Visa Paperwork for India Trips to Shrink as Categories Drop to Nine by 2026

India plans to overhaul its visa system by consolidating the number of main visa categories from 13 to nine and reducing the number of sub-categories from 49 to 23, the country's Ministry of Home Affairs announced. The changes are intended to make the visa regime more compact, coherent and responsive to the needs of foreign nationals visiting India.

Key facts

• Main visa categories fall from 13 to nine; sub-categories drop from 49 to 23.
• Visa application forms will require 65-70% fewer fields of information.
• The Tourist Visa is replaced by a Visitor Visa with short-term (V-1) and long-term (V-2) options.
• Issuance under the new framework is scheduled to roll out by the end of 2026.
• The Ministry of Home Affairs is updating its technology systems to support the transition.

What is changing?

The nine main categories will be Business, Diplomatic, Work, Journalist, Medical, Official, Student, Visitor and Miscellaneous visas. The Ministry of Home Affairs said the consolidation will reduce overlaps between travel purposes and make it easier for foreign nationals to identify the right visa pathway for travel, education, healthcare and employment.

The Visitor Visa replaces the Tourist Visa and covers a wider range of activities beyond conventional tourism. It comes in two sub-categories: the V-1 Visa, with short-term validity, and the V-2 Visa, with long-term validity.

The Medical Visa is split into the M-1 Visa for standard medical treatment and the M-3 Visa for Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy treatment, which carries a one-year, multiple-entry option. Dedicated attendant visas, the M-2 and M-4, accompany these categories.

The Student Visa is consolidated into the S-1 Visa for school, graduate and post-graduate education, and the S-2 Visa for PhD scholars, research students, visiting faculty and interns. The Business Visa becomes B-1 for long-term business activities and B-2 for short-term business activities. The Miscellaneous Visa covers people of Indian origin and their spouses and children, dependants of foreign nationals holding long-duration visas, and certain other categories.

How much less paperwork is there?

The number of fields and information required in visa application forms will be cut by 65-70%. The Ministry of Home Affairs said this will simplify the application process for foreign nationals and allow more focused scrutiny and processing of applications.

When do the new rules start?

Issuance of visas under the new framework is scheduled to roll out by the end of 2026. The Ministry of Home Affairs is currently carrying out the technology system updates needed for the transition. No more specific start date has been announced.

Why is this happening?

According to the government announcement, the revised framework was developed after a review of visa systems in developed countries and an assessment of prevailing global standards and international practices. The revised regime is expected to support an increase in foreign national arrivals to India.

What this means for travellers

Foreign nationals planning travel, study, medical treatment or business in India should check which of the new purpose-based categories applies to them before applying, particularly as the Tourist Visa becomes the Visitor Visa. Applicants can also expect shorter application forms once the new framework is issued.

Further developments are expected as the Ministry of Home Affairs completes its system updates ahead of the planned rollout.