In short: Most of Europe's student visas for Bangladeshi applicants are now handled from Dhaka. Two destinations — Finland and Bulgaria — still require New Delhi, and Greece sits in between (lodged in Dhaka, decided in Delhi). Knowing which route your country uses before you build a timeline saves weeks, money and one very common last-minute panic.
The question that gets left out of most application plans is disarmingly simple: where will I actually hand in my visa file? Not every European country has a resident embassy in Bangladesh, and the ones that do not usually route Bangladeshi applicants through New Delhi. Here is the current map, country by country.
Handled from Dhaka
| Country | How it works in Dhaka | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Italy | VFS/JVAC Dhaka — submission and biometrics | The most-used route; book early in the June–August rush |
| Sweden | Embassy in Dhaka (Gulshan) | Online application, biometrics in Dhaka |
| Denmark | Embassy in Dhaka | Biometrics must be given within 14 days of the online application |
| Hungary | Consular office in Dhaka | Filed in person; four to six weeks |
| Malta | VFS Malta centre, Dhaka | Handles long-term categories; allow eight to twelve weeks |
| Cyprus | University-led entry permit | The university files in Nicosia; the visa is issued from Dhaka |
The hybrid: Greece
Since February 2026 Greece has had a visa application centre in Dhaka, so you submit and give biometrics there and never travel to India. But the decision is taken by the Greek Embassy in New Delhi, and the file goes and returns by courier — so the timeline is longer than a resident embassy's. Budget four to eight weeks with a buffer.
Requires a trip to New Delhi
| Country | Why | The trip |
|---|---|---|
| Finland | No resident embassy in Dhaka | Apply online via Enter Finland, then one visit to the Finnish mission in Delhi for identity checks and biometrics |
| Bulgaria | No mission in Bangladesh at all | D-visa application and interview in person at the Bulgarian Embassy in New Delhi |
The most important caveat: representation and visa routes change — some countries have at times processed certain Bangladeshi cases from Delhi, and centres open and close. Before booking any appointment or ticket, confirm the current rule on the mission's official page or the VFS page. This map is the general picture, not the final word.
Planning a Delhi trip
- Indian visa — allow two to four weeks; it is the step people forget
- Book the biometrics or interview appointment first, the ticket second
- Every original document in hand luggage — the aim is one trip
- Budget roughly BDT 40,000–60,000 for travel and a short stay
- For Bulgaria, confirm how the passport comes back — courier or a second visit
Why this belongs at the start of the timeline
For the Delhi-route countries you are adding a second visa process (India's) and a journey to an already tight calendar. Build it into the intake plan from the first day and it is an errand; discover it in July and it can cost the semester. The country guides for Finland and Bulgaria walk through the Delhi step in detail, and the Greece guide covers the Dhaka–Delhi hybrid.
Official sources — check for yourself
- VFS Global — Italy visa application centre, Bangladesh
- VFS Global — Malta visa application centre, Bangladesh
- Migri — Finnish Immigration Service
- Embassy of Bulgaria in New Delhi
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
Which European student visas can be completed entirely from Dhaka?+
Italy (VFS/JVAC Dhaka), Sweden and Denmark (their embassies in Dhaka), Hungary (its consular office in Dhaka), Malta (the VFS Malta centre in Dhaka, which handles long-term categories) and Cyprus (a university-led entry permit with the visa issued from Dhaka). Greece is submitted in Dhaka but decided in Delhi. Always confirm the current arrangement on the official page before booking.
Which countries require a trip to New Delhi?+
Finland — the application is online through Enter Finland, but identity checks and biometrics happen once at the Finnish mission in New Delhi — and Bulgaria, whose D-visa application and interview take place in person at its New Delhi embassy because it has no mission in Bangladesh.
What does a Delhi trip actually involve?+
An Indian visa (allow two to four weeks), a biometrics or interview appointment booked before you buy the ticket, every original document in your hand luggage, and roughly BDT 40,000–60,000 for travel and a short stay. The point is to complete everything in a single trip — a second one doubles the cost and can push you past the intake.
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