On January 5 2025, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) introduced two new specialized visa categories: the ‘e-student visa’ and the ‘e-student-x visa’, designed to facilitate foreign students pursuing higher education at Indian academic institutions.
- The e-student visa is available to eligible foreign students registered on the SII portal, while the e-student-x visa is designated for the dependents of e-student visa holders.
- All interested students are required to register on the Study in India (SII) portal, an initiative launched by the Ministry of Education (MoE), to streamline the admission process for international students seeking long-term or short-term courses in India.
About e-student visa :
i.Eligibility: The e-student visa is for foreign nationals enrolled in full-time Undergraduate (UG), Postgraduate (PG), Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), or other formal programs at institutions recognized by India’s regulatory bodies.
- Students can apply for the visa once they receive an admission offer from an SII partner institute.
ii.Duration:Valid for up to five years based on course duration, with extensions available in India.
- Visa holders may enter India via any authorized immigration checkpoint.
iii.Registration Process: Students must apply for a visa separately through the https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/. The authenticity of their application will be verified using their SII Identification(ID).
About the Study in India (SII) portal:
i.The Study in India (SII) portal was launched in 2018 to streamline the admission process for international students pursuing higher education in India.
ii.The platform connects students to over 600 partner institutes in India offering more than 8,000 courses across disciplines like engineering, management, agriculture, sciences, arts, humanities, commerce, law, paramedical sciences (pharmacy, nursing), and niche fields like Buddhist Studies and Yoga.
iii.Foreign students applying for the SII program can receive financial assistance through the Study in India Scholarship or a Fee Waiver.
- The SII Scholarship, valued at USD 3,200, is awarded to students who excel in the PRAGATII Exam.
Note: According to Henley Passport Index 2024, India’s passport ranked 83rd, providing its citizens with visa-free access to 58 countries.
About Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA):
Union Minister – Amit Shah (Constituency – Gandhinagar, Gujarat)
Minister of State(MoS) – Nityanand Rai (Constituency – Ujiarpur, Bihar); Bandi Sanjay Kumar (Constituency – Karimnagar, Telangana)
