Australia has stepped up scrutiny of student visa applications from India and three other South Asian countries by placing them in its most restrictive risk category under a revised visa assessment regime that took effect this month.

India, along with Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan, has been moved into the “highest-risk” bracket, a decision that came into force on January 8.

Under the Simplified Student Visa Framework (SSVF), the four countries have been shifted from Evidence Level 2 to Evidence Level 3, which requires the toughest level of documentation and checks.

Australian media described the move as an out-of-cycle reassessment, while officials said it was driven by “emerging integrity risks,” The Times of India reported.

Authorities maintained that the tighter classification was designed to reinforce oversight without discouraging genuine students.

“This change will assist with the effective management of emerging integrity issues, while continuing to facilitate genuine students seeking a quality education in Australia,” the administration was quoted as saying by TOI.

“The Australian government wants all students to have a positive study experience during their stay in Australia and receive a high-quality education. It is important that Australia’s international education system and Student Visa Program has the right settings to provide international students with confidence they are investing in the best possible education,” it added.

For Indian applicants, the move translates into a far more rigorous visa process. Applications will now face closer scrutiny, with officials expected to ask for additional documents and carry out detailed background verification.

Financial records, including bank statements, may be manually checked, proof of English language proficiency may be sought, and visa officers could directly contact educational institutions and referees. These additional layers of verification are likely to push processing timelines from about three weeks to up to eight weeks.

Although the Australian government has not publicly outlined specific reasons for putting India in the highest-risk category, the decision comes in the wake of reports about fake degree rackets in India that have drawn international attention.

India currently accounts for nearly 140,000 of Australia’s roughly 650,000 international students, and together the four countries that have been reclassified make up close to one-third of total enrolments in 2025, according to the TOI report.