KATHMANDU: The Department of Immigration has exposed widespread misuse of study visas, revealing that several educational institutions have been enrolling foreign nationals without conducting legitimate academic programmes, using students as revenue sources rather than genuine learners.

The notice, released following recent departmental monitoring, unveiled a pattern of institutional misconduct involving forged documentation, fake academic certificates and unreported illegal activities by visa holders. Foreign nationals admitted under study permits have been found absent from classrooms while their host institutions remained silent about the violations, creating an environment where visa requirements are circumvented with impunity.

The Department of Immigration stated that while it maintains a commitment to facilitating legitimate foreign students pursuing higher education and studies in Nepali language, culture, arts and literature, the system has been compromised by institutions prioritising financial gain over academic integrity. Some educational establishments have been found recommending visas for foreign nationals explicitly seeking long-term residence through irregular channels rather than genuine academic pursuits.

Instances documented during monitoring include foreign nationals submitting falsified documents during visa extensions, presenting certificates from courses they never completed, and maintaining study visas while engaging in prohibited activities—violations that educational institutions failed to report to authorities or local administration.

The department has now directed educational institutions to enroll foreign students exclusively for legitimate academic purposes and to verify regular class attendance before recommending visa approvals. Institutions must report immediately to authorities if any student is discovered engaged in activities unrelated to their stated academic purpose.

According to the DoI, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and District Monitoring Committees across all 77 districts have been instructed to conduct regular oversight of institutions enrolling foreign nationals. 

The Department of Immigration urged educational facilities to cooperate with local administration and immigration authorities, emphasising that any foreign national found involved in illegal activities contradicting their study visa purpose must be reported without delay.