India replaces Tourist Visa with Visitor Visa, cuts paperwork by up to 70%

The new Visitor Visa allows more activities and reduces application forms to 65–70% fewer fields.

Edited by Abhilasha Garg, Editor · SafarSamachar Desk✔ Fact-checked by Abhilasha Garg11 Nov 2026, 10:07 pm IST

Illustration

Illustration: SafarSamachar Pix Desk, created with AI assistance. Not a photograph of the event.

Key facts at a glance

1Tourist Visa is being replaced with a new Visitor Visa category
2Visa categories will reduce from 13 to nine
3Application forms will have 65–70% fewer fields
4V-1 visa allows multiple entries over 30 days
5Medical visas now include default one-year, multiple-entry validity

India is replacing its Tourist Visa with a new Visitor Visa category as part of a major overhaul to simplify its visa rules. The changes aim to reduce the number of main visa categories from 13 to nine and cut the number of fields in application forms by 65–70%.

The new Visitor Visa allows activities beyond conventional tourism, with the V-1 category permitting multiple entries over a 30-day period. For longer stays, the V-2 visa offers validity periods of one, five or 10 years. Medical visas have also been restructured, with a default one-year, multiple-entry validity for most categories.

The M-1 visa is designated for conventional medical treatment excluding AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy), while the M-3 visa is for treatment under AYUSH systems. Attendants accompanying patients can apply for M-2 or M-4 visas.

Student visas have been consolidated into two categories: S-1 for school, undergraduate and postgraduate education, and S-2 for other student-related purposes.

What this means for Indian travellers

If you are applying for a visa to India, check if your purpose of visit now falls under the new Visitor Visa or other streamlined categories like medical or student visas.

More details

Where can I download the updated visa application form for the Visitor Visa and other categories?

You can download the updated Visitor Visa and other visa forms directly from the Indian Visa online portal at indianvisaonline., under the ‘Apply Online’ tab.

Source: indianvisaonline.gov.in

Sources

This brief was written with AI assistance from the reports listed above and fact-checked by Abhilasha Garg on 11 Nov 2026. Read our editorial policy.Rules and schedules change - confirm with the airline or embassy before you travel. Spotted an error? Tell us.