India: Simplification of Visa Categories and Reduction in Application Information Requirements

New visa framework. The number of main visa categories will be reduced from 13 to nine (including Business, Diplomatic, Work, Journalist, Medical, Official, Student, Visitor and Miscellaneous visas), and the number of sub-categories from 49 to 23. New visas will include (among others): 

• Visitor Visa (to replace the Tourist Visa), which will cover a wide range of activities beyond conventional tourism, and will be divided into two sub-categories: V-1 Visa (with short-term validity) and V-2 Visa (with long-term validity). 

• Medical Visa, which will be classified under two broad categories: M-1 Visa (for standard medical treatment) and M-3 Visa (for Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy treatment) with a one-year, multiple-entry option, accompanied by dedicated attendant M-2 Visa and M-4 Visa.  

• Student Visa, which will be consolidated into two broad classifications: the S-1 Visa (for school, graduate and post-graduate education) and S-2 Visa (for PhD scholars, research students, visiting faculty, interns, etc.). 

• Business Visa, which will be consolidated into B-1 (for long-term, business activities) and B-2 (for short-term business activities). 

• Miscellaneous Visa, which covers people of Indian origin and their spouses and children, dependents of foreign nationals holding long-duration visas, and certain other categories. 

• The consolidation of visa categories will reduce overlaps across different travel purposes, making it easier for foreign nationals to identify the appropriate visa pathway for legitimate travel, education, healthcare, employment and broader economic engagement with India.  

• Clearer, purpose-based visa options will also provide greater transparency and ease of navigation. 

• The Visitor Visa will provide broader flexibility than the Tourist Visa. 

• The Student Visa will have a clearer distinction between standard coursework (S-1 Visa) and research/internship (S-2 Visa). 
• The Business Visa provides clearer separation between long-term and short-term technical deployments. 

Reduced paperwork. There will be a 65-70% reduction in the number of fields/information required in visa application forms. 

• This will make the application process simpler and more streamlined for foreign nationals. 

• This will enhance administrative efficiency by facilitating more focused scrutiny and processing of visa applications.