New Delhi, Nov 11: The government has reduced the number of the main Indian visa categories from 13 to nine and sub-categories from 49 to 23, while cutting the number of fields in visa application forms by 65-70 per cent to simplify the process for foreign nationals, officials said on Wednesday.
The changes are aimed at making the visa regime “more compact, coherent and responsive to the requirements of foreign nationals visiting India”, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said in a statement.
On August 27, the MHA reduced the number of main visa categories from 13 to nine and sub-categories from 49 to 23. This followed an earlier rationalisation in October 2025, when the main visa categories were cut from 22 to 13 and sub-categories from 63 to 49.
“While considering the simplification of the Indian visa regime, the government studied the visa systems of developed countries and global standards,” the statement said.
It said the consolidation of similar purposes of travel is aimed at providing greater clarity and ease in identifying the appropriate visa category while facilitating legitimate foreign arrivals.
Currently, e-visas are processed under 13 sub-categories and the facility is available to nationals of 172 countries, the statement said.
The erstwhile Tourist Visa has been renamed Visitor Visa, reflecting a broader range of permitted purposes beyond conventional tourism. The category has been consolidated into two sub-categories, V-1 and V-2.
The V-1 visa covers short-term activities such as business meetings, medical consultations, wellness retreats, short-duration medical treatment and short-term courses in Indian languages, music, art and craft. It is granted for 30 days with multiple entries.
The V-2 visa is intended for longer-duration visits, with validity of one, five or 10 years, as specified. It covers activities permissible under V-1 and mountaineering. For mountaineering, a visa of six months with multiple entries will be granted.
The Medical Visa framework retains separate provisions for treatment under conventional and AYUSH systems.
The M-1 visa covers medical treatment other than treatment under AYUSH systems, while the M-3 visa covers treatment under AYUSH systems.
Both visas, including their e-visa variants, will be granted for one year as a default option with multiple entries.
Corresponding medical attendant visa provisions are also available. The M-2 and M-4 visas will be granted to attendants of M-1 and M-3 visa holders, respectively.
The statement said the arrangement would give patients greater predictability when treatment involves multiple consultations, follow-up appointments or staged procedures.
“Multiple-entry validity can reduce the need for repeated visa applications during a course of care, while the distinct AYUSH provision helps applicants identify the appropriate treatment route,” it said.
The availability of attendant visas also facilitates support by accompanying persons and will encourage medical value tourism in India, the statement added.
The Student Visa category has been consolidated into two broad sub-categories.
The S-1 visa covers school, graduate and postgraduate education, while the S-2 visa covers PhD and research scholars in Indian universities, visiting faculty, foreign research students visiting India for research, scientific and anthropological expeditions, internships and exchange students, among other specified academic activities.
For foreign students enrolled in Indian educational institutions through the Study in India portal, the e-S1 visa may be granted for up to five years or for the duration of the academic course, whichever is less, with multiple entries.
The Business Visa category has been consolidated into B-1 and B-2. The B-1 visa covers long-term, licence-based business activities, including foreign nationals seeking to establish industrial or business ventures in India.
The B-2 visa covers short-term, contract-based business activities, including production investment business, conferences, sports, performative arts and films.
A specific provision has also been made for foreign subject-matter specialists, engineers and technical personnel engaged by Indian companies in activities such as installation and commissioning, quality checks and essential maintenance, production, IT and ERP ramp-up, training, supply-chain development, plant design and bring-up, senior management and technical support, including transfer of know-how, technology and services.
Such persons may be granted a Production Investment Business Visa under the B-2 category through the e-visa platform. This was earlier granted under the e-B4 visa nomenclature, the statement said. (PTI)
