India visa rules have been overhauled, with the government cutting the main visa categories from 13 to nine and trimming application form fields by 65 to 70 per cent. The Ministry of Home Affairs announced the changes on November 11, saying the aim was to make the visa regime more compact, coherent and responsive to the needs of foreign nationals visiting India.
India visa rules: nine categories in the new list
The revised framework has nine main categories: Business, Diplomatic, Work, Journalist, Medical, Official, Student, Visitor and Miscellaneous. Sub-categories fall from 49 to 23, and the fields in application forms have been cut by 65 to 70 per cent across all 23 categories and sub-categories. The ministry said it had examined visa systems in developed countries and international standards before finalising the changes. Under the new India visa rules, the changes were announced on August 27, and they follow an earlier rationalisation in October 2025, when the main categories were cut from 22 to 13 and the sub-categories from 63 to 49.
The Miscellaneous category covers people of Indian origin and their spouses and children, dependants of foreign nationals holding long-term visas, people joining specified institutions such as the Auroville Foundation, Afghan nationals seeking stay visas and certain long-term visa categories for nationals of neighbouring countries. The ministry expects visas under the new system to be issued by the end of 2026, once its information technology systems have been upgraded to run the revised framework. The India visa rules are meant to reduce overlap between categories and make the framework easier to navigate for visitors, patients, students, researchers, investors and business professionals.
Visitor Visa replaces the Tourist Visa
Under the new India visa rules, the Tourist Visa has been replaced with a broader Visitor Visa covering tourism, short-term business meetings, medical consultations, wellness retreats and cultural courses. The Visitor Visa will have two sub-categories. The V-1 visa will be issued for 30 days with multiple entries, and will cover tourism, short-term business meetings, medical consultations, wellness retreats, short-duration medical treatment and courses in Indian languages, music, art and craft, along with short-term yoga programmes.
Under the India visa rules, the V-2 visa will cater to longer visits and may be granted for one, five or 10 years, depending on eligibility. It will cover the activities permitted under V-1 as well as mountaineering, and a separate six-month multiple-entry provision has been introduced for mountaineering. The broader category is meant to suit visitors who take part in several short-term activities during a single trip to India.
India visa rules for students and patients
The India visa rules also reorganise the Medical Visa framework while keeping separate provisions for conventional treatment and treatment under AYUSH systems. The M-1 visa will cover medical treatment other than AYUSH, while the M-3 category will apply to treatment under AYUSH systems. Both, including their electronic visa variants, will carry a default validity of one year with multiple entries. Separate attendant visas have been introduced: the M-2 visa for attendants of M-1 holders and M-4 for attendants of M-3 holders. The changes are part of the government’s Heal in India push to promote the country as a healthcare destination, and they should cut the need to apply for a fresh visa during treatment.
Under the India visa rules, the Student Visa framework has been consolidated into two sub-categories. S-1 will cover school education as well as graduate and postgraduate courses, while S-2 will include PhD scholars, research students, visiting faculty, scientific and anthropological expeditions, internships and exchange programmes. Foreign students admitted through the Study in India portal may be granted an e-S1 visa for up to five years or for the duration of their course, whichever is shorter, with multiple entries.
Business visas and the end of 2026 target
The Business Visa category has been divided into B-1 and B-2. B-1 will cover longer-term business activities, including foreign nationals seeking to set up industrial or business ventures in India. B-2 will cover short-term and contract-based activities, including production investment, conferences, sports events, cultural performances and film shoots. A provision has also been introduced for foreign subject-matter experts, engineers and technical personnel engaged by Indian companies, who may obtain a Production Investment Business Visa under B-2 through the e-visa platform. These activities were previously covered under the e-B4 visa nomenclature. The India visa rules are meant to boost foreign tourist arrivals, medical travel and foreign student arrivals, and to make legitimate travel, education, healthcare and economic engagement easier through clearer, purpose-based visa options.