What VFS is and is not
VFS Global is a private service provider that collects applications on behalf of many embassies. It:
- ✅ Receives documents and checks them against a list
- ✅ Takes biometrics (fingerprints and photograph)
- ✅ Collects fees and returns passports
- ❌ Does not decide visas — the consulate does
- ❌ Does not judge whether a file is strong
So if someone at the counter says "your file looks good, you will get the visa", that is courtesy, not a signal.
Getting the appointment
Italian student visas. The sequence differs from other visa types and not knowing it causes unnecessary panic: VFS normally contacts students who have properly registered on Universitaly to arrange the appointment. Searching for slots before your university has confirmed the pre-enrolment achieves nothing.
⚠️ Watch the email address you entered on Universitaly, spam folder included. Missing that email means missing the intake.
Other cases. Slots are booked online through the VFS Bangladesh portal. They go quickly in season, so check the calendar regularly. Never pay anyone for a slot — an offer to sell appointments is a scam.
What to bring
| Item | Note |
|---|---|
| Appointment confirmation | Printed |
| Passport plus old passports | Check validity and blank pages |
| Completed, signed visa form | Missing signature is the commonest error |
| Photos to specification, white background | Recent |
| Admission / pre-enrolment documents | Original plus copy |
| Educational documents | Original plus copy |
| Financial documents | Statement, solvency certificate, sponsor papers |
| Accommodation evidence | Dormitory or tenancy agreement |
| Health insurance | Per that country's requirement |
| Fee | By the specified method |
Make two sets — originals and photocopies, in the same order. Hunting for a document at the counter wastes time and causes mistakes.
Errors that get a file handed back
- 1Unsigned form or wrong date
- 2Photo size or background wrong — photos can be taken at the centre, but queues cost time
- 3No English version of a document
- 4Name spelling mismatch between passport and certificates
- 5Bank statement too old — recent ones are normally required
- 6Insurance period too short — it must cover the full stay
Biometrics
Fingerprints and a photograph, a few minutes' work. Henna or cuts on the fingers can interfere with capture, so take care in the days before. After biometrics the passport is normally retained and returned with the decision.
Tracking and passport return
VFS issues a reference number for online status checks. "Processing" means nothing — it is neither a good nor a bad sign, so checking several times a day only adds anxiety.
Passports can be collected in person or couriered for a fee. If someone other than the applicant collects, an authorisation letter is required.
The Sylhet centre
There is a VFS centre in Sylhet as well as Dhaka, convenient for the Sylhet region. Not every country and visa category is handled at every centre, so confirm your category is accepted there when booking.
Which of the nine countries process where is set out in where to submit your visa.
Official sources — check for yourself
Rules and figures change. We review these articles periodically and show the date above, but always confirm the current requirement with the official source before you act on it.
Common questions
How do I get an Italian student visa appointment?+
VFS normally contacts students by email once the Universitaly pre-enrolment has been properly registered and confirmed by the university, so searching for slots before that achieves nothing. Watch that email address, including the spam folder.
Does VFS decide the visa?+
No. VFS collects documents, takes biometrics and forwards the file. The decision is entirely the consulate's, so a comment at the counter about your file is not a signal.
What gets a file handed back?+
An unsigned form, wrong photo size or background, documents without an English version, name spelling mismatches between passport and certificates, an out-of-date bank statement, and insurance that does not cover the full stay.
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