Indian government streamlines visa categories from 13 to 9

Indian government streamlines visa categories from 13 to 92 publishers · first seen Wed, 11 Nov 2026 00:00 UTC · updated Thu, 12 Nov 2026 06:11 UTCThe Indian government has simplified its visa regime, reducing the number of main categories from 13 to 9 and sub-categories from 49 to 23. The changes aim to make the visa system more streamlined and responsive to the needs of foreign visitors. The tourist visa has been renamed the visitor visa, reflecting a broader range of permitted activities beyond conventional tourism. The visitor visa is divided into two sub-categories: V-1 for short-term activities such as business meetings, medical consultations, wellness retreats, and short-duration medical treatment, and V-2 for longer visits, including mountaineering. The medical visa framework retains separate provisions for treatment under conventional and AYUSH systems.Content auto-generated. May contain inaccuracies.

India simplifies visa rules, reduces categories to 9 from 13 (Scroll.in, Thu, 12 Nov 2026 06:11 UTC)

India simplifies visa rules: Categories cut to 9 from 13, application fields reduced by up to 70% (Times of India – India, Thu, 12 Nov 2026 04:28 UTC)