The wait is finally over for Indian students studying in China, stuck at home for over two years due to strict recurring Covid-19 lockdowns in the country.
In a recent announcement by the Chinese Embassy in India, Beijing has opened gates to Indian students, along with various other categories of travel permits for Indian citizens, like business visa for China.
When the Covid-19 pandemic struck two years ago, a multitude of Indian students and citizens were sent off from China, and these students have been requesting to be called back ever since, especially after the pandemic started subsiding globally.
Reports have cited that more than 23,000 Indian students studying at universities in China are stranded back at home (in India) and are desperately looking to return to their institutions.
The announcement from China comes as a relief to not just the old students studying in Chinese universities stranded at home but also new enrollments. Most students from India study medicine in China.
“Warmest congrats to #Indian #students! Your patience proves worthwhile. I can really share your excitement & happiness. Welcome back to #China!,” read a tweet by Ji Rong, Counsellor, Department of Asian Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, China.
The notification states that the student visa X1 will be given to students, including freshly enrolled students and students who return to China to continue their studies, who intend to travel to China to pursue long-term study for higher academic education.
India had initially provided hundreds of names of Indian students wanting to go back to China to complete their paused courses, to China after the latter asked for the names of such students.
While the older students will need to submit a ‘Certificate of Returning to Campus’ certificate provided by their respective Chinese university, new students will need to show their original admission letter from the university in China.