The Indian Visa Application Centre (IVAC) has announced new and stricter rules for the visa appointment process, including changes to appointment slots, webfile uploads, and medical visa procedures. The updated guidelines, published on Monday, specify that applicants can sign up and upload webfiles between 2:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., while appointment booking will begin at 5:00 p.m. for those who successfully upload their webfiles.

According to the directive, the uploaded webfile must be the original PDF of the visa application form and cannot be older than 30 days. Any altered, edited, or tampered files will not be accepted. For medical visas, IVAC stated that applicants must visit the specific hospital for which the visa was issued. Changing hospitals requires prior approval from the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO).

The notice further warns that changing hospitals without FRRO approval will be considered a violation of visa regulations and may result in future travel restrictions to India.