I-20 first
Your university registers you in SEVIS and issues the Form I-20 after it accepts you and checks your funds. You present the I-20 at your visa interview.
Fall 2027 intake · F-1 visa, interview in Dhaka
To study at a US university you need an F-1 student visa. Your university issues the Form I-20 once you show funds for the first year; you then pay the US$350 SEVIS fee, fill in the DS-160, pay the US$185 visa fee and attend an interview at the US Embassy in Dhaka. Bangladeshi F-1 visas carry no issuance fee and can be valid for up to 60 months.
Written and reviewed by Anisuzzaman Kiron, Founder & CEO · Updated
| What you apply for | F-1 student visa (M-1 for vocational courses) |
|---|---|
| Document from the university | Form I-20, after you show funds for the first year |
| Where | Interview at the US Embassy in Dhaka |
| Fees | US$350 SEVIS fee + US$185 visa application fee |
| Issuance fee | None for Bangladeshi F-1 applicants |
| Visa validity | Up to 60 months, multiple entries |
| Timing | Issued up to 365 days before the start; enter up to 30 days before |
From the US State Department, the US Embassy in Dhaka and ICE · Last verified
The basics
The F-1 visa is for study at a US university, college or language programme; the M-1 visa is for vocational courses. You apply at the US Embassy in the country where you live, and the visa lets you travel to a US port of entry, where a Customs and Border Protection officer decides whether to admit you.
Your university registers you in SEVIS and issues the Form I-20 after it accepts you and checks your funds. You present the I-20 at your visa interview.
Applicants aged 14–79 are usually interviewed, and fingerprints are taken. The State Department says it can be harder to qualify if you apply outside the country where you live.
A visa does not guarantee entry. At the airport the officer admits you and gives an admission stamp or a Form I-94 arrival record.
Source: US State Department: student visa. Last verified 11 Nov 2026.
Step by step
Seven steps, from the I-20 to the flight. Book the interview as soon as you have the I-20 and the SEVIS receipt, because appointment wait times in Dhaka change through the year.
Apply to a SEVP-approved university, show funds for the first year and receive the Form I-20 with your SEVIS ID.
6–10 months before the startUS$350 online at fmjfee.com by card, or by cheque, money order or Western Union. Keep the receipt.
After the I-20Complete the online form and keep the confirmation page; its barcode must match your appointment. Submit or change it more than 7 days before the interview.
Before you bookPay US$185 (EBL cash, BEFTN or EBL Skybanking, card, or online in US dollars) and book through the Embassy's official appointment system.
As early as you canCollect your documents and set all social media accounts to "public", as the Embassy instructs F-1 applicants.
Before the interviewAnswer the consular officer and give your fingerprints. You may be approved, refused, or asked for more information.
Interview dayYour visa can be issued up to 365 days before your programme starts, but you can enter only within 30 days of the start date.
Before classes startSources: State Department: student visa · ICE: I-901 SEVIS fee · US Embassy Dhaka: nonimmigrant visas · US Embassy Dhaka: visas. Timing: Sunrise advice. Last verified 11 Nov 2026.
Documents
The Embassy asks every applicant for a valid passport, the visa fee receipt, the DS-160 confirmation page and the appointment letter. As an F-1 applicant you also bring your Form I-20 and SEVIS fee receipt, and you should be ready to show how you will pay for your studies.
Sources: US Embassy Dhaka: supporting documents · State Department: student visa · ICE: I-901. Last verified 11 Nov 2026.
Money and fees
You need the first year's full cost shown on your I-20, plus the US$350 SEVIS fee and the US$185 visa fee. At Texas Tech the 2026-27 I-20 amount for most graduate programmes is US$33,264, or about BDT 41.4 lakh.
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Money for the I-20 | First year's full cost | Set by each university, e.g. US$33,264 at Texas Tech, US$42,183 at SIU, US$71,412 at NJIT. See our US universities page. |
| SEVIS I-901 fee | US$350About BDT 43,500 | Paid to ICE at fmjfee.com before you apply for the visa. |
| Visa application (MRV) fee | US$185About BDT 23,000 | Paid in Bangladesh; the State Department does not refund it. |
| Visa issuance fee | None | For Bangladeshi F-1 and F-2 visas, under the State Department's reciprocity table. |
| Appointment expedite fee | US$750, optionalAbout BDT 93,300 | Offered from 1 July to 31 December 2026, on top of the visa fee. |
| Visa bond | Not for students | The bond of up to US$15,000 that the Embassy introduced on 21 January 2026 is for B1/B2 visitor visas. |
| Air ticket | Confirmed in counselling | Airline; depends on the date and route. |
BDT amounts are approximate, at about BDT 124.42 per US dollar (Bangladesh Bank, 10 Nov 2026), and change with the exchange rate. Sources: ICE: I-901 fee · Federal Register: visa fees, June 2026 · State Department: Bangladesh reciprocity · US Embassy Dhaka: visa bond. Last verified 11 Nov 2026.
