India is replacing its Tourist Visa with a new Visitor Visa, but the change is not live yet. The Ministry of Home Affairs announced on 11 November 2026 that the Visitor Visa will come in two types: V-1, valid for 30 days with multiple entries, and V-2, for longer visits, valid for 1, 5 or 10 years. Application forms will be 65–70% shorter. The ministry is still updating its IT systems and says visas will be granted under the new rules “by year-end”. If you are travelling to India this winter, nothing has changed for you today: apply for the e-Tourist Visa on the official website, indianvisaonline.gov.in, between 120 and 4 days before you arrive.
This guide separates what the government has actually announced from what is still unknown, and turns it into a plain checklist for a winter trip. It is written by a private tour operator based in India that plans trips for international guests every season. For the trips themselves, see India tours for international travellers.
- Announced: 11 November 2026, Ministry of Home Affairs (change made on 27 August 2026)
- Tourist Visa → Visitor Visa: V-1 (30 days, multiple entries) and V-2 (1, 5 or 10 years)
- Visa categories: cut from 13 to 9; sub-categories from 49 to 23
- Forms: 65–70% fewer fields
- Start date: not fixed; “by year-end”, once IT systems are updated
- Not yet announced: fees, who qualifies for a 10-year V-2, and what happens to visas already issued
- Today: the e-Visa portal still issues e-Tourist Visas to nationals of 172 countries
What the announcement changes
The announcement is the second clean-up of India’s visa system in a year. In October 2025 the main categories were cut from 22 to 13; on 27 August 2026 the Ministry of Home Affairs cut them again, from 13 to 9, and published the details on 11 November. For holidaymakers, three changes matter.
| Until now | Under the new rules | |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Tourist Visa / e-Tourist Visa | Visitor Visa |
| Short visits | 30-day e-Tourist Visa | V-1: 30 days, multiple entries |
| Longer or repeat visits | 1-year and 5-year e-Tourist Visas | V-2: 1, 5 or 10 years, “as specified” |
| What the visa covers | Sightseeing, visiting friends and family, short yoga programmes | Also short business meetings, medical consultations, wellness retreats, short medical treatment, and short courses in Indian languages, music, art and craft; V-2 adds mountaineering |
| Mountaineering | Separate rules | Six-month, multiple-entry visa within the Visitor category |
| Application form | Long | 65–70% fewer fields |
The biggest practical gain is the wider list of purposes. Under one Visitor Visa you will be able to combine a holiday with a wellness retreat, a few days of yoga, a short cooking or music course or a business meeting, without worrying whether the trip “counts” as tourism. The ten-year option, if it is offered to your nationality, will also suit travellers who return to India often.
What has not changed yet
As of 12 November 2026 the new system is an announcement, not a working process. The government’s release says the ministry is updating its IT systems and that “by year-end, visas will be granted as per new rationalization”. Until then:
- The e-Visa portal works as before. It still lists the 30-day, 1-year and 5-year e-Tourist Visas.
- No new fees have been published. Pay only the fee the official portal shows for your nationality.
- Eligibility for V-2 is not public. The release says validity is 1, 5 or 10 years “as specified” and that all changes are subject to eligibility criteria. It does not say which nationalities get which length.
- Existing visas are not mentioned. The announcement says nothing about visas already granted. If you hold a valid e-Visa, keep the approval email and check the official portal before you travel.
In short: do not delay a winter booking to wait for the new visa. There is no date to wait for, and the current e-Visa is quick to obtain.
Getting your visa for a trip before March 2027
These are the current rules on the official e-Visa portal, checked on 12 November 2026.
| e-Tourist Visa | Validity | Entries | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 days | 30 days from your first arrival; cannot be extended | Multiple | A single trip of up to 30 days |
| 1 year | 365 days from the date it is granted | Multiple | Trips longer than 30 days, or two trips in a year |
| 5 years | Five years from the date it is granted | Multiple | Regular visitors |
- When to apply: at least 4 days and no more than 120 days before you arrive. We suggest applying as soon as your flights are booked, so there is time to fix any problem.
- Passport: valid for at least six months from your arrival date, with at least two blank pages. Travel on the same passport you applied with.
- Length of stay: on the 1-year and 5-year visas, your total stay in India in one calendar year should not exceed 180 days.
- On arrival: fingerprints and a photo are taken at immigration.
- Entry points: you must arrive at one of the airports or seaports designated for e-Visa holders. All the main international airports, including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chennai, are on the list; check the official list if you are arriving elsewhere.
Fees vary by nationality. As an example, for US citizens the Consulate General of India in San Francisco lists US$25 for the 30-day e-Tourist Visa from July to March (US$10 from April to June), US$40 for one year and US$80 for five years, plus a 2.5% bank charge. The fee is not refundable if the visa is refused. The portal shows the exact fee for your passport when you apply.
