Australia puts India in highest-risk visa list: Are students unwelcome now?

Australia has re-rated India under its student visa framework, increasing scrutiny but not shutting doors for genuine applicants

Australia on January 8 moved India into the ‘highest-risk’ category under its visa risk framework, alongside Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan. The four South Asian countries were shifted from Evidence Level 2 to Evidence Level 3 under the Simplified Student Visa Framework.

 

The change comes at a time when Australia continues to attract Indian students, particularly as visa rules tighten in the United States and Canada. Education advisers say the re-rating alters how applications are assessed, rather than whether genuine students can study in Australia.

 

What the change means for Indian students

 

The re-rating does not block Indian students from studying in Australia. Instead, it raises the level of scrutiny applied to applications.

   

Ankit Mehra, CEO and founder of GyanDhan, said genuine applicants should not panic. “Students with legitimate academic profiles and clean financial documentation have nothing to fear, only a longer wait,” he said.

 

At the same time, advisers warn that applications supported by weak or questionable paperwork face higher risks. “Students relying on fabricated funds or dubious paperwork risk severe consequences, including visa refusal and long-term damage to their global education prospects,” Mehra said.

 

What applicants may face

 

Under Evidence Level 3, students can expect closer checks during the visa process. These may include:

 

• Requests for additional documents

• Manual verification of bank statements

• Additional English language evidence

• Background checks, including calls to institutions and referees

 

Processing times are also likely to stretch. What earlier took about three weeks may now take up to eight weeks in some cases.

 

Why Australia moved India to Evidence Level 3

 

Australian authorities have not pointed to a single reason for the reclassification. The shift follows reports of fake degree and documentation rackets in India that have drawn attention in recent months.

 

India accounts for nearly 140,000 of Australia’s roughly 650,000 international students. Together, India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan make up close to one-third of Australia’s international student population in 2025.

 

Phil Honeywood, chief executive of the International Education Association of Australia, linked the decision to changing global student flows. “It recently became obvious that student applicants who couldn’t get into those other three countries are increasingly applying to come to Australia, and in many cases we’ve seen an increase in fraudulent financial and academic documents,” he said.

 

“By placing a number of these countries into the highest risk rating level then it automatically enhances any filtering of the student visa applicants to ensure bona fide study motivation,” Honeywood said.

 

Mehra also pointed to rising application volumes from India. “Australia has become an increasingly preferred destination for Indian students planning to study abroad. This sudden redirection has significantly increased application volumes, prompting Australian authorities to introduce stricter scrutiny for applicants from high-pressure source markets, including India,” he said. 

 

Are Indian students being discouraged?

 

No, said Education consultants.

 

“This reflects Australia’s response to a growing number of non-genuine applications,” Mehra said. “They have raised the bar on verification. Financial records, education loans, bank statements, and sources of funds will now be examined more closely, with many applications undergoing manual checks.”

 

He added that longer timelines should now be factored in. “Visa processing timelines may extend to eight weeks or longer in some cases. Students targeting upcoming intakes must plan with a realistic two-month visa processing window in mind,” he said.

 

Saurabh Arora, CEO of student accommodation platform University Living, said the pressure is on systems rather than on Indian students themselves. “With over 830,000 international students, including 120,000 from India alone, making up 16–17% of the total, India plays a central role in Australia’s international education ecosystem,” Arora told Business Standard.

 

“Coupled with neighbouring South Asian countries, this group accounts for nearly a third of Australia’s international intake,” he said.

 

He also pointed to higher costs and tighter checks. “As demand surges, heightened documentation and financial checks are expected, with the student visa fee now at around $2,000 and a minimum annual living cost requirement of AUD 29,710,” Arora said.