China's announcement to ease the visa ban on Indian students has brought the long-awaited respite to the community but more hurdles need to be crossed before their woes come to an end. The Chinese Embassy in India, on August 22, enlisted certain categories of Visa — including M-Visa (for those intending to go to China for commercial and trade activities; Z-Visa (for those intending to work in China); F-Visa (for those going for exchanges, visits, study tours and other non-commercial activities; and C-Visa (for crew members) — to be restored. The Visa relating to travel of students is known as X1-Visa. It will be issued for two categories of students. First, willing old students who intend to return to China for higher studies. Second, newly enrolled students. The Visa ban has been continuing for two straight years after the pandemic broke out in 2020 — eclipsing the fate of thousands of students who must surely be looking forward to becoming graduates and proceeding further along their career path. For them, the easing of the Visa ban is just a beginning. As per the prescribed procedural guidelines, old students will require a 'Certificate of Returning to Campus', and new students an admission letter, for the Visa to be approved. Given the fact that Covid still remains an issue of grave concern in China, universities from badly hit provinces are less likely to issue the returning certificates. Yet another limiting factor is the restriction over operation of direct flights between the two countries. Certain chartered flights have been allowed lately but the cost of travel through them is exorbitant. Students of other nationalities — including Pakistan and Sri Lanka — have recently travelled to China. Indian government has also been negotiating with China to adopt a "non-discriminatory approach" towards safeguarding the "future of so many young people." Notably, before the pandemic, in 2019, more than 23,000 Indian students were enrolled in Chinese universities. Of them, nearly 21,000 were studying in the medical stream. Soon after the Visa ban was eased, over 1,000 Indian students are reported to have expressed their willingness to return back to China for completion of their studies. It remains to be seen whether Chinese universities show openness in providing the students with required certificates. The outcome of negotiations over resumption of direct flights will also be closely watched. The easing of Visa ban by China makes it evidently clear that the country is not holding any grudges against Indian students on account of bilateral tensions. Their restrictions are more general in nature, and are driven by, as China claims, a surge in Covid cases. Another evident factor has been the Chinese government's obsession with its zero-Covid policy. It is argued that China's strict stand on Covid is partly driven by an urge to consolidate Xi Jinping's image ahead of the CCP conference in November — when the Chinese premier will most likely be re-elected. Zero-Covid policy is being flouted as one of his flagship campaigns ahead of the meeting. However, given the sway he holds over Chinese politics, it appears dubious that he would require such political gameplay to claim his relevance. Whatever be the reasons, it can be said that Chinese prolongation of Visa ban, globally, is driven by its internal factors, and not by vengeance towards any particular country. Credit must also be given to the Indian government for its continuous efforts towards safeguarding the interests of Indian students in China. Apart from students, beneficiaries of other Visa-holders must also be relieved with the easing of restrictions. Both the Indian government and the Chinese government need to cooperate further to remove the remaining bottlenecks.