Obtaining student visa in India

Quetzal · Oct 31st, 2009, 16:18

I just read on the web side of the ministry of home affairs that it is impossible to change a tourist visa into student visa and that you can only obtain a student visa coming into the country with a provisional student visa.
Does this practically apply leaving India (e.g. going to Nepal), applying for a provisional student visa and coming back to into to turn this into a student visa? Or of course maybe applying forthe student visa in Nepal?
Are there any other options? Please report your experience!

dzibead · Oct 31st, 2009, 17:03

What country are your a citizen of? Getting a student visa is a rather involved process. It's not simply a matter of popping over the border and submitting a form. For one thing, you must already be admitted to a qualified educational institution in order to be given a student visa. I have no idea what you mean when you say "you can only obtain a student visa coming into the country with a provisional student visa". If you think the only way to get a student visa is to first get a "provisional" student visa, you are mistaken. As far as I know, the only time provisional student visas are given is when the applicant's admission to the educational institution has not yet been finalized but the applicant can show, by means of documentation from the educational institution, that the application is being processed. If a provisional student visa is given, the individual must complete the admission process and convert the visa to a regular student visa within a fairly short period of time or the provisional visa will lapse and the individual will have the leave the country. The individual also has to show evidence of his or her financial arrangements for the stay in India during the period of study.

nycank · Oct 31st, 2009, 18:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quetzal

I just read on the web side of the ministry of home affairs that it is impossible to change a tourist visa into student visa and that you can only obtain a student visa coming into the country with a provisional student visa.
Does this practically apply leaving India (e.g. going to Nepal), applying for a provisional student visa and coming back to into to turn this into a student visa? Or of course maybe applying forthe student visa in Nepal?
Are there any other options? Please report your experience!

Do you have an admission letter from an authorized and recognized Educational institution ? If not, it is unlikely that you will be granted any provisional visa.

Haylo · Oct 31st, 2009, 19:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by nycank

Do you have an admission letter from an authorized and recognized Educational institution ? If not, it is unlikely that you will be granted any provisional visa.

I read fairly recently on an official website that prospective students can be granted a short term provisional student visa to enable them to visit educational establishments in India prior to signing up for a course. It MAY only apply to children of people coming to India in Employment or business visas.

Unfortunately I can't remember offhand where I saw it, and I'm too busy right now to search.

Nick-H · Oct 31st, 2009, 19:43

Quote:

Q.2 Can foreign students come on Tourist Visa to explore admission in
some courses/institutes and get Student Visa while in India?
A. No. In order to enable the foreign students to explore various options
to study in India, he/she can apply for provisional Student Visa of 6
months duration from Indian Mission abroad and once he/she gets the
confirmed admission while in India, he/she can apply for a Student Visa to
the local FRRO/FRO along with necessary documentary evidences of
confirmed admission, financial standing etc.

MHA Student Visa FAQ --->Here (PDF)

Haylo · Oct 31st, 2009, 20:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick-H

MHA Student Visa FAQ --->Here (PDF)

Brilliant, thanks Nick, I KNEW I'd seen it somewhere.

I don't recall seeing any reference on the Embassy websites to a separate "Provisional Student Visa" but from the capitalisation on the MHA FAQs, what you need is a provisional "Student Visa"

Lets just hope the Indian Embassies do actually know about this, as the official line by the UK and US missions is "If you want a student visa, submit the receipt for your course fees"...

Quetzal · Oct 31st, 2009, 21:11

This it what I also read. The question remains even if I can prove that I am starting a course and I am on a tourist visa is it possible to obtain a student visa while in India?.

Nick-H · Oct 31st, 2009, 21:21

In other words, can one apply for a student visa in India?

I don't know --- I think you are going to have to ask!

Do please let us know how you get on, as others will benefit from that information.

Haylo · Oct 31st, 2009, 22:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quetzal

The question remains even if I can prove that I am starting a course and I am on a tourist visa is it possible to obtain a student visa while in India?.

The question does not remain.

What part of the "No" on the FAQ list don't you understand?

Quote:

MHA's Student Visa FAQ
Q.2 Can foreign students come on Tourist Visa to explore admission in some courses/institutes and get Student Visa while in India?

A. No.

Surely the quote above makes it perfectly clear that you cannot enter India on a Tourist Visa then get a Student Visa while in India.

You CAN enter India on a provisional Student Visa then get another Student Visa while still in India.

Nick-H · Oct 31st, 2009, 22:48

I don;t know how I missed that too!

Yes, I'm afraid it is plain enough: No.

From another thread, you apparently have a history of tourist visas, so I would expect them to look closely at an application for a student visa. As you might have noticed, it is a hardening climate.

(... if a climate can "harden"

)

Oct 31st, 2009, 16:18	#1
Quetzal Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: varanasi Posts: 21	Obtaining student visa in India I just read on the web side of the ministry of home affairs that it is impossible to change a tourist visa into student visa and that you can only obtain a student visa coming into the country with a provisional student visa. Does this practically apply leaving India (e.g. going to Nepal), applying for a provisional student visa and coming back to into to turn this into a student visa? Or of course maybe applying forthe student visa in Nepal? Are there any other options? Please report your experience!

Oct 31st, 2009, 17:03	#2
dzibead res ipsa loquitur Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Northern California Posts: 2,885	What country are your a citizen of? Getting a student visa is a rather involved process. It's not simply a matter of popping over the border and submitting a form. For one thing, you must already be admitted to a qualified educational institution in order to be given a student visa. I have no idea what you mean when you say "you can only obtain a student visa coming into the country with a provisional student visa". If you think the only way to get a student visa is to first get a "provisional" student visa, you are mistaken. As far as I know, the only time provisional student visas are given is when the applicant's admission to the educational institution has not yet been finalized but the applicant can show, by means of documentation from the educational institution, that the application is being processed. If a provisional student visa is given, the individual must complete the admission process and convert the visa to a regular student visa within a fairly short period of time or the provisional visa will lapse and the individual will have the leave the country. The individual also has to show evidence of his or her financial arrangements for the stay in India during the period of study. __________________ "Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power." - Abraham Lincoln "The perfect is the enemy of the good." - Voltaire

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Oct 31st, 2009, 21:11	#7
Quetzal Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: varanasi Posts: 21	This it what I also read. The question remains even if I can prove that I am starting a course and I am on a tourist visa is it possible to obtain a student visa while in India?.

Oct 31st, 2009, 21:21	#8
Nick-H This is just a cameo appearance Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 36,213	In other words, can one apply for a student visa in India? I don't know --- I think you are going to have to ask! Do please let us know how you get on, as others will benefit from that information.

Oct 31st, 2009, 22:48	#10
Nick-H This is just a cameo appearance Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 36,213	I don;t know how I missed that too! Yes, I'm afraid it is plain enough: No. From another thread, you apparently have a history of tourist visas, so I would expect them to look closely at an application for a student visa. As you might have noticed, it is a hardening climate. (... if a climate can "harden" )