Student Visa

Who needs a Student Visa

• Foreigners who will pursue on-campus, full-time structured courses or research at educational institutions recognised by the Government of India.
• Foreigners who will study yoga, Vedic culture, Indian systems of dance or music, Buddhist studies etc. at institutions approved by the Government of India.
• Research scholars, visiting research faculty, research scholars on bilateral exchange programmes, members of botanical, scientific or anthropological expeditions, and G-20 Talent Visa holders.
• Those coming for an internship in India.

Important guidelines

• All foreign students who wish to study in India must register on the Study in India (SII) portal. The portal generates a unique SII-ID, which must be quoted in the student visa application. It is a one-stop platform for applications, admissions and visas for regular, short-term and long-term courses. This registration is mandatory. If your institution is not listed on the portal, inform the institution with a copy to the Embassy.
• Do not enrol in courses offered by franchise institutes running off-campus centres, study centres of open universities offering distance learning, or institutes running “outreach” programmes.
• Foreign students must open a Non-Resident Ordinary (NRO) account in a recognised bank in India and give the details to the FRRO concerned.
• Student visa holders must not engage in any employment or business in India.
• Foreign nationals (except Pakistan nationals) with student visas valid for more than 180 days, or as endorsed on the visa, must register with the FRRO within 14 days of arrival in India.
• A change of institution is allowed only for reasonable grounds such as insufficient infrastructure, lack of facilities or unavailability of the chosen course.
• If your institution is in a restricted or protected area, obtain a Restricted/Protected Area Permit (RAP/PAP); contact your institution.
• If you discontinue the course, inform the FRRO immediately.

Documents required

• Visa application form, filled in online at indianvisaonline.gov.in and signed.
• Valid Chilean or foreign passport (original and copy).
• Proof of address.
• Photograph.
• Surrender Certificate (mandatory only for foreign nationals of Indian origin).
• Admission letter from a recognised educational institution.
• Certificate of registration of the educational institution.
• Financial arrangement letter.
• Letter for the student exchange programme (if applicable).
• Receipt of the admission acknowledgement fee from the educational institution.
• For research scholars, an additional form is required: write to cons1[dot]santiago[at]mea[dot]gov[dot]in and it will be sent to you by email.

Where to submit

The Embassy of India will not accept any responsibility if a courier is lost, misplaced, damaged or delayed.