On 8 January 2026, the Department of Home Affairs (DoHA) revised Country Evidence Level Assessments for several South Asian Countries, including India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and more. While headlines about “Evidence Level Changes” may sound concerning, it is important to understand what this update actually means, and why genuine students should not panic.

January 2026 Update: What has Changed?

The January 2026 update introduced the following key changes:

Evidence Levels for South Asian countries were reassessed
India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan and Afghanistan are now subject to higher documentation scrutiny.
Sri Lanka remains at Level 2.
Maldives continues at Level 1, reflecting consistent low-risk assessment.

Current Country Evidence Levels – South Asia (January 2026)

The current Evidence Levels for South Asian countries are as follows:

Assessment Level	Risk Category	Documentation Requirement	Countries
Level 1	Low Risk	Minimal documentation; generally faster processing	Maldives
Level 2	Moderate Risk	Some additional documentation may be required	Sri Lanka
Level 3	Higher Scrutiny	Full financial and English evidence usually required	India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan, Afghanistan

Evidence Level requirements must always be verified using the Document Checklist Tool at the time of lodgement.

What are Country Evidence Levels?

Country Evidence Levels form part of Australia’s risk-based student visa assessment framework. They help DoHA determine:

The type and amount of documentation required at lodgement.
Financial evidence expectations.
English language documentation requirements.
The level of scrutiny applied to a Student Visa (Subclass 500) application.

Importantly, Country Evidence Levels do not decide visa outcomes on their own. They are system-based indicators reviewed periodically, informed by broader compliance trends, not by an individual student’s academic ability or personal intentions.

Tip: Evidence Levels guide documentation requirements, not visa approval or refusal. A strong individual profile always carries more weight than country classification.

How Does the Department Calculate Country Evidence Levels?

Country Evidence Levels are assessed using a range of compliance indicators, including:

Visa refusal and cancellation trends
Fraud and integrity concerns
Student compliance history
Broader migration risk indicators

Who Should Pay Extra Attention to This Update?

While genuine students should not panic, extra preparation is recommended for applicants with more complex profiles, including those who have:

Borderline or complex financial sources
Significant study gaps without clear explanations
Course changes without a strong academic justification
Previous visa refusals or offshore applications

No Need to Panic: Evidence Level Changes Do Not Mean Refusal

An Evidence Level change mainly affects documentation requirements, not visa eligibility. If you are a genuine student who can demonstrate the following, there remains a strong likelihood of a successful Student Visa outcome, even under higher scrutiny.

A genuine intention to stay in Australia.
Sufficient, verifiable financial capacity.
Logical academic progression.
Clear career goals and home-country ties.

What If You Have Already Lodged Your Student Visa?

If you lodged your Student Visa (SC 500) application before the Evidence Level update, there is no need to be anxious about it.

Evidence Levels are applied at the time of lodgement.
That also means that an already-lodged application is not automatically affected.

Read our clients’ testimonials on Agape Henry Crux and Accredited Specialist in Immigration Law, Jason Ling.

For any Student Visa (SC500) queries, we highly recommend that you schedule a time with one of our immigration lawyers, who works closely with two of our Accredited Specialists in Immigration Law at Agape Henry Crux. They specialise in handling highly complex matters. You can schedule an appointment to seek professional advice by calling 02-8310 5230 or emailing us at info@ahclawyers.com.

Our founder and principal lawyer, Jason Ling, has been recognised in the 2026 edition of The Best Lawyers in Australia™. Agape Henry Crux is named as Best Immigration Law Firm 2025 - Sydney by APAC Insider Awards.

We speak fluent English and Mandarin. We can also help you arrange an interpreter if this isn't your language.

This article/presentation (“publication”) does not deal extensively with important topics or changes in law and is not intended to be relied upon as a substitute for legal or other advice that may be relevant to the reader's specific circumstances. If you find this publication of interest and would like to know more or wish to obtain legal advice relevant to your circumstances, please contact our office.

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