KATHMANDU: Australia has tightened its student visa screening process for applicants from Nepal, India, Bangladesh, and Bhutan, categorizing these South Asian countries as “highest risk,” according to Australian media reports.

The Department of Education issued the update through its PRISMS system, effective Jan 8, 2026, citing concerns over the authenticity of documents and the need to mitigate risks in the visa process.

Under the new rules, students from these countries will face stricter scrutiny and will need to submit additional documentation to support their visa applications.

The move reflects a broader revision of Australia’s “assessment level” system, which ranks countries based on perceived visa-related risk.

According to The Australia Today, countries previously classified as low-risk (Level 1) or medium-risk (Level 2) have been moved to the high-risk Level 3 category.

Nepal, India, and Bhutan have shifted from Level 2 to Level 3, while Bangladesh has jumped directly from Level 1 to Level 3.

Sri Lanka has moved from Level 1 to Level 2, whereas Pakistan remains at Level 3.

The sudden change, coming just four months after the previous assessment on Sept 30, 2025, has created uncertainty in the international education sector.

Impact on Students

The new risk classification affects not only the required documentation for student visas but also the ease of planning study programs.

High-risk applicants may now face stricter verification of bank statements, English language proficiency, and proof of genuine study intent.

This could delay visa processing, increase costs, and potentially discourage some students from applying.

Recent investigations indicate a rise in fraudulent educational certificates and financial documents from South Asian countries, prompting Australia to reinforce its screening process.

International Education Minister Julian Hill noted that Australia has become a “less risky” alternative compared to other major destinations like the U.S., U.K., and Canada, emphasizing the need for stringent document verification and risk filtering.

However, some education sector professionals argue that while stricter checks are necessary to prevent fraud, sudden and frequent changes in risk levels create confusion.

Assigning Level 3 status to large source countries like India and Bangladesh at once is seen as an indicator of policy ambiguity.

Industry insiders, including representatives from Honeywood Education, highlighted that these changes pose challenges for universities and recruitment agents preparing for the 2026 first intake, particularly when messaging about which countries are targeted is unclear.