India Passport and Visa Information

Passport

To study abroad, you must have a signed, valid passport from your country of citizenship that will not expire for a minimum of six months after your planned return date. If you do not have a passport, or it's about to expire, make sure you apply or renew as soon as possible! U.S. Citizens can refer to the U.S. Department of State’s website for more information about passports and processing time.

Visa

A student visa is permission by a foreign government to live and study in that country. All U.S. passport holders are required to obtain a student visa prior to departure. However, as the visa becomes valid upon issuance, you should apply no sooner than 60 days before departure. The application process is completed primarily online and by mail. No personal appearance is currently required by the consulates. This process can take 5-8 weeks or longer to complete. You are only able to apply for an Indian Student Visa in your home country. Take this into consideration when making travel plans or studying on multiple programs.

You will also be required to register with the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) within 14 days of arrival in Bengaluru. You can only register in Bengaluru, so plan your arrival travel accordingly. The on-site USAC staff will assist you with this process during the on-site orientation.

Further information will be posted to your Student Gateway account in the USAC Visa Update, which you will receive after you have been accepted into your USAC program (typically 3 months prior to departure). Program Advisors in the Central Office are also available to answer any visa questions you may have.

Non-U.S. citizens

Check with your home country consulate, as well as the embassy of the country in which you plan to study, regarding visa requirements. Permanent Residents of the U.S. should check with U.S. Immigration as leaving the country for more than one year may jeopardize permanent resident status. Tax clearance and re-entry forms may also be necessary in these cases.