Checklist:

 

Below is a checklist you need to ponder over before you leave for India. Details on each can be found in the later part of the handbook.

• Check your immigration requirements and apply for a visa/entry clearance well in advance.

• Arrange travel insurance for your trip to India, as well as health insurance.

• Budget for your time in India. You will need enough money for travel, housing & other expenses.

• Arrange your currency for India. If you have a bank account in your home country, find out if your bank has any special arrangements with banks in India, which might make it easier to open an account when you arrive.

• Ensure you read all of the pre-arrival information given in this handbook. It will help you to know what’s going on in your first few days.

• Accordingly, know and plan your transport to campus.

• Go through the website www.iilm.edu to know more about IILM and familiarize with club activities and social events that happens during the year.

 

Immigration Matters

 

It is extremely important that you find out about Indian immigration procedures and how they may affect you. If you prepare all of the necessary documentation in good time, you are less likely to experience problems. The information regarding immigration is correct at the time of going to print. However, the rules surrounding immigration are often amended. You are therefore advised to check the latest information and updates on www.immigrationindia.nic.in/.

 

The first thing you would want to know once you've decided on coming to IIILM, India is about the Indian student visa, and its rules and regulations.

• Know about student visa: India offers various kinds of visas, depending on the purpose of visit. Student visa is a visa specifically for the students wanting to come to India for education purpose. Student Visas are issued for the duration of the academic course of study or for a period of five years whichever is less, on the basis of letters of admission from Universities/recognized colleges or educational institutions in India.

• Pre-requisites for procuring a student visa: To apply/ be eligible for a student visa, you need to confirm to the following conditions. If you are on Government of India scholarships, the respective Indian missions would be advised by ICCR to issue a regular student visa after your admission in an Indian university is confirmed. On the other hand, if you are coming as a self-financing student, you need to produce letters of admission from universities If you are coming as a research student, synopsis of the research project countersigned or recognized colleges and institutions in India for obtaining the regular student visa. By the sponsoring institution in India along with letter of approval are no objection certificate from the concerned Ministries in India should be submitted for necessary visa. Note: Processing of applications for research may take about three months.

• You can get the visa even if you don't have a confirmed admission letter: Don't worry if your admission is still not confirmed. Students not having firm letters of admission from universities or institutions are issued Provisional Student Visa by the Indian missions abroad, on the basis of provisional letters of admissions. However Provisional Student Visa is valid for 3 months. Within these 3 months, your admission needs to be confirmed otherwise you will have to leave India. No extension of Provisional Student Visa is permitted.

• You cannot get a tourist visa converted to a student visa: "Change of purpose" of visit of international students to India is not allowed once they arrive in India. Therefore, if you come to India on tourist or any other type of visa, you cannot get this visa changed to student visa.

• According to government regulations, if an international student coming to India on a tourist or any other type of visa (except a student visa ), obtains admission into a university or any institution in India, the student will be required to return to his country and obtain a new visa (i.e. a student visa) from the Indian mission there. To avoid this situation, all self- financing international students are advised to obtain regular or provisional student visa from Indian missions abroad by producing confirmed or provisional letters of admission from a university or an institution.

• You can apply for the visa from any of the Indian Embassies / High Commission.

• The rules & regulations that you need to confirm are:

1. Passport valid for a minimum of six months beyond the date of intended departure from India should accompany your visa application.

2. Students holding other nationalities (other than the country where applying for visa), should submit proof of long-term (at least three years)/ permanent residence in the country (where applying).

3. For citizen of other countries, a reference has to be made to their country of residence for which an additional fee is applicable and will involve extra processing time.

4. Please refrain from making inquiries about the status of application during this time.

• You need a Health card: In view of the spread of the Swine Influenza A (H1N1) all passengers travelling to India will be screened at the International Airports in India on their arrival and required to carry the declaration form (Health Card) at the Immigration. This may also involve quarantine and even hospitalization, if detected, with any symptoms connected with the flu. Kindly print the Health screening card from the website, complete and sign it before coming to India.