China announced plans on Monday to issue visas to hundreds of Indian students who have been stuck at home for more than two years due to Beijing’s strict COVID restrictions, as well as various categories of travel permits for Indians, including business visas.
‘Congratulations to all #Indian #students! Your perseverance pays off. I completely understand your joy and excitement. #China, welcome back!’ Ji Rong, Counsellor at China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Department of Asian Affairs, tweeted. Her tweet cited a detailed announcement by the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi announcing the opening of visas for students, businessmen, and families of Chinese workers.
According to the announcement, X1-Visas will be issued to students who intend to travel to China for long-term study for higher academic education, including newly enrolled students and students who return to China to continue their studies. Due to COVID visa restrictions, over 23,000 Indian students, mostly studying medicine, are reportedly forced to return home.
After China requested the names of students who wanted to return to school right away, India submitted a list of several hundred students. In recent weeks, students from Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Russia, and several other countries have arrived on chartered flights. According to an announcement posted on the Chinese Embassy’s website in Delhi on Monday, student visas will be issued to newly enrolled students as well as old students who were unable to travel to China due to COVID visa bans.
While new students must present an original admission letter issued by a Chinese university, returning students must present a ‘Certificate of Returning to Campus’ issued by a Chinese university. Over 1,000 old Indian students have expressed a desire to return to their studies, according to official sources. It remains to be seen whether the universities processing their requests will issue the certificates necessary for them to apply for visas.
Another major issue was the lack of direct flights between the two countries. A chartered flight chartered by Indian businessmen and their families recently arrived in the Chinese city of Hangzhou for the first time in over two years.
China granted family members of Indian professionals working in China permission in July. Several of them arrived via third-country routes, paying several times the standard ticket price. According to Indian and Chinese officials, talks between the two countries are underway to resume flight operations. The Chinese embassy in India announced a new category of visas on Monday, including C-Visas for crew members.
Other visa categories announced by the embassy included the M-Visa, which is issued to those who intend to go to China for commercial and trade activities, the F-Visa, which is issued to those who intend to go to China for exchanges, visits, study tours, and other non-commercial activities, and the Z-Visa, which is issued to those who intend to work in China. Visas for dependents of those working in China were also available.
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