Medical Visa Process For India

Since India has become a global medical hub, the Indian government offers a special visa for medical treatment for others country, known as a Medical Visa. This visa is available only for those seeking treatment at government-recognized hospitals in India.

Currently, there are two types of Medical Visas available:

Medical Visa
Medical e-Visa (online visa)

However, not all countries are eligible to apply for the Medical e-Visa. The list of eligible countries is mentioned at the end.

Table of Contents

Eligibility for Medical Visa to India

To be eligible for a Medical Visa to India, the applicant must meet the following criteria:

The applicant must have consulted a medical center in their home country and be recommended for further specialized treatment in India.
The applicant must show that they seek treatment at established/recognized/specialized hospitals/medical centers in India.
Priority is given to applicants with critical medical conditions. These include serious issues like cardiac problems, organ transplants, and neurosurgery.
The applicant must show proof of financial stability to cover return tickets and all medical expenses.
The visa is not applicable for surrogacy purposes.

Steps to Get a Medical Visa

Follow these steps to apply for a Medical Visa to India:

Fill out the visa application form.
Print a copy of the completed form with all the correct information.
Gather all the required documents listed below.
Visit the nearest Indian Embassy in your country with the application form and documents.
Submit the application form along with the documents.
Wait up to 3 weeks for approval. Once the visa is approved, you can schedule your travel date.
The visa will be stamped upon arrival at the airport in India.

Required Documents

A passport with at least 6 months validity and 2 blank pages.
Recent passport-sized photographs.
A photocopy of the passport.
A printout of the visa application form.
Proof of residential address.
Medical documentation from your home country recommending treatment at a specific medical center in India.
A copy of the attendant’s passport (for Medical Attendant Visa).
Proof of the relationship with the attendant.
Medical reports from a doctor.

E-Medical Visa

The eMedical visa is a recent provision by the Government of India. This visa saves time as you do not need to visit the Indian Embassy. You can apply online, which is more convenient and cost-effective. To apply for an online medical visa, you need the following documents:

Passport – You need a valid passport with at least 2 blank pages. Renew it if necessary. You will need to upload a scanned copy of your passport in PDF format.
Digital Photograph – A recent photo of yourself in JPEG format.
Credit or Debit Card – Needed for payment. Payments can also be made through a PayPal account.
Medical Letter – An invitation letter from the hospital in India where you will receive treatment. This letter can also be arranged by a facilitating agency if you’re coming through them. It should be in PDF format.

After collecting these documents, you need to fill out the online visa application form. The first step involves entering all your basic information. The second step includes a personal questionnaire and uploading the mentioned documents. If everything is prepared in advance, the entire process takes about 20 minutes. For any questions, iVisa offers 24/7 support.

How to Get a Visa Invitation Letter?

Getting a Visa Invitation Letter (VIL) from the hospital is easy. Ask your doctor to write a letter detailing your medical needs, treatment requirements, and duration of stay, stamped by the recognized institution.

If you prefer not to handle this process yourself, you can contact a facilitation service like Vaidam Health, which can assist you with the entire process of your arrival in India.

Visa for Attendants

There is a special visa for attendants who want to accompany the patient. This is called a Medical Attendant Visa. Up to two attendants can accompany a patient at a time. The attendants must be blood relatives of the patient.

They need to apply for a separate visa and go through the same application process as the main applicant. The validity and extension policies for this visa are the same as the medical visa. A doctor accompanying the patient can also apply for a Medical Attendant Visa. They must register with the local FRRO or FRO within 14 days of arrival in India.

Processing Time for Visa

It usually takes about 72 hours for the visa to be processed. However, urgent requests can be handled more quickly, and the visa can be issued on the same day. There is no requirement for a physical appearance, even for patients with severe medical conditions.

Registration Process for Medical Visa

It is essential for medical visa applicants to register with the FRRO or FRO within 14 days of arriving in India.

Validity and Extension of the Visa

The eMedical visa is valid for 60 days from the date of arrival in India. It allows up to 3 entries. An eMedical visa can be applied for only twice a year and is non-extendable, non-convertible, and not valid for visiting restricted areas.

The regular medical visa is granted for the duration of treatment or for one year, whichever is shorter. However, it can be extended for another year with a medical certificate from a recognized hospital in India and orders from the state government or FRRO. A medical visa also allows for up to 3 entries in a year.

Medical Visa Fee

The fee for applying for a medical visa varies depending on the country where you are applying. Sometimes it changes if you need to apply urgently. Generally, the cost ranges from $80 to $100 (700-1500 tk).

In some countries like Japan, Singapore, and Sri Lanka, the medical visa fee is as low as $25.

However, in some countries, there is no medical visa fee. These countries include Argentina, Cook Islands, Fiji, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Micronesia, Myanmar, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Seychelles, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uruguay, and Vanuatu.

Who to Contact if You Have Problems After Arrival

If you encounter any problems after you arrive, the first step is to contact the hospital staff where you are receiving treatment. For additional issues, if you came through a service provider, you can contact them. They can help with matters related to accommodation, travel, food, etc.

For other visa-related issues, you can contact the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO).

Countries Eligible for eVisa

The countries eligible for an eVisa are:

Albania, Andorra, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Chile, China, China-SAR Hong Kong, China-SAR Macau, Colombia, Comoros, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lesotho, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Montserrat, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Niue, Norway, Oman, Palau, Palestine, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, South Korea, North Macedonia, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Eswatini (Swaziland), Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, Uganda, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vatican City, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

your passport must always be stamped at the immigration counter when you arrive. Medical tourists should make sure their passports are stamped before leaving the immigration counter. Any foreigner arriving in India must fill out an arrival card with the following information: name, date of birth, passport number, address in India, flight number, arrival date, and departure date.

If your passport is not stamped at the counter, you should contact FRRO (Foreigners Regional Registration Office) later to avoid any issues.

Before Coming to india Follow this:

Before coming to India, you should visit a doctor and follow government advice on necessary vaccinations. Common vaccinations include:

Diphtheria, Pertussis, and Tetanus (DPT)
Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR)
Polio (oral polio vaccine or injectable polio vaccine)
Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)
Hepatitis A
Hepatitis B (if staying more than 60 days)
Typhoid
Japanese B Encephalitis (JBE)

People from certain countries need an International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis using IHR 2011 guidelines. They must have a yellow fever vaccination certificate and an oral polio vaccination certificate at least six weeks before arrival. These countries include Kenya, Ethiopia, Afghanistan, Israel, Pakistan, Nigeria, and Somalia. This requirement applies to both adults and children.

Conclusion

The Indian medical e-visa allows entry through 26 designated airports, such as Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Bagdogra, Bengaluru, Calicut, Chennai, Chandigarh, Cochin, Coimbatore, Delhi, Gaya, Goa, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Madurai, Mangalore, Mumbai, Nagpur, Pune, Tiruchirappalli, Trivandrum, Varanasi, and Visakhapatnam, and 5 designated seaports (like Cochin, Goa, Mangalore, Mumbai, and Chennai). However, travelers can exit India through any approved immigration check post (ICP). Thanks for being with us.