Student Travel

Student Travel is offered to those foreigners who are willing to study further and do a vocational course in Indian institutes or Universities. It is a special Travel to enter India to conduct courses and further education in Indian colleges.

However, a student visa is granted to those whose sole objective is to conduct full-time courses including vocational education, English, and other language courses at Central or State Government Educational Institutions and Private Educational Institutes which must be recognized by the statutory regulatory body.

The foreign student have to show his or her proof of admission to a full-time course in a reputed and recognized educational institute in India so that, the student can get a student visa easily. Meanwhile, in case of admission in a para-medical course or medical college, the foreign student should generate a letter of approval or ‘No Objection Certificate’ from the Ministry of Health.

The student must have a strong background (the financial background); he or she also needs to show a letter of support from his or her parent/guardian including accompanying a bank certificate or guarantee. Then, the admission for courses in India will be accepted and the student visa will be granted. That’s not all; the student also needs to produce evidence of transfer of funds for at least 4 months sustenance in India or travelers' cheque with the same amount.

Some of the other points need to remind

The government of India offers foreigner a student visa for five years or the duration of the course of study:

• To the foreign student who is coming to India to pursue full time and regular academic studies.
• For those students who desire to study in India can come for training, summer projects and internship.
• However, the Provisional student visa is valid for 6 months who are willing to give admission tests in various institutes or exploring institutes for the admission.
• If a student coming to India for admission and a family member accompanying the applicant must apply for Entry Travel (Not Tourist Travel. Its termination date will be the same as the applicant who is willing to visit India for study).

Note:

The Student Travel is not provided to the foreign nationals Educational Institutes or sponsored franchise, off-campus centers, Study Centers that offer distance learning programs on Open Universities, and Educational Institutes running outreach programs, and offering various courses without any government statutory sanction from a regulatory authority.

• However, the Student Travel will not be granted for those students who wish to do short-term courses in India from private or not listed institutes or courses under vocational educational institutes available in the website of All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).
• Student Travel holders are advised to open their NRO account (Non-Resident Ordinary) in India and the details of that account must be furnished to FRRO/FRO concern during admission registration or visa extension as a proof of finance sustenance.
• The student also needs to do prior clearance from the Ministry of Home Affairs for the issue of Protected Area Permit (PAP) or Restricted Area Permit (Rap) if in case the study centre falls within the Restricted Area.
• At the time of admission, the Educational Institutions must inform the foreign students that if their study centre falls within the Protected or Restricted Area will be notified by the Government of India. In case, the study centre falls in the Protected or Restricted Area, then the Educational Institute shall offer advice to the foreign student to obtain PAP or RAP from the Indian Mission or Post concerned while applying for Student Travel.

The student visa may also be offered to foreigners for taking admission in the following private educational institutes for the duration of the course or the course must be 1 year. The course must not be less than this period and on the conditions:

• (1) NIIT
• (2) APTECH
• (3) Tata Infotech
• (4) Software Technology Group
• (5) DSK Global Education and Research Limited, Pune

These educational institutes must take courses at their own institutes or educational centres and premises not at the franchise educational institutes or off-campus.

Validity of the Student Travel

• The government of India or the immigration authority may grant Student travel to nationals and their citizens who are willing to study in India for a maximum period of up to five years or the duration of the academy course. However, these nationals must not include Pakistan and Bangladesh for an educational visa or student travel.
• The validity of the Student Travel must not exceed 5 years. However, the student of a foreign country is granted four academic years to visit India and their own country during vacations or holidays.
• In emergencies, the student may get additional entries by FRRO/ FRO with prior permission from the University or Educational Institution.
• However, if a student of Bangladesh and Pakistan applies for a student travel, then he or she need to complete some procedure or stipulations prescribed separately by the government of India.

Conditions for Student Travel

If a foreigner desire to apply student visa for study in India, then he or she should follow these guidelines before applying:

• The foreign student will be allowed to change his or her course three times during the time of student visa applying in India. However, if the student needs any further changes, then the foreign national will have to obtain a new Student Travel from the Indian Mission or immigration.
• There will be no restriction with the reference to the number of courses a student who wants to apply multiple courses in multiple institutes.
• In case, a foreign student wants to change his or her course in midway and want to join another course, the period of validity of student visa will be counted from the very beginning (from the date of issue of visa).
• Every University and Educational Institution shall inform to the FRRO/FRO in respect of foreign students who enrolled in the Educational Institution or University within the time.
• If a foreigner wants to pursue industrial training or internship or summer project etc, then he or she will be able to apply for the Student Travel, but this needs to be described in the curriculum. However, there is no special permission provided for the completion of such courses.

Note: the change of institute or University shall be allowed if a student has reasons for the University such as paucity of the facility, ground of insufficient infrastructure, and unavailability of the course of their choice and so on.

Provisional visa for a student

In case an applicant does not have a certificate of taking admission from the recognized institute/ University/college/ educational centres may be offered a ‘Provisional Student Travel’ based on provisional admission certificate which defines that the foreign student does have the letter of the university where he or she wants to take admission in India. The Provisional Student Travel is granted to students with six months period which also can be extended if needed under the jurisdictional FRRO/FRO. The copy of FRRO/ FRO confirms the receipt of his or her admission to the institute in India. However, the Student gets regular admission in some reputed college/ educational institutes/ University by showing the validity of his or her provisional travel.<
However, the Student Travel comes with 5 years validity until the course is done.

Theological Studies

A student visa is offered to the foreign students who want to do theological studies in India in the government or private institutes or Universities of India, can be granted this visa for one year. However, here are some of the theological studies Universities and Institutions mentioned below:

• (1) Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh
• (2) University of Kolkata, Kolkata
• (3) Jamia Hamdard, Hamdard Nagar, New Delhi
• (4) Jamia Milia Islamia, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi
• (5) Osmania University, Hyderabad
• (6) Gujarat University, Ahmedabad
• (7) North Maharashtra University, Jalgaon
• (8) University of Calicut, Calicut
• (9) Kerala University, Thiruvananthapuram
• (10) University of Mumbai, Mumba
• (11) M.S. University of Baroda, Vadodara

In these Universities, a foreigner can take admission after obtaining the clearance from the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Extension of Student Travel

If a foreign student fails to qualify a course which he or she took can apply for the Student Travel extension for three attempts beyond the original course time as long as the Institute or University grants permission to that student to complete the course. FRRO/FRO are also permitted this change of course if required or applied by the student.

Registration, renewal, and permission to stay in Indian residence and transfer of University

• The foreign student who is coming in India on Student Travel or Provisional Travel will be allowed on provisional registration by FRRO/FRO within 14 days from the date of visiting in India for all countries except Pakistan.
• In the case of Pakistan nationals, the student needs to register him or herself within 24 hours of arrival.
• At the time of provisional registration, the student needs to show his or her valid passport, travel, photographs, citizenship, and student certificate from the institute where he or she studied. The Provisional certificates must have the address of the Institute and that must be issued by the Head of Department of Principal or the Director of the International Studies Centre.
• The final registration needs to done within 90 days from the date of arrival on Indian residence (also include regular hostel accommodation).
• The student can renew his or her residential permit and it can be done within one day after the application completes its all requirements.
• However, if a student wants to change or transfer his institute will get the clearance within 15 days under the jurisdiction of the FRRO/FRO. Meanwhile, the student needs to submit his or her request to transfer University with the original cancellation certificate issued by the existing University so that a new admission confirmation certificate can be issued by the new University.
• In case a foreign student wants to discontinue his or her course in India and seeks an exit, then the FRRO/FRO will cancel his or her Student Travel without prejudice.