India simplifies visa regime; tourist visa renamed as visitor visa

New Delhi Government of India has simplified its visa regime by reducing the categories from 13 to nine and making the visa application forms leaner by up to 70%, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said in a statement on Wednesday (November 11, 2026). Significantly, the “Tourist Visa” has been renamed “Visitor Visa”, reflecting a broader range of permitted purposes beyond conventional tourism, the ministry said.

A specific provision, Production Investment Business Visa, has been carved out for foreign subject-matter specialists, engineers and technical personnel engaged by Indian companies in activities such as installation and commissioning, quality checks and essential maintenance, production, IT, training, supply-chain development, plant design and bring-up, senior management and technical support, including transfer of know-how, technology and services.

India set to simplify visa forms India set to simplify visa forms Redundant fields in the bulky forms will be done away with and the changes are likely to be implemented from next year, says official India set to simplify visa forms storyline 1 “The step aims at making it more compact, coherent and responsive to the requirements of foreign nationals visiting India. On August 27, 2026, MHA reduced the number of main visa categories from 13 to nine and the number of sub-categories from 49 to 23,” it said.

This follows the earlier rationalisation undertaken in October, 2025, when the main visa categories were reduced from 22 to 13 and sub-categories from 63 to 49. While enacting the changes, the Government of India studied the visa systems of developed countries and global standards. The consolidation of similar purposes of travel is aimed at providing greater clarity and ease in identifying the appropriate visa category while facilitating legitimate foreign arrivals, MHA said.

Visa must for undocumented six non-Muslim communities who entered India before December 31, 2024: Home Ministry Visa must for undocumented six non-Muslim communities who entered India before December 31, 2024: Home Ministry The amendment applies to members of six non-Muslim communities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan who, fearing “religious persecution”, entered India without valid travel documents, or whose documents have since expired Visa must for undocumented six non-Muslim communities who entered India before December 31, 2024: Home Ministry storyline 1 Currently, e-visa is processed through electronic travel authorisation (ETA) under 13 subcategories.

The facility of e-visa is presently available to the nationals of 172 countries. As reported by The Hindu on November 4, the required filed/column for all 23 categories/sub-categories of Visas have been reduced 65%-70%. The initiative aims to significantly reduce the information required from foreign nationals, simplify the visa form while retaining essential details necessary for visa processing.

This will reduce the time and effort required to complete the application, and it will enhance administrative efficiency by facilitating more focused scrutiny and processing of visa applications. To implement all changes made in the Indian Visa Regime, the MHA is updating the IT systems and by year-end, visas will be granted as per new rationalisation. Visa in itself does not guarantee entry into India: What does the Delhi HC say?

Visa in itself does not guarantee entry into India: What does the Delhi HC say? The Delhi High Court has held that a foreign national does not have an enforceable right to enter India merely because they possess a valid visa. What is the law behind it? Visa in itself does not guarantee entry into India: What does the Delhi HC say? storyline 1 The visitor visa category has been organised into two sub-categories, V-1 and V-2, so that applicants may select a visa suited to the nature and duration of their proposed visit.

In addition to other eligible visitor activities, V-1 visa covers short-term activities such as business meetings, medical consultations, wellness retreats, short-duration medical treatment and short-term courses in Indian languages, music, art and craft. It is granted for 30 days with multiple entries. V-2 Visa is intended for longer-duration visits, with validity of one-year, five-year or 10-years, as specified.

It covers the activities permissible under V-1 and mountaineering. For mountaineering, a visa of six months, with multiple entries, will be granted. By bringing a wider range of short visits under a clearly identified category, the new arrangement makes visa selection simpler for travellers who may combine leisure with business meetings, medical consultations, wellness retreats, cultural learning or short-duration yoga programmes, MHA said.

The longer-duration V-2 option provides continuity and convenience for eligible repeat visitors, while the specific mountaineering provision addresses the distinct needs of such travel. 11 new entry points added for foreigners to enter India: Home Ministry 11 new entry points added for foreigners to enter India: Home Ministry The Ministry says the newly notified entry points comprise airports at Bhopal and Tirupati, and land ports of Agartala, Darranga, Gede, Ghojadanga, Haridaspur, Jaigaon, Dawki, Moreh and Attari (Road) 11 new entry points added for foreigners to enter India: Home Ministry storyline 1 The Medical Visa framework retains separate provisions for treatment under conventional and AYUSH systems.

M-1 Visa covers medical treatment, while the M-3 Visa covers treatment under AYUSH systems. M-1 and M-3 Visas, including their e-Visa variants, will be granted for one year as a default option with multiple entries. Corresponding medical attendant visa provisions are also available accordingly M-2 and M-4 Visas will be granted for attendant of M-1 and M-3 visa holders respectively.

This arrangement gives patients greater predictability when treatment involves multiple consultations, follow-up appointments or staged p…