Union Home Ministry plans major overhaul of India's visa regime, to cut categories from 13 to 9

The Union Home Ministry is planning a major overhaul of India's visa regime, with proposals to reduce the number of main visa categories from 13 to nine and cut visa application form fields by 70 per cent to make the process simpler and more user-friendly, officials said on Wednesday, November 4.

The proposed changes are part of a comprehensive review of the Visa Manual, 2019, aimed at rationalising the country's visa framework and simplifying procedures for applicants.

Under the proposed reforms, the number of visa sub-categories will also be reduced from 49 to 23, limiting the classifications under which visas can be issued, officials said.

A meeting was held in August to discuss amendments to various chapters and Appendices I and II of the Visa Manual, 2019. During the meeting, it was decided to streamline the existing visa framework by reducing the number of categories and eliminating unnecessary procedural requirements.

The government has also decided to simplify visa application forms by removing nearly 70 per cent of the existing fields. The exercise will focus on eliminating overlapping, repetitive and redundant information requirements, making the application process less cumbersome for applicants.

Officials said the proposed changes are likely to be implemented across all visa categories and sub-categories, in line with global practices.

The overhaul is expected to make India's visa application process more accessible and efficient while reducing the administrative burden on applicants.