Online India Medical Visa (Indian e-Visa for Medical Purposes)
All details, conditions and requirements that you need to know about the Indian Medical Visa are available here. Please apply for this Indian Medical Visa if you are arriving in India for a medical treatment. India has made the process of Medical Tourism very simplified because of intense competition from Thailand, Turkey and Singapore. India is at the forefront of cardiac surgery, transplants, orthopedics, and with top-tier talented doctors. India scores on the following parameters above other countries:
- Quality of healthcare
- English language and cultural ease
- Hospitality and patient care
- Highly skilled medical staff
- Top tier luxury hospital and facilities
- Specialized options for treatment
- Opportunities for leisure with treatment.
As a patient seeking medical treatment in another country, the last thought on your mind should be the hoops you would have to go through in order to get your Visa for the visit. Especially in the situation of some emergency where urgent medical care is required, it would be quite cumbersome to have to visit the Embassy of that country so as to procure the Visa on which you can visit that country for medical treatment. In 2024 India is leading the way with events like Advantage Healthcare India initiative with over 500 foreign delegates, from 80 countries exhibiting opportunities for Medical Travel to India. India has emerged as the Hub for mainstream as well as alternate medical treatment options.
That is why it’s extremely helpful that the Government of India has made available an electronic or e-Visa meant specifically for international visitors to the country who have arrived due to medical purposes. You can apply for the Medical Visa for India online instead of having to go to the local Indian Embassy in your country in order to get it for your visit to India.
Eligibility Conditions for the India Medical Visa
It has become quite simple to obtain online a medical e-Visa for India but in order for you to be eligible for it you do need to meet a few eligibility conditions. As long as you are applying for the Medical Visa for India as a patient yourself you would be perfectly eligible for it. Other than these eligibility requirements for the Medical Visa for India, you also need to meet the eligibility conditions for the e-Visa in general, and if you do so you will be eligible to apply for it.
Foreign nationals with Medical/Medical Attendant Visas valid for more than 180 days must register with the relevant FRRO/FRO within 14 days of their arrival in India. The following is eligible for all eligible foreign nationals except those who are citizens of Pakistan.
Duration of its Validity
The Indian Medical Visa is a short term Visa and is valid only for 60 days from the date of entry of the visitor into the country, so you would be eligible for it only if you intend to stay for no more than 60 days at one time. It is also a Triple Entry Visa, which means that the holder of the Indian Medical Visa can enter the country three times within the period of its validity, which, as mentioned above, is 60 days. It might be a short term Visa but the Medical Visa for India can be obtained three times per year so if you need to come back to the country for your medical treatment after the first 60 days of your stay in the country you can apply for it two more times within one year.
Extension of Medical Visa
The Medical Visa can be prolonged for an additional duration of up to one year, subject to approval from the relevant FRRO/FRO. This extension is contingent upon presenting a medical certificate issued by a government-approved institution such as:
- MCI (Medical Council of India)
- ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research)
- NABH (National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers)
- CGHS (Central Government Health Scheme)
Any subsequent extensions beyond this period will be exclusively granted by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Grounds on which you can apply for the India Medical Visa
The Indian Medical Visa can be obtained only on medical grounds and only those international travelers who are visiting the country as patients seeking medical treatment here can apply for this Visa. Family members of the patient who wish to accompany the patient would not be eligible to enter the country through the medical e-Visa. They would have to apply instead for what is called the Medical Attendant Visa for India. For any purposes other than medical treatment, such as tourism or business, you would have to seek the e-Visa specific to those purposes.
Requirements for the India Medical Visa
1) Passport: Many of the e-Visa requirements for the application for the Indian Medical Visa are the same as those for other e-Visas. These include an electronic or scanned copy of the biographical page of the Passport, which must be the standard Passport, not Diplomatic or any other type of Passport, and which must remain valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry into India, otherwise you would need to renew your passport.
2) Face Photograph: The other requirements are a copy of the visitor’s recent passport-style colour photo, a working email address, and a debit card or a credit card for the payment of the application fees.
3) Letter from clinic or Hospital: Other requirements specific to the Indian Medical Visa are a copy of a letter from the Indian Hospital the visitor would be seeking treatment from (the letter would have to be written on the Official Letterhead of the Hospital) and the visitor would also be required to answer any questions about the Indian Hospital they would be visiting. You may be asked for return or onward ticket out of the country.
Note: Ensure that this letter is NOT handwritten but printed and on a official letter head of the clinic or hospital.
You should apply for the Medical Visa for India at least 4-7 days in advance of your flight or date of entry into the country. While the Medical e-Visa for India does not require you to visit the Indian Embassy, you should make sure your passport has two blank pages for the Immigration Officer to stamp at the airport. Like other e-Visas, the holder of the Indian Medical Visa has to enter the country from the approved Immigration Check Posts which include 30 airports and 5 seaports and the holder has to exit from the approved Immigration Check Posts too.
This is all the information on the eligibility conditions and other requirements of the Indian Medical Visa that you need to be aware of before applying for it. Knowing all of this, you can quite easily apply for the Medical Visa for India whose India Visa Application Form is quite simple and straightforward and if you meet all of the eligibility conditions and have everything that is required to apply for it then you won’t find any difficulties in applying and getting the India Medical Visa.
Medical patients can also bring with them two Medical Attendants who can also be family members.
If your visit is for sight-seeing and touristic purposes, then you must apply for Indian Tourist Visa. If you are coming for a business trip or a commercial purpose then you should apply for an Indian Business Visa.
There are over 166 nationalities eligible for Indian e-Visa Online. Citizens from United States, United Kingdom, Venezuela, Colombia, Cuba and Albania amongst other nationalities are eligible to apply for Online Indian Visa.
