Ministry of Home Affairs plans major changes to India's visa process

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs is preparing to carry out a major overhaul of India's visa system. Under this plan, the number of main visa categories will be reduced from 13 to 9, and the number of visa sub-categories will be reduced from 49 to 23. Additionally, approximately 70 per cent of fields or details will be removed from the visa application form to make the process more streamlined.

According to a PTI report, these proposed changes are part of a comprehensive review of the Visa Manual, 2019. This process is likely to involve amendments to various chapters and annexures of the manual. According to officials, the primary objective of these reforms is to align India's visa system with global standards, and these changes will cover all visa categories and sub-categories.

The proposed reforms, aimed at simplifying the visa application process for applicants, focus primarily on three important areas. A meeting was held in August to discuss amendments to various chapters and Annexures I and II of the Visa Manual, 2019. In this meeting, it was decided to make the Indian visa system more rational and simple.

Under the proposed target of reducing the application form, the aim is to remove information that is repetitive, overlapping, or no longer required. If these changes are implemented, the visa application form will become simpler and more user-friendly.

These reforms are expected to benefit foreign nationals applying for Indian visas across various categories, including tourists, business people, students, and professionals. With a lower number of visa categories and shorter application forms, it may become easier for applicants to identify the appropriate visa type and complete the application process. This step is also likely to reduce confusion caused by overlapping categories and redundant information requirements.

However, the government has not yet announced a date for the implementation of these proposed changes. The revised application forms and categories will be introduced only after the necessary amendments to the manual are completed. Until the revised framework is officially implemented by the government, the current visa categories and application requirements will continue for visa applicants from other countries.

In the context of India's visa system, according to primary data from the Ministry of Tourism, approximately 6.91 lakh foreign tourists arrived in India in August 2026, which is 10.6% more than the approximately 6.25 lakh in the same month last year. The highest increase was seen in tourists arriving from Bangladesh in August, with more than 74,000 visitors coming to India from the neighbouring country, representing an increase of almost 80% compared to last year. A significant increase was also noted in tourists arriving from China, with more than 9,000 tourists visiting India in August, which is more than double the report from a year ago. In contrast, there was a modest annual increase of about 3% in arrivals from traditional Western markets such as the US and UK. Other countries, including Canada, Germany, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka, also saw growth in arrivals at a rate of 10-15% during the same month.