- India offers one-year multiple-entry medical visas for conventional and AYUSH treatments
- M-1 and M-3 visas cover conventional and AYUSH medical treatments respectively
- Medical attendant visas M-2 and M-4 issued for accompanying persons of patients
India is making it easier for foreign patients to travel for treatment, offering one-year multiple-entry medical visas as part of a broader overhaul of its visa framework aimed at attracting more international visitors.
Under the revised rules, medical visas covering both conventional and AYUSH treatments will be granted for one year by default, with multiple entries. The move is expected to offer greater flexibility to patients requiring repeated consultations, follow-up appointments or treatment spread across several visits.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), in a statement on Wednesday, said the changes are designed to make India's visa system simpler, more coherent and responsive to the needs of foreign nationals.
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The medical visa framework has retained separate categories for conventional and traditional treatment. The M-1 visa covers medical treatment outside the AYUSH system, while the M-3 visa is meant for patients seeking treatment under AYUSH.
Accompanying persons will also be able to travel under corresponding medical attendant categories. The M-2 visa will be issued to attendants of M-1 visa holders, while the M-4 category will cover attendants accompanying M-3 visa holders.
According to the MHA, the arrangement will reduce the need for patients to repeatedly apply for visas during an ongoing course of treatment. It is also expected to make India a more attractive destination for medical value tourism.
The changes are part of a wider rationalisation of India's visa regime. On August 27, the government reduced the number of main visa categories from 13 to nine and sub-categories from 49 to 23. This followed an earlier exercise in October 2025, when the categories were reduced from 22 to 13.
The government has also cut the number of fields in visa application forms by 65-70%, significantly reducing the information applicants need to provide while retaining essential details required for processing.
The Tourist Visa has been renamed the Visitor Visa and divided into two categories. The V-1 visa allows short-term activities, including medical consultations, wellness retreats, business meetings and short courses, for 30 days with multiple entries. The V-2 category caters to longer visits, with validity of one, five or 10 years.
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The overhaul also covers business and student visas, with simplified categories for investors, technical specialists, researchers and international students.
Currently, e-visas are processed under 13 sub-categories and are available to citizens of 172 countries, the statement said.
The MHA is updating its information technology systems to implement the revised framework. Visas under the new system are expected to be issued by the end of 2026.
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