Visa
Indian Visa: In India, the process for providing Visa is different for different countries. Student Visa provided to International students is a multiple-entry Visa that facilitates students to visit India during the Visa validity period. The India student visa is valid for a period of five years or for the duration of the course of study, whichever is less. They can also be extended with relevant supporting documents.
Steps in the application process of Indian Visa:
- Enrol in a course at an Indian University/college: Once a student gets accepted to a course in an institution, a formal acceptance letter will be sent to the student from the institution, which is a mandatory document in the Visa application process.
- Fill out the online Visa application form: Fill out all the necessary details in the Visa application form correctly.
- Upload your digital photographs: once the details are filled in the application form, Your digital photographs should be uploaded into the portal.
Photo specifications:
- Format: JPEG
- Size: Minimum 10 KB to Maximum 300 KB
- The height and width of the Photo must be equal.
- The photo should consist the person’s Full face, front view, with eyes open.
- The background should be plain light coloured or white background.
- No shadows on the face or in the background.
- Without borders.
- Make sure that photo presents a full head from top of the hair to bottom of the chin.
- Submit your application: Make sure the application is filled out correctly. Once the application is submitted, students won’t be able to make any changes.
- After filling the form and submitting it, the system shall automatically generate an Application Id. Applicants are requested to keep this Application Id for further communications with the concerned Indian Mission.
- The system will automatically ask the Applicant for the following confirmation: Select ‘Yes’ if the applicant wants to seek an appointment and make payment online or ‘No’ if the applicant just wants to print the submitted application form.
- If the applicant’s response is ‘No’, then it is requested by the applicant to take the printout of the submitted online application form and approach the concerned Indian Mission for submission of the online form along with supporting documents and to make payment.
- If the applicant’s response is ‘Yes’, then the system automatically takes the link to perform the following:
- Selection of Date and Time of appointment at the concerned Indian Mission and Calculation of Visa fee, service charge, VAT etc. as applicable according to the Visa type.
- Fee Payment: pay the fee online after submitting the application or pay it at the Indian mission. The fee varies from country to country.
- Visa approval: Wait for the visa to get approved. The minimum time for Visa processing is three days. The time taken for Visa processing varies from country to country. If your visa is approved, you can have it mailed to your address through post or collect it from Indian Visa Application Center (IVAC).
Documents required during the appointment at IVAC:
- Formal admission letter from your institute
- Passport-sized photographs
- Passport with a minimum of 6 months validity
- Photocopy of passport
- Printed online application form
- Proof of where you will be living
- Bank statement or any other proof as evidence to cover your expenses in India
Note: The document required may vary across countries. Confirm the documents required from your nearest Indian embassy/mission. You can find the contact details of the Indian embassy/missions in your country here.
Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO): The Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) is a government agency in India that is responsible for registering and monitoring the stay of foreigners in the country. This agency plays a crucial role in ensuring the safety and security of foreigners visiting India and helps to keep track of their movements. The Indian government has now launched an e-FRRO portal that offers a streamlined, digital-only experience for foreign nationals
Registering to FRRO is important because it helps to prevent any potential security threats and ensures that foreigners are staying with valid visas till the visa expiration date. FRRO provides a central point of contact for foreigners and helps them navigate the Indian bureaucracy. The agency is responsible for registering foreigners and issuing registration certificates, which are required for various activities such as opening a bank account or obtaining a SIM card. Without the registration certificate, foreigners would have to deal with multiple government agencies, which can be a confusing and time-consuming process. FRRO also provides other services to foreign nationals such as the issue of Entry Visas, issue of Exit Visas, issue of Travel Documents, and issue of Visa Extensions by charging the respective FRRO visa extension fees.
In addition to these functions, FRRO is also a valuable resource for foreign nationals who may have questions or concerns about their stay in India. The staff at these offices are trained to provide information and assistance on a wide range of topics, such as Indian customs and culture, local laws and regulations, and travel and tourism. They are also equipped to handle emergency situations and provide support to foreign nationals who may be in distress.
Steps to register on the EFRRO portal:
- Visit the official e-FRRO portal and click on Already registered? Login here option.
- Click on register tab and fill in the requested information. Enter captcha and click on submit.
- Click on Fresh/New online application submission. Fill in the requested information and choose registration as the service. Select student visa in visa type and select your visa subtype in the visa subtype drop-down box.
- A list showing the documents required will appear. Click submit. Make sure you possess all these documents.
- Fill in the requested details in e-FRRO Application Form. After filling the details, enter captcha and click on Save and Continue.
- Upload all the documents requested in Photo and Document Upload. It is important to ensure that the application form is filled out accurately and that all relevant documentation and photos are attached in the required format. Incomplete submissions will not be accepted.
- Any necessary corrections will be communicated through email.
- The status of the application can be viewed in Status Enquiry.
- Upon completion of the application process, the individual will be informed of the outcome, and any necessary documents will be sent via email or made available for download on the portal.
Documents required for e-FRRO registration:
- A valid passport with a valid visa
- The FRRO registration application form
- A copy of the passport page that includes the validity, Indian visa, and arrival stamp
- Additional documents may be required depending on the specific FRRO location
- Proof of residential address in India
- A letter of undertaking and an identity document from an Indian sponsor
- It is important to note that there is currently no registration fee
- For those with a student visa, a Bonafide certificate from the relevant academy/institute must be submitted
- Soft copies of passport-sized coloured photographs with a white background are required, and caps, hats, or spectacles cannot be worn in the photos.
Other documents may be required by the local FRRO office, depending on the circumstances.
Once the Form is submitted, the individual will receive an acknowledgement receipt which must be carried with them at all times. They will also be required to provide a copy of this receipt to their employer or educational institution. It should be noted that failure to register with the FRRO or failure to report any changes in personal information can result in fines and/or deportation.
The students are not required to mandatorily visit FRRO/FRO office for a grant of service. However, in certain exceptional cases, they will be informed to visit the FRRO/FRO on the scheduled date and time for the interview.