Centre Cuts Visa Categories From 13 to 9, Reduces Application Form Fields by up to 70%
The overhaul adds new visa types for business, study and medical travel while reducing application fields by 65% to 70%, the Home Ministry said.
- On Wednesday, the Ministry of Home Affairs announced India has simplified its visa regime by reducing main categories from 13 to 9. Significantly, the "Tourist Visa" has been renamed "Visitor Visa," reflecting a broader range of permitted purposes beyond conventional tourism.
- The initiative aims to make the visa regime "more compact, coherent and responsive to the requirements of foreign nationals visiting India," the MHA said. Officials reduced application form fields by 65-70% to enhance administrative efficiency and processing speed.
- Business Visas split into B-1 for long-term ventures and B-2 for short-term contracts, consolidating travel purposes. Student Visas now differentiate between standard education and advanced research, while Medical Visas retain separate provisions for conventional and AYUSH treatments.
- The revised framework, implemented through updated IT systems, is expected to be fully operational by year-end. Currently, e-visas remain available to nationals of 172 countries, streamlining access for eligible foreign travelers.
- Aligning with the Prime Minister's vision to "Heal in India," the simplified framework encourages Medical Value Tourism by facilitating easier access for patients and attendants. These changes support legitimate travel, education, and economic engagement with India through clearer, purpose-based visa options.
16 Articles
16 Articles
India simplifies visa rules, forms become 70% shorter, categories reduced from 13 to 9
Key changes include renaming the Tourist Visa as the Visitor Visa, restructuring medical, student and business visas, and introducing greater flexibility for medical travellers and foreign professionals. The revised system is expected to be implemented by the end of 2026.
India reduces visa categories from 13 to 9, cuts fields in application forms by 65-70%: MHA
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 Min…
India rationalises visa regime, reducing main categories from 13 to 9 and sub-categories from 49 to 23
As per the ministry, the required fields or columns for all 23 categories and sub-categories of Visas have been reduced by 65 per cent to 70 per cent-- an initiative to significantly reduce the information required from foreign nationals and simplify visa forms while retaining essential details necessary for visa processing.
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