your visa extension is complete, you need an exit visa. Follow steps 1 to 5 of Phase 1 above, then keep the original MRV delivery slip and submit a photocopy with your passport at Counter 2. You receive the exit visa; no police report is needed.

Visas for spouses and parents (FS visa)

You can bring your parents and spouse with reference to your S-visa. They need an FS visa to come to Bangladesh. They can also come on a T-visa and change it to FS after arriving; this application goes through the university with the proper documents and recommendation letters.

Good to know

• Visa duration depends on your passport's validity (maximum one year).
• If your passport expires, you need a new passport or Emergency Travel Documents to leave Bangladesh.
• You can stay up to 3 months without an overstay fine, but you need a valid visa to leave Bangladesh.
• Visa fees are not refundable once deposited, even if the visa is not granted.
• The student visa depends on a "no objection" police report from SBP. With a negative report you receive an exit visa and must leave Bangladesh within 7 days.