The Bureau of Immigration (BoI), Government of India, has issued a fresh reminder for foreign nationals arriving in the country on a Student Visa, outlining the registration requirements and procedures that allow them to continue their academic programmes without interruption.In a post on X, the Bureau shared that obtaining a Student Visa is only the first step. Students are also required to complete post arrival formalities within the prescribed timeline to ensure their stay in India remains legally valid.

Registration within 14 days

According to the advisory, 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 applying for the “Registration” service.Once the application is approved, students are issued a Registration Certificate or Residential Permit (RC/RP), which serves as proof of their legal stay in India. The Bureau advised students to carefully check the expiry date mentioned on the document, as it determines the validity of their residential permission.

When to apply for an RC/RP extension

The Bureau also clarified that if a student’s Registration Certificate or Residential Permit is nearing its expiry date while the Student Visa remains valid, they should apply for a “Registration Extension” through the e-FRRO portal before the permit expires.This process extends the validity of the residential permit without requiring an immediate visa renewal.

Student Visa extension

For students whose Student Visa is approaching expiry, the Bureau said they should apply for the “Visa Extension” service on the e-FRRO portal. This allows eligible foreign students to continue their academic programme in India without disrupting their legal immigration status.The advisory distinguishes between extending the Registration Certificate or Residential Permit and extending the Student Visa, reminding students that both documents have separate validity periods and should be monitored independently.With international student mobility continuing to grow, the Bureau’s advisory serves as a reminder that timely registration and renewal of immigration documents remain an essential part of studying in India.