Zambia study permit for Bangladeshis: advance clearance and the eServices portal
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Bangladesh is number 5 on Zambia's list of "Nationals Requiring Visa Prior to Travel" 1. You need advance clearance from the Director General of Immigration. You apply online through the eServices portal and wait for the approval letter before you travel 12. Bangladesh is not among the 53 countries whose visa requirement Zambia waived from 1 January 2025 3. The Zambia Department of Immigration decides 2. We did not find a Zambian mission serving Bangladesh.
The study permit
The permit type for students is the Study Permit 2. The documents listed are 2:
- a covering letter to the Director General of Immigration
- a certified copy of your valid passport
- a letter of acceptance from the institution
- a medical report from a Zambian government facility
- a sponsor letter, with proof of the sponsor's status and finances
- the prescribed fee
The immigration site's purpose-of-visit page for study lists a photo, a passport copy, a cover letter on school letterhead addressed to the Director-General, an acceptance letter, and the status of the host, parents or guardian. Files must be jpg, png or tiff 6.
Fees in Zambian kwacha (ZMW): issuing a study permit in the private sector costs 9,000 (9,090 by card) and renewal costs 12,000. For government, NGO and non-profit sponsors, issuing costs 4,667 and renewal 7,333. The page is undated 4. Visa fees in USD are 50 for single entry, 80 for double or multiple entry, and 25 for transit 4. No processing time is published, and we could not confirm whether Bangladeshis lodge a study permit before or after entry.
The e-visa steps
Anyone who normally needs a visa can use the e-visa, if they are 16 or older 5. The steps are: register, complete Form 16, upload documents, pay by card, receive a receipt, and track status. Approved applicants carry the approval letter and the receipt 5.
Tracking
The last e-visa step is tracking your status, on the Zambia eServices portal 257. The inputs and the status wording are not published, so we cannot say what each result means.
Keep your eServices login and your receipt ready for the status check above.
Sources
Every numbered citation above links to one of these official pages.
- 1zambiaimmigration.gov.zm/nationals-requiring-visa-prior-to-travel(opens in a new tab)
- 2zambiaimmigration.gov.zm/permit-types(opens in a new tab)
- 3zambiaimmigration.gov.zm/2024/12/25/zambia-waives-visa-requirements-for-nationals-of-53-countries-to-boost-tourism(opens in a new tab)
- 4zambiaimmigration.gov.zm/for-residents/pricing-page(opens in a new tab)
- 5zambiaimmigration.gov.zm/for-visitors(opens in a new tab)
- 6zambiaimmigration.gov.zm/for-visitors/visa-requirements-by-purpose-of-visit(opens in a new tab)
- 7eservices.zambiaimmigration.gov.zm/(opens in a new tab)
