Surge of Indian students prompts calls for visa reforms

First lady Liza Araneta-Marcos (center), flanked by Indian Ambassador Harsh Kumar Jain (right), CHEd Chair Shirley Castañeda Agrupis (left) and BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado (front, third from left). —CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – If there’s anything that makes the Philippines attractive to Indian students, it’s affordability.

Faced with intense competition for limited slots in universities back home, thousands of Indian students head to the Philippines each year to pursue degree programs—particularly in medicine—drawn by lower costs and quality English language instruction.

According to the Indian Embassy in Manila, nearly 9,000 Indian students were enrolled in pre-medicine and medicine programs in the Philippines as of 2024. Beyond these courses, Indian nationals also made up the largest group among more than 17,000 foreign students studying in the country during Academic Year 2022–2023.

Their significant presence has become harder for the Philippines to ignore.

As such, first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos recently urged government agencies to address concerns raised by Indian medical students following a meeting with Indian Ambassador to the Philippines Harsh Kumar Jain.

Economic contributor

Even if it welcomed the initiative, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce (Philippines) Inc. (FICCI) argues that similar measures should also be extended to Indian students pursuing other academic disciplines.

“Indian students continue to contribute meaningfully to the Philippine economy, not only within the education sector but also across housing, transportation, retail, health care and other local industries,” FICCI says in a statement.

“Facilitating a more efficient and predictable regulatory environment will further strengthen educational cooperation and people-to-people ties between India and the Philippines,” the group adds.

Among the group’s proposals is the issuance of student visas that would remain valid for the full duration of an academic program.

Under current rules, foreign students are issued a 9(f) student visa by the Bureau of Immigration and they must renew it before the annual expiration.

According to FICCI, aligning visa validity with the length of a student’s course will reduce administrative burdens and minimize processing delays for students, schools and government agencies.

‘Preferred destination’

Doing so could also help the Philippines maintain its appeal as a destination for Indian students, the group says.

“The Philippines remains a preferred destination for Indian students, supported by its quality education system, English-medium instruction and strong bilateral relations,” Ficci says. “Streamlining administrative processes will further reinforce its position as a regional education hub and deepen long-term academic and cultural exchange.”

India has one of the world’s largest outbound student populations, alongside China. This is despite the number of Indian students studying abroad declining to 1.2 million in 2025 from 1.33 million in 2024, based on data from India’s Ministry of External Affairs.

Easing visa requirements for Indian students will also complement broader efforts to strengthen travel ties between Manila and New Delhi.

During bilateral talks in 2025, President Marcos and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed to implement reciprocal visa-free travel arrangements, while direct flights between the two countries resumed in October. INQ