IndiaVisas India cuts visa categories from 13 to 9 and trims application forms
India's Ministry of Home Affairs has reduced the main visa categories to nine from 13 and cut sub-categories to 23 from 49. Application forms will have 65% to 70% fewer fields. No start date has been announced.
India has overhauled its visa system in a bid to attract more tourists, students, medical travellers and business visitors. The Ministry of Home Affairs said on Wednesday that it has cut the number of main visa categories to nine from 13 and reduced the sub-categories to 23 from 49.
Key facts
- Main visa categories reduced to nine from 13
- Sub-categories reduced to 23 from 49
- Application forms to have 65% to 70% fewer fields
- Announced by India's Ministry of Home Affairs on Wednesday
- Visitors targeted include tourists, students, medical travellers and business travellers
What is changing?
India has consolidated its visa system so that applicants will face fewer categories to choose from. The Ministry of Home Affairs said the number of main visa categories has dropped to nine from 13, while the number of sub-categories has been cut to 23 from 49.
Application forms will also become noticeably shorter. The number of fields on the forms will be reduced by 65% to 70%, the ministry said.
Who is affected?
The changes apply to foreigners applying for visas to enter India. The ministry said the overhaul is intended to draw more tourists, students and medical travellers to the country and to make business visits easier.
The announcement did not list the specific visa categories that remain, how existing categories have been merged, or which nationalities and traveller types will benefit most.
When do the new rules start?
No start date for the simplified categories or the shorter application forms has been announced. The announcement also did not say whether visa fees, processing times or validity periods will change.
What this means for travellers
Travellers planning to apply for an Indian visa should watch for the new category list and revised application forms before starting an application. Because no implementation date has been given, those applying in the near term may still encounter the current categories and form fields.
Anyone needing a visa for tourism, study, medical treatment or business in India should check which category applies to them once the ministry publishes further details.
No further steps, deadlines or transition arrangements have been made public so far.