Studying in Bangladesh as a foreigner: the S visa, FS visa for family and the MRV status page
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On this page
Most pages in this tool are for Bangladeshis going abroad. This one is the other way round: it is for foreign students, and their families, who want a visa to study in Bangladesh. If you are a Bangladeshi applying abroad, pick the country you are going to.
The S visa and FS visa
Bangladesh issues an "S" (Student) visa. Its family version is the "FS" visa, for relatives of an S visa holder 2. The S visa is for a regular student, someone seeking admission, or a researcher at a government-approved educational institution in Bangladesh 2.
Documents listed by a Bangladesh mission 2:
- an invitation or offer letter from the university, college or school
- a declaration or recommendation letter from the institution
- a letter from the institution attested by the Bangladesh Ministry of Education in Dhaka
- bank guarantee documents
- for family members, a marriage certificate (spouse) or birth certificates (children)
I did not find fees or processing times, and other Bangladesh missions may word their pages differently.
How long you can stay, and the work ban
An S visa can be issued for a maximum of one year with multiple entries. The Department of Immigration and Passport (DIP) in Dhaka can extend it up to the length of your course, using a reference from your institution and a police clearance certificate 2. Any job in Bangladesh, paid or unpaid, is prohibited for S and FS holders 2.
Applying and checking status
The Bangladesh Online MRV Portal (visa.gov.bd) lets you fill in the form online, print it, and take it with your documents and fee to the nearest visa office or Bangladesh Mission 1. The portal warns that a false document, a lie or withheld information can lead to refusal and a ban from entering Bangladesh for several years 1.
To track your application, use VIEW STATUS on the same portal. It asks for your Application ID, your password and the security code shown in an image 3. I could not confirm what wording the status page shows after you log in.
Keep your Application ID and password ready for the status check on this page.
Sources
Every numbered citation above links to one of these official pages.
