The Bureau of Immigration (BoI), government of India, has issued a fresh reminder to foreigners arriving in India on student visas, outlining registration requirements and procedures that will allow them to continue their studies without interruption.Obtaining a student visa is only the first step, the bureau said in a post on X. Students are also required to complete post-arrival formalities within the stipulated time to ensure that their stay in India remains legal and valid.
Register within 14 days
As per the advisory, all foreigners entering India on a student visa must register with the jurisdictional Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) within 14 days of arrival.The registration process is done by applying for the “Registration” service through the e-FRRO portal.Once the application is approved, students will be issued a Registration Certificate or Residency Permit (RC/RP) as proof of their legal residence in India. The Authority advises students to carefully check the validity period mentioned on the document, as it determines the validity period of the residence permit.
When to apply for RC/RP extension
The bureau also clarified that if a student’s registration certificate or residence permit is about to expire and the student visa is still valid, a “registration extension” should be applied for through the e-FRRO portal before the license expires.This process allows you to extend the validity of your residence permit without immediately renewing your visa.
Student visa extension
For students whose student visas are about to expire, the bureau said they should apply for the “visa extension” service on the e-FRRO portal. This allows eligible foreign students to continue their studies in India without affecting their legal immigration status.The recommendation distinguishes between registration certificate or residence permit extensions and student visa extensions, reminding students that these two documents have different validity periods and should be monitored independently.As international student mobility continues to grow, the Bureau’s advice is a reminder that timely registration and updating of immigration documents remain important components of studying in India.
