The Indian governement has launched a new electronic visa for foreign students who want to study in India. In order to study in the country, students must first register on the Indian Ministry of Education's web portal and then apply for a student visa.
The student e-visa for India
The new student e-visa has two variants: the e-Student visa for the students themselves, and the e-Student-x visa, for individuals accompanying the students (e.g. family members of the applicant). The student visa permits to follow studies at different levels in India: from undergraduate or postgraduate courses to doctoral programmes or other independent academic training.
The electronic student visa has a maximal validity period of five years, depending on the length of the study programme in India. It is always possible to extend the visa during the stay in India, if needed. Students holding a electronic student visa can enter India through any Indian airport or border crossing with an Immigration Check Post. The requirements regarding the arrival location are less strict for the student visa than for the tourist or business e-visa. The latter only allow travellers to enter the country through a limited number of airports and sea harbours.
Studying in India (SII)
Students wishing to apply for their visa to India, must in the first place register on one of the Indian authorities' websites: the Study in India Portal (SII), which is the Indian Ministry of Education website. Once registered, students will obtain a unique code called SII Student ID, which they should indicate on their visa application.
The SII portal can be used for multiple purposes. It allows students to apply for a place in different universities, as well as applying for financial aids, such as scholarships or tuition fee waivers. Through this platform, the Government of India aims to simplify the application process for foreign students and ultimately to set itself up as an attractive destination for international students.
The application process for international students
Students who wish to study in India need to follow the following steps:
- Register on the SII portal
- Choose a university or college
- Apply to the educational institution of your choice
- Obtain an admission letter
- Submit their visa application
- Once in India: register with the FRRO (Foreigners Regional Registration Office)
Students should fill in a digital form on the SII website in the first place. In the form, they need to provide a series of contact details, such as their name, telephone number, e-mail address and their date of birth. After that, they must select a number of universities or colleges in India. Applicants can choose from over 600 Indian educational institutions and over 8000 different courses and can apply to several universities and colleges simustaneously. There is no limit to the number of educational institutions they can apply to. In fact, the Indian authorities advise students to apply to at least 5 different educational institutions to increase their chances of admission.
Apply for a student visa online
Once they have received an admission letter from the Indian educational institution of their choice, students can start their Indian visa application process. This must be done online, via the Indian Department of Immigration website. In order to apply, students need to enter their personal SII Student ID in the visa application form. In addition, the following documents must be submitted online: the admission letter from the educational institution, a proof of payment of the tuition fees, a bank statement, a scanned copy of the student passport and an identity photo in digital format. The latter two documents are also required for other e-visas.
Travellers entering India on an e-Student visa must report to an FRRO office within 14 days of arrival. The authorities at these offices will register foreign nationals visiting India for an extended period of time.