India Visa Rules 2026 have brought major changes to the country’s visa system, making it easier for foreign nationals to apply for travel, education, medical treatment and business activities.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has reduced the number of main visa categories from 13 to 9 and sub-categories from 49 to 23.
The government has also reduced the number of fields applicants must complete in visa application forms by 65% to 70%.
The changes aim to simplify the application process, remove overlapping categories and make it easier for foreign visitors to select the correct visa.
The latest rationalisation was undertaken on August 27, 2026, and publicly announced by the government on November 11.
However, the revised system is expected to become operational by the end of 2026 after the completion of necessary IT system upgrades.
 India Visa Rules 2026: What Has Changed?
Under the revised framework, India has consolidated several visa categories to create a simpler classification system.
The nine main visa categories are:
Business Visa
Diplomatic Visa
Work Visa
Journalist Visa
Medical Visa
Official Visa
Student Visa
Visitor Visa
Miscellaneous Visa
The number of sub-categories has also come down from 49 to 23. This restructuring is intended to reduce confusion among applicants whose travel purposes previously fell under overlapping visa classifications.
The latest changes follow an earlier exercise in October 2025, when the government reduced the main visa categories from 22 to 13 and sub-categories from 63 to 49.
Tourist Visa Replaced With Visitor Visa
One of the most significant changes is the renaming of India’s Tourist Visa as the Visitor Visa. The new category covers more activities than conventional sightseeing and tourism.
The Visitor Visa has two sub-categories, V-1 and V-2.
The V-1 Visitor Visa allows multiple entries over 30 days. Besides tourism, it covers business meetings, medical consultations, wellness retreats, short-duration medical treatment and short-term courses in Indian languages, music, art and craft.
The V-2 Visitor Visa is designed for longer visits and can be granted with validity of one, five or 10 years, depending on the approval. It covers activities permitted under V-1 as well as mountaineering.
Foreign nationals visiting India for mountaineering will be eligible for a separate six-month multiple-entry visa provision.
These changes are expected to help international visitors who want to combine tourism with other permitted short-term activities during their stay.
Medical Visa Rules for Foreign Patients
The government has also reorganised medical visa provisions to make it easier for foreign nationals seeking treatment in India.
The revised system includes four categories:
M-1 Visa: For medical treatment other than AYUSH systems.
M-2 Visa: For medical attendants accompanying M-1 visa holders.
M-3 Visa: For treatment under AYUSH systems.
M-4 Visa: For medical attendants accompanying M-3 visa holders.
The M-1 and M-3 visas, including their e-Visa versions, will generally be granted for one year with multiple entries. This will help patients who need repeated consultations, follow-up appointments or treatment in different stages.
 Student and Business Visa Categories Also Revised
The Student Visa category has been consolidated into two broader classifications.
The S-1 Visa covers school, undergraduate and postgraduate education. The S-2 Visa covers PhD scholars, research students, visiting faculty, internships, exchange programmes and other specified academic activities.
Foreign students admitted to Indian educational institutions through the Study in India portal may receive an e-S1 Visa valid for up to five years or the duration of their course, whichever is shorter.
It will allow multiple entries.
Business visas have also been reorganised into two categories.
The B-1 Visa covers long-term, licence-based business activities, including establishing industrial or commercial ventures in India.
The B-2 Visa covers short-term, contract-based activities such as production investment, conferences, sports, performing arts and film-related work.
A specific provision has also been introduced for foreign engineers, technical specialists and subject-matter experts engaged by Indian companies.
They can obtain a Production Investment Business Visa under the B-2 category through the e-Visa platform.
This replaces the earlier e-B4 visa classification for the specified activities.
Visa Application Forms Become 65% to 70% Shorter
Apart from reducing the number of visa categories, the government has simplified application forms across all 23 revised categories and sub-categories.
The number of fields applicants must fill in has been reduced by approximately 65% to 70%.
The objective is to reduce the time and effort required to complete applications while retaining essential information needed for visa processing.
The reduction is also expected to help authorities conduct more focused scrutiny and improve administrative efficiency.
Currently, India’s e-Visa facility is available to nationals of 172 countries under 13 sub-categories.
When Will the New Indian Visa Rules Start?
The revised India Visa Rules 2026 will not become fully operational immediately. The Ministry of Home Affairs is updating its IT infrastructure to support the new classification system.
According to the government, visas under the revised framework are expected to be issued by the end of 2026.
Foreign nationals planning to visit India should continue following the existing application process until the updated system becomes operational.
They should also check the applicable eligibility conditions and documentation requirements before submitting an application.
The changes simplify visa classifications and application forms, but they do not mean that eligibility requirements or necessary security checks have been removed.
