India has reduced its main visa categories from 13 to 9 and cut sub-categories from 49 to 23 as part of a government-led visa regime overhaul set to take effect by November 2026.
New Visitor Visa Sub-Categories and Validity
The previous Tourist Visa is now renamed as Visitor Visa, divided into two sub-categories: V-1 and V-2. The V-1 Visa grants 30-day multiple entries, covering tourism, business meetings, medical consultations, wellness retreats, short treatments, and brief courses in Indian languages, music, art, and crafts. The V-2 Visa offers longer validity—one, five, or ten years depending on approval—and includes all V-1 activities plus mountaineering, with a separate six-month
multiple-entry visa for mountaineering.
Reduction in Visa Categories and Application Paperwork
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) streamlined visa administration by cutting the visa categories from 13 to 9 main types and decreasing sub-categories by more than half from 49 to 23. Simultaneously, visa application forms have been simplified, with required fields reduced by 65-70%, lowering paperwork and expediting processing. To support these reforms, the MHA is upgrading IT infrastructure. Visas under this revised framework will begin issuance by the end of 2026.
Medical and Student Visa Revisions
Medical Visas now comprise four categories: M-1 for conventional medical treatment and M-3 for AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, Homeopathy) treatments, both generally valid
for one year with multiple entries. Attendants of patients can obtain M-2 and M-4 visas respectively. The Student Visa is divided into S-1 for school and general higher education and S-2 for PhD research, visiting faculty, internships, and exchange programs. Eligible foreign students admitted via the Study in India portal can apply for an e-S1 visa valid up to five years or the course duration, whichever is shorter.
Business Visas and New Provisions for Technical Experts
Business Visas are split into B-1 for long-term business undertakings, including establishing ventures, and B-2 for short-term contracts, conferences, sports, performing arts, and film-related work. A new provision allows foreign technical experts,
engineers, and specialists involved in production, installation, maintenance, and training to obtain a Production Investment Business Visa (B-2) through the e-Visa system, which is available to nationals of 172 countries.
Government Rationale and Implementation Timeline
The Indian government’s simplification followed studies of visa frameworks in developed nations to align with global best practices. The MHA aimed to reduce overlapping visa categories and facilitate easier visa identification for applicants. Prior to this change, an October 2025 revision reduced categories from 22 to 13 and sub-categories from 63 to 49. The current rationalisation will be applied through upgraded IT systems, with the new visa issuance process launching
by the end of 2026.
Impact on International Travellers
Travellers will now encounter fewer visa categories and significantly reduced paperwork. The broader scope of the Visitor Visa accommodates combinations of tourism, business, medical treatment, and cultural visits under a single visa. Medical patients requiring multiple consultations benefit from medical visas with longer validity and multiple entries. International students enjoy access to longer-term multiple-entry visas through the Study in India platform. Foreign technical professionals visiting India for business assignments gain a dedicated visa category, easing their entry process.
