The number of details to be filled in the visa application form has also been reduced by 65 to 70 percent.
New Delhi. The Central Government has reduced the number of main Indian visa categories from 13 to nine and the number of sub-categories from 49 to 23 with an aim to simplify the visa process for foreign nationals. Along with this, the number of details to be filled in the visa application form has also been reduced by 65 to 70 percent. Officials gave this information on Wednesday.
The Home Ministry said in a statement that the objective of these changes is to make the visa system more streamlined and consistent and to adapt it to the needs of foreign nationals visiting India. On August 27, the Home Ministry had reduced the number of main visa categories from 13 to nine and the number of sub-categories from 49 to 23. Earlier, in October 2025 also, as part of the process of rationalizing visa categories, the number of main categories was reduced from 22 to 13 and the number of sub-categories was reduced from 63 to 49.
While considering simplification of the Indian visa regime, the government studied the visa systems of developed countries and global standards. It said the purpose of unifying visa categories with similar purposes of travel is to enhance convenience for foreign nationals visiting India legally and to make it clearer and easier for them to identify the appropriate visa category.
At present, e-Visa facility is available to citizens of 172 countries and under this, the application process is completed in 13 sub-categories. The category previously known as 'Tourist' visas has been renamed 'Visitor Visas'. It aims to include other permitted purposes of travel in addition to traditional tourism. This category has been collapsed into two sub-categories, V-1 and V-2.
The medical visa regime retains separate provisions for treatment under traditional and AYUSH systems of medicine. The student visa category has been broken down into two broad sub-categories. The business visa category is divided into two sub-categories named B-1 and B-2. The B-1 visa covers long-term business activities conducted on a license basis. This also includes foreign nationals wishing to set up industrial or business ventures in India. The Home Ministry has also undertaken an extensive exercise to simplify and streamline the visa application form for all 23 categories and sub-categories.