New Type of Visas
06-01-2025
09:30 AM
1 min read
Overview:
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.
About New Type of Visas:
- 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.
- Eligibility: 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.
What isStudy in India (SII) portal?
- It is a flagship initiative by the Ministry of Education, hosting over 600 partner institutions offering more than 8,000 courses across disciplines such as engineering, management, agriculture, sciences, arts, humanities, law, paramedical sciences (including pharmacy and nursing), and specialised fields like Buddhist Studies and Yoga.
- Programmes are available at undergraduate, postgraduate, doctoral, and certification levels, providing flexibility for students to choose courses aligned with their interests at premier Indian institutions.
- The SII portal streamlines the admission process for foreign students seeking to enrol in long-term or short-term courses in the country.

Q1: What is E-Visa?
E-Visa is a system developed with the aim of saving passengers from long-term and tiring bureaucratic procedures, as well as creating an alternative to visas issued at the borders. Online users can apply for visas online to the countries they wish to visit. Those who are considering applying for a visa can obtain their travel documents if they meet the requirements through the e-visa system. Online visas are issued mainly for touristic purposes.
Source: IE