India Rationalizes Visa Regime to Boost Tourism and Economic Engagement
The Ministry of Home Affairs, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and guidance of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, has implemented a comprehensive rationalization of India's visa regime effective November 2026. This represents the second phase of simplification, following an earlier rationalization in October 2025 that reduced main categories from 22 to 13 and sub-categories from 63 to 49.
The current reform reduces main visa categories from 13 to 9 and sub-categories from 49 to 23, representing a significant structural simplification. The government studied visa systems of developed countries and global standards while designing these changes. Additionally, the number of fields required in visa application forms across all 23 sub-categories has been reduced by 65-70%, making the process easier, faster, and more applicant-friendly while retaining essential details for processing.
Key Visa Category Changes
The new Visitor Visa category replaces the erstwhile Tourist Visa and is organized into two sub-categories. V-1 Visa covers short-term activities including business meetings, medical consultations, wellness retreats, short-duration medical treatment, and short-term courses in Indian languages, music, art and craft, granted for 30 days with multiple entries. V-2 Visa is intended for longer-duration visits with validity of 1, 5, or 10 years, covering all V-1 activities plus mountaineering (which receives a six-month multiple entry visa specifically).
Medical Visa framework retains separate provisions for conventional treatment (M-1 Visa) and AYUSH systems treatment (M-3 Visa), both granted for one year as default with multiple entries. Corresponding medical attendant visas (M-2 for M-1 holders and M-4 for M-3 holders) are also available, supporting the 'Heal in India' vision for medical value tourism.
Student Visa category is consolidated into S-1 for school, graduate and post-graduate education, and S-2 for PhD and research scholars, visiting faculty, research students, scientific expeditions, internships, and exchange students. Foreign students enrolled through the Study in India portal may receive e-S1 Visa for up to five years or course duration (whichever is less) with multiple entries.
Business Visa category is consolidated into B-1 for long-term, license-based business activities including establishing industrial/business ventures, and B-2 for short-term, contract-based activities including Production Investment Business, conferences, sports, performative arts, and films. A specific provision exists for foreign subject-matter specialists, engineers, and technical personnel engaged by Indian companies for installation, commissioning, quality checks, maintenance, production, IT ramp-up, training, and technology transfer, granted under Production Investment Business Visa through e-Visa platform (previously e-B4).
Complete Visa Category Framework
The revised visa framework now comprises nine main categories: Business Visa for long-term and short-term business activities; Diplomatic Visa for diplomats and UN diplomats; Work Visa for long-term employment with Indian companies, NGOs, and missionary activities; Journalist Visa for accredited journalists; Medical Visa for medical treatment including AYUSH systems; Official Visa for non-diplomatic officials including UN officials; Student Visa for education, research, and academic activities; Visitor Visa for tourism, short-term activities, and mountaineering; and Miscellaneous Visa for Persons of Indian Origin, Auroville Foundation participants, dependents of foreign nationals, and other miscellaneous purposes not covered elsewhere.
Implementation Timeline
The Ministry of Home Affairs is updating IT systems to implement these changes, with the new rationalized visa system expected to be fully operational by year-end (December 2026). The e-visa facility remains available to nationals of 172 countries across 13 sub-categories during this transition period.
The rationalization aims to reduce overlap between visa categories, make the framework easier to navigate for visitors, patients, students, researchers, investors and business professionals, and boost legitimate travel, education, healthcare, and economic engagement with India through clearer, purpose-based visa options.