Are you planning to study in India? The Immigration Office shares the registration, visa extension rules for international students

The Bureau of Immigration (BoI), Government of India, has issued a new reminder for foreign nationals arriving in the country on a student visa, outlining the requirements and registration procedures to allow them to continue their academic programs without interruption.In a post on X, the Office shared that obtaining a student visa is only the first step. Students must also complete post-arrival formalities within the stipulated time frame to ensure that their stay in India remains legally valid.

Registration in 14 days

According to the notice, all foreign nationals entering India on a student visa must register with the jurisdictional Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) within 14 days of their arrival.The registration process is carried out through the e-FRRO portal by requesting the “Registration” service.Once the application is approved, students receive a Certificate of Registration or Residence Permit (RC/RP), which serves as proof of their legal stay in India. The Office advised students to carefully check the expiry date mentioned in the document, as it determines the validity of their residence permit.

When to apply for an RC/RP extension

The Office also clarified that if a student’s Certificate of Enrollment or Residence Permit is nearing its expiration date while the student visa is still valid, they should apply for a “registration extension” through the e-FRRO portal before the permit expires.This process extends the validity of the residence permit without requiring an immediate renewal of the visa.

Student visa extension

For students whose student visa is nearing expiry, the Office said they should apply for the ‘Visa Extension’ service on the e-FRRO portal. This allows eligible foreign students to continue their academic program in India without interrupting their legal immigration status.The notice distinguishes between the extension of the registration certificate or residence permit and the extension of the student visa, reminding students that both documents have separate validity periods and must be monitored independently.With international student mobility continuing to grow, the Bureau’s advice serves as a reminder that timely registration and renewal of immigration documents remains an essential part of studying in India.