Visa figures
The State Department does not publish an F-1 approval or refusal rate by country, so there is no official "visa ratio" for Bangladeshi students. It does publish how many visas it issues each month: F-1 visas issued to Bangladeshi nationals fell from 534 in August 2024 to 238 in August 2025. Even so, Bangladeshi students in the USA rose to 20,156 in 2024/25.
| Month | F-1 visas issued | Source |
|---|---|---|
| June 2024 | 1,362 | State Department monthly report |
| July 2024 | 580 | State Department monthly report |
| August 2024 | 534 | State Department monthly report |
| August 2025 | 238 | State Department monthly report |
The officer was not satisfied that you qualify for the visa or that you will leave after your studies. It is not permanent and has no appeal; you can reapply.
Information is missing, or your case needs administrative processing. You have one year to send missing documents; the Embassy contacts you when processing ends.
Fill in a new DS-160, pay the fee again and book a new interview. The State Department says you should be able to show a significant change in your circumstances.
Any percentage "visa ratio" you see online is an estimate, not a State Department figure. What decides your case is your own file and interview; a counsellor can check both before you book.
Sources: State Department monthly nonimmigrant visa issuance reports (linked above) · State Department: visa denials · Open Doors 2025: Bangladesh. Last verified 11 Nov 2026.
Timeline
Interview wait times in Dhaka change through the year, and some cases need administrative processing after the interview. Plan backwards from your start date and book the interview as soon as your I-20 and SEVIS receipt are ready.
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| September–January | Shortlist and apply to universities; Texas Tech recommends 15 January for Fall graduate applications. |
| January–April | Receive offers, show your funds and get the I-20. |
| As soon as you have the I-20 | Pay the SEVIS fee, fill in the DS-160, pay the visa fee and book the interview. |
| Up to 365 days before the start | The visa can be issued; attend your interview at the US Embassy in Dhaka. |
| Up to 30 days before the start | Fly to the USA; you cannot enter earlier on a new F-1 visa. |
Check the current wait time for Dhaka on the State Department's visa wait-time tool before you plan your flight.
Sources: State Department: student visa · State Department: administrative processing. Month-by-month plan: Sunrise advice. Last verified 11 Nov 2026.
After you arrive
At the port of entry a Customs and Border Protection officer decides whether to admit you. Since 15 September 2026, F-1 students are admitted for the length of their programme, up to 4 years, and extend through USCIS if they need more time.
Show your passport with the visa and your Form I-20. You receive an admission stamp or a Form I-94 arrival record; keep your proof of funds in your hand luggage.
Stay enrolled full-time and keep your I-20 valid. You can work up to 20 hours a week on campus while classes run and full-time in breaks.
OPT allows up to 12 months of work, plus 24 months for a qualifying STEM degree. After your programme or OPT ends you have 30 days to leave (60 before 15 September 2026).
If you are refused, ask the officer which section applies (214(b) or 221(g)) and talk to a counsellor before you apply again, so the new application answers it. Book a free consultation or message WhatsApp 01611878274.
Sources: State Department: student visa · DHS rule, effective 15 Sep 2026 · ICE: on-campus employment · USCIS Policy Manual: practical training. Last verified 11 Nov 2026.
FAQ
Ask a USA counsellor directly if your question is not here.
WhatsApp 01611878274The visa application fee is US$185 and the SEVIS I-901 fee is US$350, so about US$535 in total (about BDT 66,600). Bangladeshi F-1 applicants pay no visa issuance fee. From 1 July to 31 December 2026 an optional US$750 fee can expedite an appointment.
Enough to cover the first year's cost on your Form I-20, which each university sets: US$33,264 at Texas Tech for most graduate programmes (about BDT 41.4 lakh) and US$71,412 at NJIT. Bring documents that show where the money comes from.
There is no official ratio: the State Department does not publish F-1 refusal rates by country. Its monthly reports show 534 F-1 visas issued to Bangladeshi nationals in August 2024 and 238 in August 2025.
At the US Embassy in Dhaka. You book the appointment through the Embassy's official appointment system after paying the visa fee, and applicants aged 14–79 are usually interviewed.
Yes. The US Embassy in Dhaka tells F-visa applicants to set the privacy setting on all their social media accounts to "public" or "open".
A new F-1 visa can be issued up to 365 days before your programme starts, but you can enter the USA only within 30 days of the start date on your I-20.
Yes. A 214(b) refusal is not permanent and has no appeal. You reapply with a new DS-160 and a new fee, and the State Department says you should be able to show a significant change in your circumstances.
No. Bangladesh is not among the countries in the December 2025 proclamation that restricts or limits entry. The US$15,000 visa bond the Embassy introduced in January 2026 applies to B1/B2 visitor visas, not student visas.
Up to 60 months with multiple entries, under the State Department's reciprocity table for Bangladesh. How long you may stay is decided at entry: since 15 September 2026, up to the length of your programme, with a 4-year limit.
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