“While considering the simplification of the Indian visa regime, the government studied the visa systems of developed countries and global standards,” the statement said.
It said the consolidation of similar purposes of travel is aimed at providing greater clarity and ease in identifying the appropriate visa category while facilitating legitimate foreign arrivals.
The existing e-Visa facility currently covers nationals of 172 countries under 13 sub-categories. The erstwhile Tourist Visa has been renamed Visitor Visa and divided into V-1 and V-2, covering a wider range of activities beyond tourism. “The V-1 visa will allow multiple entries over 30 days for eligible activities including business meetings, medical consultations, wellness retreats, short-duration treatment and short courses in Indian languages, music, art and craft,” it added.
“The V-2 visa will have a validity of one, five or 10 years, as specified, while mountaineering visitors will be granted a six-month, multiple-entry visa,” it said.
Under the revised medical framework, M-1 visas for treatment outside AYUSH systems and M-3 visas for AYUSH treatment, including their electronic variants, will ordinarily be issued for one year with multiple entries. “Their accompanying attendants will be eligible for M-2 and M-4 visas, respectively,” it added.
“Student visas have been consolidated into S-1 for school, undergraduate and postgraduate education, and S-2 for research and other specified academic activities, including PhD programmes, visiting faculty assignments, internships and student exchanges. Eligible foreign students enrolled through the Study in India portal may receive multiple-entry e-S1 visas for up to five years or the duration of their course, whichever is shorter,” it said.
“Business visas have been reorganised into B-1 for long-term, licence-based activities, including setting up industrial or business ventures, and B-2 for short-term, contract-based activities such as production investment, conferences, sports, performing arts and films,” the spokesperson said.
“Foreign specialists, engineers and technical personnel engaged by Indian companies for specified assignments, including installation, commissioning, maintenance, training and technology transfer, may obtain a Production Investment Business Visa through the e-Visa platform under B-2, replacing the earlier e-B4 nomenclature,” it added.
The ministry said application forms across all 23 sub-categories had been shortened while retaining essential information for processing.
