Govt Introduces 2 New Special Visa Options for International Students | How to Apply

Two special category visas by India—’e-student visa’ and ‘e-student-x visa’—have been implemented to allow international students to pursue higher education at Indian academic institutions. Both of these visas are now permitted by the MHA but require registration on the government’s ‘Study in India’ portal by the applicants.

An e-student visa for an international student having a profile or registration on SII; On the other hand, there are ‘e- student -X’ which the dependents holding an ‘E- student-Visa.

The whole of Admission process from enrolling and long-term short-time courses are easier for an International student under an SII.

How to apply for Special Visa?

Applying should be done by using the portal found at https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/ and validated by SII ID. Officials, as per news agency PTI, assert that “it is compulsory for students to apply to Indian higher education institutions via the SII website.”

The process to apply begins with registering on the SII portal. Students provide basic information such as name, country, date of birth, mobile number, and e-mail ID. There should be a unique SII ID for each student to check the status of his or her application, visa processing, and other related processes. Without an ID, students cannot go further with their Indian studies.

Once a student gets an admission offer from any of the partner institutions listed on the SII portal, he or she can apply for a visa. The e-student visa is issued to foreign nationals admitted to full-time undergraduate, postgraduate, or PhD programs at institutions recognized by India’s statutory and regulatory bodies.

These can be up to five years long, depending upon the duration of the course undertaken, and students can renew it while staying in India. A valid e-student visa can also allow access to India from any immigration checkpoint.

Study in India (SII) Program

The SII program, led by the Ministry of Education, is a program to attract international students to pursue higher education in India. The initiative has partnered with more than 600 institutes offering more than 8,000 courses in various fields, including engineering, technology, management, agriculture, sciences, arts, humanities, language studies, law, paramedical sciences, and specialized programs like Buddhist Studies and Yoga.

Students can choose from a wide array of courses at India’s best institutions, such as undergraduate, postgraduate, doctoral, and certification programs. The application process is straightforward; students apply online, and their applications will be considered for the programs they select.