ICCR Scholars: Six Steps to Do after You Arrived in India
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| ICCR Headquarter, Azad Bhawan, I.P. Estate, New Delhi |
Before you are leaving for India, Indian Mission / Embassy abroad may inform you that there will be someone picking you up at the airport on your arrival. You are advised to get the detail information about him (rarely her) especially his contact number. This is very important. There are cases that ICCR failed to send its man to pick up the scholars on their arrival and they ended up crying for help from friends (lucky enough if they have one). So, who will pick you up and where you will temporarily stay is very important to know in advance.
There are six steps to do after your arrival in India which are also demonstrated in the video embedded at the bottom of this article. Hope it helps to save your time.
1. Report to the ICCR Office in your region.
If ICCR man will receive you from the airport, usually, you are taken to a guest house and stay there for one week for free of charge. In the next working day, you will show yourself at ICCR regional office where you will show your passport and visa, and scholarship offering letter and submit a copy of the same. [You may skip to No. 2 and then get back to No. 1]
2. Do formalities of registration at the university
After that, you will be told to go to the university where you will do all the required formalities. Registration at university takes much time (over a week) to be completed. Registration for foreigners is often conducted by International/Foreign Students Centre/Office.
Many Indian universities, for instance, University of Delhi, have digitalised their foreign registration. With that, you are required to upload all the required documents (such as passport, visa, certificates, transcripts...etc.) to their online portal.
Therefore, you need to prepare all required documents in PDF file format and each file size should not exceed 1 MB. Photo and signature should be in JPEG Image file format. You also have to have one set of hard copy of all the required documents (though three sets are recommended) and keep the original documents ready for verification during the registration process.
Many Indian universities, for instance, University of Delhi, have digitalised their foreign registration. With that, you are required to upload all the required documents (such as passport, visa, certificates, transcripts...etc.) to their online portal.
Therefore, you need to prepare all required documents in PDF file format and each file size should not exceed 1 MB. Photo and signature should be in JPEG Image file format. You also have to have one set of hard copy of all the required documents (though three sets are recommended) and keep the original documents ready for verification during the registration process.
In some universities, you will be issued a university/registration payment slip that you have to give to ICCR so that it will release payment or cheque for your registration. You may further inquire about it during this step.
After Foreign Students Office has checked your passport and (student) visa, verified your documents, and received your payment, you may then go to the department or faculty allotted to you and do the needful. Congratulations! You are now a bonafide student of the university.
3. Apply for Accommodation or Hostel
ICCR students are strictly required to stay in a university hostel or house and thus not allowed to stay in a rent house unless there is NOC (no objection certificate) from the university you enrolled.
There is a procedure in applying for the hostel. The hostel application form is usually available at the hostel office, fill it up and get it signed and sealed by head of department or dean of faculty, and then submit it to the hostel office or the concerned authority. Usually, foreign nationals stay in a separate hostel from local students.
Now, you may see your room and choose the best one if you are given the right to do that! Try to get hostel ASAP; seats are limited. Staying in a rent house outside of the campus is terrible and not recommended.
There is a procedure in applying for the hostel. The hostel application form is usually available at the hostel office, fill it up and get it signed and sealed by head of department or dean of faculty, and then submit it to the hostel office or the concerned authority. Usually, foreign nationals stay in a separate hostel from local students.
Now, you may see your room and choose the best one if you are given the right to do that! Try to get hostel ASAP; seats are limited. Staying in a rent house outside of the campus is terrible and not recommended.
4. Joining Report of the Scholar form
Next is the submission of Joining Report of the Scholar to ICCR office. It can be downloaded from 👉link here. Fill it up carefully and get it signed and sealed by head of the department. Then, go to the ICCR office and submit it there. ICCR will issue you a sponsorship letter(s) for the purposes of Foreigner Registration, university reference, and bank account opening. ICCR will also issue you an ID Card on which your file no. is written. Try to remember it for future communication with ICCR.5. Foreigner Regional Registration Office (FRRO)
While doing university registration, you have to keep in mind that you have to register yourself at FRRO (Foreigner Regional Registration Office) within 14 days after your arrival in India. However, registration is made easy nowadays with e-FRRO online portal with free of charge. You do not have to present in person at the Office. 👉Here is the link to e-FRRO online portal. Create your personal account with your passport details, email ID and mobile number. You need to upload all the required documents in PDF format (except Photo which is in JPEG format) with your online application. The required documents for Student Visa are as followings:
1.Photo
2.Passport
3.Visa with Arrival Stamp
*4.Bonafide Certificate (You can get it from your university foreign student office or head of department office.)
5.Proof of Address (You can get it from your hostel or house owner if you stay in house rent.)
6.Financial Source Proof (You get it from ICCR office i.e. Sponsorship Letter.)
*Note that Bonafide Certificate should mention eleven-digit UID (unique ID) or FSIS No. which looks like this [6NW58842919]. UID is to be produced by Indian educational institutions i.e. university by filling up online S-Form at Foreign Students Information System (FSIS ) URL: https://boi.gov.in/content/form-s.
When you have uploaded all the required documents, you now can submit your application. FRRO will send a message to your registered mobile number and email ID informing the process it has taken upon your application and telling you to wait for further instruction.
Within one week, if all goes well, FRRO will approve your application and issue you a Residential Permit/Residential Certificate [RP/RC] via email. Hence, the registration process is completed. RP/RC validity is one year and subject to renewal every year even though your visa validity may be longer. Note that you are required to submit RP/RC to ICCR office ASAP.
Within one week, if all goes well, FRRO will approve your application and issue you a Residential Permit/Residential Certificate [RP/RC] via email. Hence, the registration process is completed. RP/RC validity is one year and subject to renewal every year even though your visa validity may be longer. Note that you are required to submit RP/RC to ICCR office ASAP.
6. Opening Bank Account
With the same required documents you have made for FRRO and RP/RC which is a plus, you are now eligible for opening bank account ideally with State Bank of India (SBI). You have to fill up account opening form (which may required signature and seal from your HoD). Bank will issue passbook and after 15 days Debate Visa Card. You need to provide your account information to ICCR ASAP. Your stipend won't be released unless you have submitted your account details to ICCR.
That's all. You have done all the required six steps. However, please note that the processing steps can be reversible by visiting your university and do all formalities first and visiting ICCR office at your region next. And it’s important to remember that you are required to register with FRRO within 14 days of your arrival in India failing which you may be fined 30$ in Indian Rupee.
Good luck with your studies. But bear in mind that if you failed in the promotion to a next academic session, your scholarship would be temporarily terminated. It would be resumed only when you passed to a new academic session. So "passed" or at least "promoted" is a buzzword for scholarship holders.
