Planning a trip to India just became significantly more straightforward. The government has overhauled its visa framework, consolidating a complex web of categories to make applying for entry clearer and more intuitive for foreign nationals.
From 22 Down to 9
The Ministry
of Home Affairs has streamlined India's visa regime in a two-step process aimed at simplifying procedures. Initially, the categories were reduced from 22 to 13 in October 2025. A more recent consolidation on August 27, 2026, brought the number of main visa categories down to just nine. This move also slashed the number of sub-categories from a confusing 63 down to 23. The goal, according to officials, is to make the framework more compact, coherent, and responsive to the needs of visitors by grouping similar travel purposes together. This provides greater clarity for applicants who were previously unsure which specific visa to apply for.
Goodbye Tourist, Hello Visitor
One of the most significant changes is the renaming of the 'Tourist Visa' to the more encompassing 'Visitor Visa'. This reflects the broader range of activities now permitted. The new Visitor Visa is split into two sub-categories. The V-1 visa is designed for short-term visits of up to 30 days with multiple entries, covering not just tourism but also casual business meetings, wellness retreats, short-term medical consultations, and brief courses in Indian arts or language. For those planning longer or repeat trips, the V-2 visa offers a validity of one, five, or even ten years, covering all activities permitted under V-1, plus specialised activities like mountaineering.
Streamlined for Business and Study
The simplification extends to business and student travellers. The Business Visa is now divided into the B-1 and B-2 categories. B-1 is for long-term, licence-based activities, such as establishing an industrial venture in India. The B_2 visa caters to shortterm, contractbased work, including conferences, film production, sportsrelated activities, and technical assignments for engineers and other specialists. Similarly, the Student Visa is now consolidated into two main types: S_1 for regular school and university education, and S_2 for doctoral research, internships, visiting faculty, and exchange programmes. Students admitted via the 'Study in India' portal may be eligible for an e_S1 visa valid for up to five years.
A Boost for Medical Travel
India's push to become a global hub for healthcare, under its 'Heal in India' initiative, is also reflected in the new rules. The Medical Visa framework has been clarified, with separate provisions for conventional medical treatments (M_1) and traditional AYUSH systems (M_3). Both visas will now typically be granted for one year with multiple entries, giving patients greater predictability for treatments that require followup appointments or staged procedures. The system also formalises visas for those accompanying patients. Attendants for conventional treatment can apply for an M_2 visa, while those accompanying AYUSH patients can get an M_4 visa, with validity periods tied to the patient's visa.
Less Paperwork, Faster Processing
Beyond restructuring categories, the government has focused on reducing the administrative burden on applicants. The number of required fields in visa application forms has been cut by as much as $65$-$70%$. This initiative aims to retain only essential information, which is expected to reduce the time and effort needed to complete an application. Officials believe this will also enhance administrative efficiency, allowing for more focused and faster processing. The Ministry of Home Affairs is currently updating its IT systems to fully implement these changes, with the new visa framework expected to be fully operational by the end of $2026$.
