Special Category Visas : Introduced
The Ministry of Home Affairs introduced two special category visas namely ‘e-student visa’ and ‘e-student-x’ visa for international students intending to pursue higher education in the country.
- The two new visas namely; ‘e-student visa’ and ‘e-student-x’ introduced by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
- Eligible international students registered on the Study in India (SII) portal can access the e-student visa facility, while dependents of e-student visa holders are eligible for the e-student-x visa.
- Foreign nationals admitted to full-time undergraduate, postgraduate, PhD, or other formal programs at recognised educational institutions in India are eligible for e-student visas.
- These visas are issued for durations of up to five years, depending on the course length, and can be extended. Holders of valid e-student visas can enter India through any immigration check post.