The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is rationalising India’s ‘visa regime’, reducing the main visa categories from 13 to 9 and application forms by 70%. This is part of a wider review of the Visa Manual 2019 and aims to simplify the process for applicants and align the regime with international practice.
A meeting in August reviewed the proposed amendments to various chapters, as well as Appendices I and II of the manual. The result was a decision to reduce the number of main categories from 13 to 9 and the number of sub-categories from 49 to 23. The rationale was that it would remove the duplication and obsolescence that had built up over the years and leave a much more streamlined set of categories for missions and applicants to use.
In parallel, the Ministry has decided to axe approximately 70 per cent of the fields currently required on the visa application forms. The aim is to eliminate redundant, repetitive, and overlapping questions so the remaining forms are shorter, clearer, and less error-prone. Sources say the same principle will apply across all remaining categories and sub-categories, not just a few high-volume visas.
This change is being described as an administrative clean-up, not a loosening of security or eligibility rules. The main checks will still be required.