Indian students face tougher path abroad as visa scrutiny tightens in major study destinations

It’s a tough year to be an Indian student wanting to study overseas, as new rules from Australia, Germany, and the US have left them facing tighter visa scrutiny.

In Australia, international students from India are now facing heightened visa scrutiny after South Asian nations were put into its “highest-risk” category, citing “emerging integrity issues.”

India, along with Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan, was moved from Evidence Level (EL) 2 to EL 3 on Jan 8, which means visa applicants and providers must submit more detailed proof of financial capacity and academic history. This may also mean longer processing times and a higher risk of rejections.

A Home Affairs spokesman, however, stressed they would continue to welcome “genuine students” seeking quality education in the country, News.com.au reported.

Similar measures have also been rolled out in Germany and the United States.

In the United States, Indian students can no longer apply for student visas at US consulates outside their country of citizenship or legal residence. This means no more “third-country” visa processing, which could lead to longer wait times given the high demand at US consulates in India.

The Times of India reported earlier in January that many student visa applicants never reached the interview stage due to a shortage of slots. In fact, due to this, Indian student enrolment in universities in the US fell by nearly 75%.

Meanwhile, in Germany, Indian students have been receiving requests to leave the country from the Berlin Immigration Office (LEA), or risk deportation.

Around 4,500 Indian students from one of Germany’s largest private universities, International University (IU), are on the brink of deportation as LEA changed its approach to hybrid degree programmes “without informing IU International University,” Euronews reported.

According to a student studying at the university, he completed a semester online back home before relocating to Germany to complete the degree there. 

Under Section 16b of Germany’s Residence Act, a temporary residence permit may only be issued for full-time studies at a state or state-recognised university or a comparable institution.

Berlin’s official Service Portal also states that applicants for a temporary residence permit must have their main residence in Berlin, meaning they live in the city. “A second residence in Berlin is not sufficient,” the portal adds.

One student told Euronews in December that IU had been paying lawyers to help affected students file appeals so they would not have to cover legal costs themselves. Insiders also told the media that the university will no longer be accepting new international students at its Berlin campus until further notice “due to the ongoing legal and administrative uncertainties with the LEA.”

/TISG

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