US B1/B2 Tourist Visa from Bangladesh: Dhaka Process & 2026 Bond Rule

The US B1/B2 visitor visa is the standard route for Bangladeshi nationals traveling to the United States for tourism, visiting family, or short business trips — Bangladesh is not part of the Visa Waiver Program, so there’s no ESTA option. Applying from Bangladesh in 2026 comes with a corridor-specific wrinkle that didn’t exist a year earlier: a visa bond requirement introduced at the US Embassy in Dhaka. This guide covers the process and what’s changed.

The 2026 visa bond at Dhaka

Effective January 21, 2026, the US Embassy in Dhaka began requiring some Bangladeshi applicants approved for a B1/B2 visa to pay a refundable bond — reported at up to $15,000, with the embassy assessing individual applicants into tiers (reportedly $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000) depending on factors considered at the interview. A few practical points:

The bond is decided at your interview, not before. The embassy has explicitly warned applicants not to pay any bond-related fee in advance of being told to — doing so in response to a third-party site or unsolicited message is very likely a scam.
It applies going forward, not retroactively. Holders of valid B1/B2 visas issued before January 21, 2026 are reportedly not subject to the bond on that existing visa.
Payment, when required, goes through pay.gov — the official US government payment portal — not a travel agency or private website.
It’s described as refundable, generally tied to complying with your visa’s conditions (not overstaying, not working, departing on time). Confirm the specific refund mechanics and timeline with the embassy, since bond programs’ administrative details can be more involved than a simple deposit-and-return.

Because this is a recently introduced and unusual requirement, treat any numbers or mechanics above as a starting point and verify directly with the US Embassy Dhaka’s official website or verified social channels before your interview.

What the visa is — and isn’t — for

The embassy has repeatedly reminded Bangladeshi applicants in 2026 that B1/B2 is strictly for temporary visits: tourism, visiting family, business meetings, or medical treatment. It is explicitly not valid for working for a US employer or business, studying for credit, or traveling specifically to give birth in the US (“birth tourism”). Misrepresenting your travel purpose, or a prior history that suggests visa misuse, is a direct path to refusal or worse — match your stated purpose to what the visa actually allows.

Refusal rates and Section 214(b)

Third-party analyses of recent refusal data have placed Bangladesh among the higher-refusal-rate countries in Asia for B1/B2 applications, with most refusals issued under Section 214(b) — the presumption that every applicant intends to immigrate unless they prove otherwise. Common factors cited in refusals include unclear or implausible travel purpose, weak financial documentation, and limited demonstrated ties to Bangladesh (family, property, employment, or an ongoing business).

What to bring to your Dhaka interview

DS-160 confirmation page and appointment letter.
Valid passport and, if applicable, any previous US visas (even expired ones).
Evidence of your trip’s purpose — invitation letter if visiting family or for business, details of your itinerary and accommodation.
Financial documentation — bank statements, employment letter, or business ownership documents showing you can fund the trip and have a reason (and the means) to return home.
Evidence of ties to Bangladesh — property, family, employment, or an active business are the most persuasive; a letter from an employer confirming your job and approved leave helps.

Fees

The standard B1/B2 MRV application fee has remained at $185 as of 2026. Budget separately for the bond if the embassy requires one at your interview, and never pre-pay a bond to a third party.

If you’re refused

A 214(b) refusal can be addressed by reapplying once your situation changes in a way that better supports your case — stronger documented ties, a clearer and more specific travel purpose, or addressing whatever the officer raised. See our refusal and reapplication guide and 214(b) next-steps guide for the general approach; nothing about the Dhaka bond changes the standard 214(b) framework.

This is not legal advice

The Dhaka visa bond is a new and evolving requirement as of 2026. Confirm current rules, bond tiers, and refund mechanics directly with the US Embassy Dhaka before your interview, and consult a licensed immigration attorney for anything beyond routine preparation.

Tracking US visa requirements from Bangladesh as they change? Join the VisaMet waitlist.

VisaMet provides preparation guidance, not legal advice. Confirm current requirements with the official source before applying.