New visa regulations for Indian students

In order to be eligible for a student residence permit in Germany, international students have to prove that they are financially sound enough to finance their stay in the country. At present an amount of roughly 8,000 EUR is considered necessary to cover a student’s living expenses for one year.

Many Indian students from middle-class families opt for educational loans to finance their overseas studies. Previously the German consular authorities in India considered a loan sanction letter from an Indian bank as sufficient to fulfill the visa requirement. Alternatively, proof of a substantial savings account or term deposit was also accepted. When leaving India for Germany, the student had to carry a corresponding demand draft (DD) from his or her bank that could be cashed upon arrival.

Evidence, however, has shown that many Indian students do actually not use this money for their needs but send it back to India as soon as possible in order to save interest on their loans. Hard-pressed for funds, they then end up in a tight corner, having to look for part-time jobs (which are difficult to come by without German language skills) and neglecting their studies.

To remedy this situation, some German consulates in India are making it mandatory for all Indian students to open an account with a German bank at the time of applying for their visa. Required is a so-called “blocked account” which limits the amount of money that can be withdrawn in a certain period of time, thereby, making easy re-transfer of funds to India impossible. Before the student leaves India, the fixed sum of money for the first year has to be paid into the account.

This should not be considered a discriminatory practice. It has long been a standard requirement for students from many other Asian and African countries. There are also advantages for the student: Up till now, many of them had to wait for weeks until the German banks were finally able to cash their DDs. With a blocked account, there is usually immediate access to the money – in a limited amount, though.

Chris
germanstudycentre@gmail.com