Centre simplifies visa regime: Paperwork cut by 70%, categories reduced from 13 to 9
The Indian government has simplified its visa regime by reducing the number of main categories and sub-categories. The update aims to streamline travel, education, and medical visits by cutting paperwork by up to 70%.
Why it matters
Significant policy change that impacts international students, tourists, and business travelers visiting India.
NEW DELHI: The Centre has simplified India's visa regime, reducing the number of main visa categories from 13 to nine and sub-categories from 49 to 23, in a move aimed at making travel, education and medical treatment in the country easier for foreign nationals.The ministry of home affairs (MHA), in a press release on Wednesday, said the number of fields to be filled in visa application forms across all 23 sub-categories has been reduced by 65-70%, making the process easier, faster and more applicant-friendly.This follows an earlier rationalisation in October 2025, when the number of main visa categories was reduced from 22 to 13 and sub-categories from 63 to 49.Student visa category reorganisedAs part of the changes, the Student Visa category has been consolidated into two broad sub-categories — S-1 and S-2.The S-1 Visa covers school, graduate and…
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