China resumes long-term visas for Indian students

After a gap of two years, the Chinese government has resumed the visa application process for students who intend to resume their studies or intend to visit the country for long-term study.

The Chinese Embassy in India on Monday announced through its website the updated visa procedures and various categories under which visas would be issued to travellers from India.

Students who wish to resume studies in the neighbouring country would be issued X1-Visa.

According to a release on the website of the Chinese Embassy in India, the visa is "Issued to students who intend to go to China to pursue long-term study for higher academic education, including newly-enrolled students and students who return to China to resume their studies."

According to the release, the students are required to submit a covering letter with details including place to visit, name, address, contact number, and email address of the university or entity of admission and others. 

For newly-enrolled students, they are required to submit original 'Visa Application for Study in China' (Form JW201 or Form JW202), original Admission Letter issued by a university in China. 

For students who return to China to resume their studies, they must produce a 'Certificate of Returning to Campus' issued by the university in China.

A significant number of students from India got stranded here after China tightened its travel restrictions to the country owing to the Covid pandemic.

The Hindu reported that the resumption of issuing student visas is a significant step in enabling the return of thousands of Indian students, most in medical universities, who have been waiting for more than two years to resume their studies and attend the required practical training that will enable them to graduate.