Moving to the USA from Bangladesh: Visas, Green Cards and Where to Apply

Bangladesh is not among the 39 countries restricted by Proclamation 10998, which took effect on January 1, 2026. But several 2026 changes do affect Bangladeshis:

• Visa bonds for visitors. Bangladesh was added to the State Department's visa bond list on January 21, 2026. A consular officer can require you to post a bond as a condition of a B-1/B-2 visa. Since August 3, 2026, bond amounts are $10,000, $15,000, or $20,000 (as of September 2026), refunded if you follow the rules and leave on time.
• Bangladesh was also on the list of 75 countries whose immigrant visas were paused starting January 21, 2026. A federal court vacated that pause on August 21, 2026 (CLINIC v. Rubio), and the government has appealed, so the situation can still change.
• Since August 25, 2026, the State Department has paused immigrant visa interviews at US embassies and consulates worldwide while consular officers are trained on public charge reviews. Scheduled interviews were moved to later dates, and no restart date has been announced as of September 2026. Visitor, student, and temporary work visas are not part of this pause. Details: immigrant visa pause.

For an overview of every route, see our guide to US immigration and how US immigration works.

Yes. Bangladesh is not in the Visa Waiver Program, so you need a B-2 tourist or B-1 business visa. Complete the DS-160, pay the fee, and attend an interview in Dhaka. If the officer requires a bond, pay it only through the official US government system described in your instructions, never through an agent. The State Department's guidance is to apply for a visitor or other temporary visa at the US embassy or consulate in the country where you live. Applying elsewhere is possible but can make it harder to show you qualify.

E-2 investor visa. Bangladesh's investment treaty with the US has been in force since 1989, so Bangladeshi nationals qualify for the E-2, but not the E-1 trader visa. You must invest a substantial amount in a real, operating US business that you develop and direct. Under the State Department's reciprocity table, E-2 visas for Bangladeshis are issued with short validity and limited entries, so plan for frequent renewals.

Study. Bangladesh sends many graduate students to the US, especially in STEM fields. Student applicants are asked to set social media accounts to public for screening. Since September 15, 2026, new F-1 students are admitted until a fixed date instead of for "duration of status", so you may need to file for an extension if your program runs longer. See F-1 fixed admission period.

H-1B. Since February 27, 2026, the H-1B lottery gives more entries to higher wage levels. A separate $100,000 fee on some new H-1B petitions (from a September 2025 proclamation) is being fought in court, with judges split as of September 2026. See H-1B $100k fee.

Family. Family sponsorship is the most common path. Spouses, unmarried children under 21, and parents of US citizens have no annual cap. Siblings (F4) and married children (F3) wait many years. Bangladeshis use rest-of-world dates in the Visa Bulletin. See F4 sibling green cards.

Employment. EB-2 and EB-3 use rest-of-world dates, which are far shorter than India's.

Diversity Visa. Bangladesh was once one of the biggest DV countries, but Bangladeshi natives have not been eligible in recent years, including DV-2026, because more than 50,000 Bangladeshis immigrated in the previous five years. The Diversity Visa (DV) lottery is paused: visa issuance stopped on December 23, 2025, and DV-2027 registration never opened. See DV lottery paused.

The US Embassy in Dhaka is the only US visa post in Bangladesh and handles both immigrant and nonimmigrant visas. The State Department notes that Dhaka prints immigrant visas only in regular (not official) passports. Book appointments through the embassy's website and read our visa interview guide.

For immigrant visas, the State Department's Bangladesh page lists:

• Police certificate: a Police Clearance Certificate from the police station covering your address, applied for online at pcc.police.gov.bd. If you live abroad, apply through a Bangladesh embassy or high commission, or an authorized person in Bangladesh.
• Birth certificate: a Birth Registration Certificate from the City Corporation, Pourashava (municipality), Union Parishad, or Cantonment Board. People abroad can apply through the nearest Bangladesh mission.
• Marriage and divorce: a registered marriage certificate (Nikah Nama) from the marriage registrar (Kazi), and divorce records from the registrar or court.

Documents in Bangla need certified English translations.

The largest Bangladeshi community is in New York City: Jackson Heights and Jamaica in Queens, Kensington ("Little Bangladesh") in Brooklyn, and Parkchester in the Bronx. Other large communities live in Paterson, New Jersey; Hamtramck and Detroit, Michigan; Los Angeles; Atlanta; and the Washington, DC area. Bangladeshi mosques, associations, and district-based societies are active in all of these places.