Which visa for which trip
| Your trip | Visa to choose today | Under the new rules (once live) |
|---|---|---|
| Two weeks on the Golden Triangle and Rajasthan | 30-day e-Tourist Visa | V-1 |
| India with a side trip to Nepal or Sri Lanka and back | 30-day e-Tourist Visa (multiple entries), if the whole trip fits within 30 days of first arrival; otherwise 1-year | V-1, or V-2 for longer |
| Five or six weeks, or two trips in the same year | 1-year e-Tourist Visa | V-2 |
| A holiday plus a week at an ayurveda or yoga retreat | e-Tourist Visa (covers short yoga programmes); for medical treatment, the e-Medical Visa | V-1 or V-2, which explicitly cover wellness retreats and short treatment |
| A holiday plus a business meeting | Check the portal: business purposes have their own e-Visa | V-1 covers short business meetings |
Plan the dates around the 30-day limit: it starts on the day you first arrive, not the day the visa is granted. A two-week Golden Triangle trip with an add-on fits comfortably; a five-week journey across India does not.
The e-Arrival card: a separate step
Since 1 October 2025, foreign visitors fill in the arrival (disembarkation) card online instead of on paper. You can submit it up to 72 hours before you land, through the Bureau of Immigration website, the Indian Visa portal or the Indian Visa Su-Swagatam app, and you should carry proof of submission. It is not a visa and has nothing to do with the new Visitor Visa; it is simply one more form to complete in the days before you fly.
Permits are separate from visas
An e-Visa is not valid for Protected or Restricted Areas, which need separate permission. This is unchanged by the announcement and matters for some popular routes:
- Andaman Islands: under the Andaman and Nicobar Administration’s notice of 5 March 2026, most foreign nationals do not need a Restricted Area Permit for the islands opened to tourism, including Port Blair, Havelock and Neil. Citizens of Afghanistan, China (including Hong Kong and Macau) and Pakistan, and people of those origins, need a permit with prior approval; tribal reserves, forests and defence areas need separate permission. See our private Andaman trips and the best time to visit the Andamans.
- Other border regions: parts of Ladakh, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and other frontier areas still need a Protected or Restricted Area Permit for foreign visitors. Rules differ by area and change from time to time.
If your route touches one of these areas, your tour operator should tell you which permit applies and when to apply.
Use the official website only
Search for “India e-Visa” and several of the top results are private websites that charge extra to submit the same form. India’s own consulates warn travellers about fraudulent e-Visa websites and say that no agent or intermediary is needed. The only official site is indianvisaonline.gov.in (the e-Visa section is at indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa). Expect the new Visitor Visa to bring a fresh wave of lookalike sites; when it launches, it will be announced on the official portal and by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
- Waiting for the new Visitor Visa before booking. There is no start date yet.
- Applying more than 120 days, or fewer than 4 days, before arrival.
- Paying a lookalike website. Use indianvisaonline.gov.in only.
- Planning a 33-day trip on a 30-day visa. The clock starts on your first arrival.
- Forgetting the e-Arrival card in the 72 hours before you fly.
- Assuming the e-Visa covers restricted areas. Permits are separate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is India’s tourist visa changing in 2026?
When does the new Visitor Visa start?
Should I wait for the new visa before booking a winter trip to India?
How long can I stay on the V-1 Visitor Visa?
Who will get a 10-year Indian visa?
How far in advance should I apply for an Indian e-Visa?
How much does the Indian e-Visa cost?
Do I need the e-Arrival card as well as a visa?
Does the e-Visa cover the Andaman Islands and Ladakh?
Can I do a yoga retreat or ayurveda stay on a visitor visa?
Planning your trip to India this winter?
The visa is the easy part: you apply yourself on the official website in a few minutes, and no agent is needed. The harder part is fitting the right route into your visa and your dates. Itinerary Diary is a private tour operator based in India, with our head office in Shimla. We plan tailor-made trips for international guests: your own car and driver, named hotels, trains and flights, and one planner for the whole journey. We will also tell you whether your route needs any permit, and plan the days around your visa.
Tell us your dates, the number of travellers and your preferred hotel category — we will suggest a private itinerary.
Plan a private India trip for this winter
Send us your arrival date and how many nights you have. You will get a day-by-day route that fits your visa, with an itemised price.
More for international travellers: India tours for international travellers · Golden Triangle tour guide · booking an India tour directly with a local operator · India at an easy pace for travellers over 60
The Visitor Visa details follow the Ministry of Home Affairs press release published by PIB on 11 November 2026 (“Government of India rationalizes Indian visa regime”), also reported by Business Standard on 12 November 2026. Current e-Tourist Visa rules are from the official portal, indianvisaonline.gov.in. Fees and passport rules are from the Consulate General of India in San Francisco’s e-Visa page. The e-Arrival card details were reported by Business Today on 2 October 2025. Andaman permit rules follow the Andaman and Nicobar Administration’s notice of 5 March 2026. Rules change; always check the official portal before you travel. This is general information, not immigration advice. Checked 12 November 2026.
