New Delhi: India has announced a major overhaul of its visa system, simplifying entry procedures for foreign nationals travelling to the country for tourism, business, medical treatment, education and research. The revised framework reduces the number of main visa categories from 13 to nine and sub categories from 49 to 23, while visa application forms have been shortened by 65 to 70 per cent.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has undertaken the exercise to make the visa process simpler, more accessible and aligned with international practices. The changes follow an earlier rationalisation carried out in October 2025.
Tourist Visa Replaced With Visitor Visa
One of the major changes is the replacement of the Tourist Visa with a broader Visitor Visa category. The new provision covers not only tourism but also short term business meetings, medical consultations, wellness retreats, yoga programmes and cultural or educational courses.
The Visitor Visa has two sub categories, V-1 and V-2. The V-1 visa will be issued for 30 days with multiple entries, while V-2 can be granted for one, five or 10 years, depending on eligibility. The longer duration category also covers mountaineering activities.
Medical Visas Get One Year Multiple Entry Validity
The Medical Visa framework has been reorganised to make treatment in India more convenient for international patients. The M-1 category will cover conventional medical treatment, while M-3 will apply to treatment under AYUSH systems.
Both categories, including their electronic visa options, will have a default validity of one year with multiple entries. Separate attendant visas, M-2 and M-4, will be available for people accompanying patients.
The move is expected to support the government’s Heal in India initiative by making repeated consultations and long term treatment easier for foreign patients.
Simpler Visas for Students and Researchers
Student Visas have been consolidated into S-1 and S-2 categories. The S-1 visa will cover school, undergraduate and postgraduate education, while S-2 will include research scholars, PhD students, visiting faculty, internships and academic exchange programmes.
Foreign students admitted through the Study in India portal may receive multiple entry e-S1 visas valid for up to five years or the duration of their course, whichever is shorter.
Business Visa Rules Streamlined
The Business Visa category has been divided into B-1 and B-2. The B-1 category will cover long term business activities and the establishment of industrial ventures, while B-2 will cover short term contractual assignments, conferences, sports, cultural performances and film shoots.
A dedicated provision has also been introduced for foreign technical experts, engineers and specialists working with Indian companies. Their activities may include installation, maintenance, quality checks, IT operations, training and technical support.
E-Visa Access and Implementation
India currently offers electronic visas to citizens of 172 countries across 13 sub categories. The government is updating its technology systems to implement the revised framework, with the new visa arrangements expected to become operational by the end of 2026.
The nine main categories under the revised system will be Business, Diplomatic, Work, Journalist, Medical, Official, Student, Visitor and Miscellaneous visas.
The Miscellaneous category will cover people of Indian origin and their families, dependents of foreign nationals holding long term visas, Afghan nationals seeking stay visas and other specified groups.
The overhaul is expected to reduce paperwork, improve processing convenience and strengthen India’s appeal as a destination for international tourism, healthcare, education and investment.
