South Africa Visa from Bangladesh
Plan your South Africa visa from Bangladesh with clear guidance on visa categories, VFS New Delhi submission, fees, processing times, and next steps.
Overview
Basic Information about South Africa
Pathways
Visa Types for South Africa
Short-term
Academic Sabbatical Visa
Visitor’s Visa for an approved academic sabbatical at a South African tertiary institution.
Business Meeting Visa
Short Term Visa for business meetings, company visits, trade fairs, and related business engagements in South Africa.
Conference Visa
Short Term Visa for attending conferences in South Africa without undertaking paid work.
Film Industry Visa
Short Term Visa for film productions, shoots, modelling projects, and approved industry assignments in South Africa.
Medical (Only Private Hospitals/Clinics) Visa
Short Term Visitor’s Visa for medical treatment at private hospitals, clinics, or medical practitioners in South Africa.
Short Term Projects Visa
Short Term Visa for defined project-based work and temporary technical assignments in South Africa.
Tourist Visa
Short Term Visa for holidays, sightseeing, cruising, and other leisure travel in South Africa.
Training Visa
Short Term Visa for temporary training in South Africa where the applicant is not paid for work by a South African entity.
Transit Visa
Short Term Visa for Bangladeshi ordinary passport holders transiting South Africa en route to another country.
Visiting Family-Friends Visa
Short Term Visitor’s Visa for visiting family members or friends and staying with a host in South Africa.
Long-term
Business Visa
Long Term Visa for foreign entrepreneurs establishing, investing in, and actively working in a South African business.
Corporate Work Visa
Long Term Work Visa for foreign workers individually authorised under a South African employer’s valid Corporate Visa.
Critical Skills Visa
Long Term Work Visa for eligible professionals whose occupation appears on South Africa’s current Critical Skills List.
Dependant Visa
Long Term Visitor’s Visa for spouses and dependant children accompanying or joining an eligible foreign visa holder in South Africa.
Exchange Visa
Long Term Visa for structured educational, cultural, economic, or social exchange programmes involving South African and overseas partner institutions.
General Work
Long Term Work Visa for eligible foreign professionals with a qualifying South African job offer under the current points-based system.
Intra Company Transfer Work Visa
Long Term Work Visa for existing employees transferred within the same international company group to a South African branch, subsidiary, or affiliate.
Medical Treatment Visa
Long Term Visa for planned medical treatment in South Africa requiring an extended treatment period.
Relative Visa
Long Term Visa for eligible immediate family members joining a South African citizen or permanent resident.
Remote Work Visa
Visitor’s Visa for eligible foreign-employed professionals working remotely from South Africa for more than three months.
Research Work Visa
Visitor’s Visa for eligible researchers undertaking a defined research project with a South African host institution.
Retired-Person Visa
Long Term Visa for financially eligible applicants intending to retire in South Africa.
Study Visa
Long Stay D visa for eligible full-time study in Ireland for more than 90 days.
Treaty Visa
Long Term Visa for participation in approved programmes conducted under an international agreement involving South Africa.
TRV Critical Skills Work Visa
Trusted Employer Scheme pathway for eligible critical-skills professionals employed by an approved South African Trusted Employer.
TRV General Work Visa
Trusted Employer Scheme pathway for eligible foreign professionals who qualify for a South Africa General Work Visa.
TRV Intra Company Transfer Visa
Trusted Employer Scheme pathway for existing employees transferred within the same international company group to South Africa.
Volunteer/Charity Work Visa
Long Term Visitor’s Visa for unpaid voluntary or charitable activities with a bona fide organisation in South Africa.
Not sure which visa category fits you? Consult with us — we'll help identify the correct visa category for your case.
What you get
UnivEase service scope
At a glance
Fees & Processing Time
Fees
| Particular | Fees Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Short-Term Visas / Selected Long-Term Visa Fee | INR 2,342 | Applies to all short-term visas, and the following long-term visas: Study, Treaty, Relative, Exchange, Medical Treatment etc. |
| Transit Visa - Bangladeshi Nationals | Gratis | Current VFS fee treatment for Bangladeshi ordinary passport holders applying for a Transit Visa. |
| Business & Main Work Visa Fee (Long-term) | INR 8,375 | Applies to following long-term visas: Business, General Work, Critical Skill, Intra Company Transfer Work and Corporate Work Visa. |
| VFS Service Charge - New Delhi | INR 3,085 | Includes VFS logistics fee, payment convenience fee and courier assistance fee; Per applicant, inclusive of taxes. |
| UnivEase Cross-Country Visa Solutions Service Charge | BDT 25,000 + 15% VAT (BDT 28,750) | For procedural guidance and Bangladesh-New Delhi submission/return coordination; third-party costs are separate. |
| UnivEase Visa Consultancy Service Charge | BDT 10,000 + 15% VAT (BDT 11,500) | For DHA form guidance, checklist-based file preparation, cover letters, supporting letters and other case-specific preparation. |
- •For applicants from Bangladesh, many standard visitor, special visitor and selected long-term categories currently carry an INR 2,342 visa fee for foreign nationals. The Transit Visa is currently gratis for Bangladeshi ordinary passport holders. Business Visa and the main Work Visa categories currently carry an INR 8,375 visa fee. Category-specific exemptions may apply.
- •VFS New Delhi Service Charge is currently INR 3,085. This includes logistics fee, Convenience fee and courier assistance fee. Visa and VFS fees may change and are non-refundable once paid, applicants should verify the current category page before payment.
Processing Time
| Particular | Standard Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Holiday / Family-Friends / Business / Conference / Training / Short Medical | 10-15 working days | Current New Delhi indicative minimum is 5 working days. |
| Transit / Short Term Projects / Film Industry (Short Term) | 10-15 working days | Current New Delhi indicative minimum is 5 working days; category verification or personal appearance may extend processing. |
| Remote Work Visa | Minimum 60 working days | Current VFS New Delhi indicative minimum. |
| Dependant Visa | Minimum 60 working days | Current VFS indicative minimum for the dependant category. |
| Study / Treaty / Medical Treatment / Relative / Exchange / Retired-Person | Minimum 90 days | Current standard long-term timeframe measured from submission. |
| Business & Standard Work Visas | Minimum 90 days | Applies to standard Business, General Work, Critical Skill, Intra Company Transfer and Corporate Work cases. |
| Eligible Trusted Employer Scheme Work Cases | Minimum 15-20 days | Separate TES process may apply to eligible Critical Skill, General Work and Intra Company Transfer cases. |
| UnivEase Cross-Country Coordination | Case-dependent | Depends on applicant readiness, documentation, travel to India, submission and passport-return arrangements. |
Important note: VFS publishes minimum or indicative processing times, not guaranteed decision dates. Timelines may increase or decrease at the discretion of the South African High Commission or Department of Home Affairs and can be extended by verification, additional document requests, application volumes, or category-specific review.
Got questions?
FAQ — South Africa
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