India Cuts Visa Categories From 13 to 9 in MHA Rationalisation

The Ministry of Home Affairs has trimmed India's visa structure for the second time in about a year. On 27 August 2026 the ministry brought the main visa categories down from 13 to nine and the sub-categories down from 49 to 23. The earlier round, in October 2025, had already pulled the main categories down from 22 to 13 and the sub-categories from 63 to 49. Before deciding, the government studied visa systems in developed countries and compared them with global practice. The stated aim is a framework that is shorter, more consistent and easier for a foreign national to match to the purpose of a visit.

The nine categories

The revised framework keeps nine main visas: Business, Diplomatic, Work, Journalist, Medical, Official, Student, Visitor and Miscellaneous. The old Tourist Visa has been renamed the Visitor Visa, since it now covers much more than sightseeing. e-Visas continue to be issued through electronic travel authorisation under 13 sub-categories, and the e-Visa facility is open to nationals of 172 countries.

Visitor, Medical and Student visas

• V-1 allows short visits of 30 days with multiple entries, covering business meetings, medical consultations, wellness retreats, short treatment and short courses in Indian languages, music, art and craft.
• V-2 is for longer stays, valid for 1, 5 or 10 years, and also covers mountaineering, for which a six-month multiple-entry visa is granted.
• M-1 covers treatment outside AYUSH systems and M-3 covers AYUSH treatment; both are granted for one year with multiple entries by default. M-2 and M-4 are the matching attendant visas.
• S-1 covers school, graduate and post-graduate study, while S-2 covers PhD and research scholars, visiting faculty, scientific and anthropological expeditions, internships and exchange students. For students enrolled through the Study in India portal, the e-S1 visa may run up to five years or the length of the course, whichever is shorter.

Business visas and specialists

Business visas now sit in two sub-categories. B-1 is for long-term, licence-based activity, including setting up an industrial or business venture in India. B-2 is for short-term, contract-based work, including production investment business, conferences, sports, performing arts and films; production investment business was earlier issued under the e-B4 label. A separate provision covers foreign subject-matter specialists, engineers and technical staff hired by Indian companies for installation and commissioning, quality checks, IT and ERP ramp-up, training, supply-chain development, plant design, and transfer of know-how and technology.

Simpler forms, new IT systems

The ministry also went through the application forms for all 23 sub-categories and cut the number of fields to be filled by 65 to 70 per cent, keeping only what processing needs. Officials say this will shorten the time an applicant spends on the form and let scrutiny focus on essentials. The ministry is now updating its IT systems, and visas are to be granted under the new structure by the end of the year. The government links the change to a push for foreign tourist arrivals, for medical value travel under the Heal in India vision, and for foreign student arrivals.