India overhauls visa categories to simplify entry for foreign visitors
The Union government has announced another major restructuring of India’s visa framework, reducing the number of categories to make the application process simpler and more accessible to international travellers.
The Ministry of Home Affairs announced on Wednesday that the number of primary visa categories has been brought down from 13 to nine, while the number of sub-categories has been reduced from 49 to 23.
The latest changes, implemented on August 27, 2026, follow an earlier restructuring in October 2025, when the government reduced the main categories from 22 to 13.
According to the ministry, the exercise involved examining visa frameworks followed by developed nations and international standards. The objective is to combine overlapping travel purposes and make it easier for foreign nationals to identify the appropriate visa.
The government also provided details about India’s electronic visa system. E-visas are currently processed through electronic travel authorisation under 13 sub-categories, with the facility available to citizens of 172 countries.
Another significant change involves the renaming of the Tourist Visa as the Visitor Visa.
The revised category is intended to accommodate a wider range of permitted visits rather than being restricted to conventional tourism. It has been divided into two classifications, V-1 and V-2, allowing applicants to choose according to their travel purpose and intended duration.
The government believes the revised framework will improve clarity, reduce confusion among applicants and facilitate legitimate international travel to India.