India Cuts Main Visa Categories to Nine and Application Fields by Up to 70%

India has cut its main visa categories from 13 to nine and reduced sub-categories from 49 to 23. The changes aim to simplify entry procedures for foreign nationals visiting the country, the Ministry of Home Affairs said. The government also cut visa application form fields by 65–70%. It renamed the Tourist Visa as the Visitor Visa, reflecting permitted purposes beyond conventional tourism. The revised framework consolidates similar travel purposes to make it easier to identify the right visa category. The changes were made on August 27, following an earlier reduction in October 2025, when the main categories fell from 22 to 13. The ministry said the government studied visa systems in developed countries and global standards. The source says implementation is expected by year-end.