India cuts visa categories and application form length

The government has reduced the number of main Indian visa categories from 13 to nine to rationalise the visa system. Officials also cut sub-categories from 49 down to 23. In addition, the number of fields in visa application forms has been reduced by 65 to 70 per cent. The Ministry of Home Affairs announced these changes in a statement on Wednesday to simplify the process for foreign nationals.

Context

Streamlining government paperwork and application procedures is a common administrative goal aimed at reducing delays and improving user experience for applicants. Visa regimes are periodically reviewed by national governments to balance security needs with ease of travel and tourism.