India cuts visa categories from 13 to 9 and trims application forms by up to 70%

India has cut its main visa categories from 13 to 9 and sub-categories from 49 to 23, the Ministry of Home Affairs says, and has trimmed visa application forms by 65–70%.

The latest simplification took effect on 27 August 2026. It follows the one in October 2025, when main categories fell from 22 to 13 and sub-categories from 63 to 49. The ministry says it studied visa systems of developed countries and global standards. E-visa is currently available to nationals of 172 countries.

What changes for travellers

• Visitor Visa: the Tourist Visa is renamed and split in two. V-1 covers short activities such as business meetings, medical consultations, wellness retreats, short treatment and short courses in Indian languages, music, art and craft; it is valid for 30 days with multiple entries. V-2 is for longer visits, valid for 1, 5 or 10 years, and also covers mountaineering, for which six months with multiple entries is granted.
• Medical Visa: separate provisions remain for treatment under conventional systems (M-1) and AYUSH systems, with attendant visas for companions. The ministry links this to the "Heal in India" vision.
• Student Visa: S-1 covers school, graduate and postgraduate study; S-2 covers PhD and research scholars, visiting faculty, research expeditions, internships and exchange students. Foreign students enrolled through the Study in India portal can get an e-S1 visa for up to five years or the length of the course, whichever is less.
• Business Visa: B-1 is for long-term, licence-based business such as setting up a venture. B-2 covers short-term, contract-based work, including conferences, sports, performing arts and films. Foreign technical specialists engaged by Indian companies for installation, commissioning, training and similar work can get a Production Investment Business Visa under B-2 through e-Visa; this was earlier the e-B4 category.

Simpler forms, new IT systems

The required fields across all 23 categories and sub-categories have been cut by 65–70%, which the ministry says will save applicants time and allow more focused scrutiny. The ministry is updating its IT systems and says that by the end of the year visas will be granted under the new framework.

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Source: official release by the Ministry of Home Affairs, issued through the Press Information Bureau, Government of India (11 NOV 2026 7:39PM by PIB Delhi). Read the full official text: Under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and guidance of Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah, Government of India rationalizes Indian visa regime.