How to get an Indian medical visa: step by step

The Indian medical visa is one of the most straightforward medical travel visas in the world — but only if your paperwork is right the first time. This is the exact process our care team walks every patient through, including the details that trip people up.

There are two routes: the e-Medical visa (applied for online, suitable for most nationalities) and the regular medical visa stamped at an Indian embassy. Over 170 nationalities qualify for the e-visa, and it is the faster option in almost every case.

Step 1: Get your hospital invitation letter

Every medical visa application needs a letter from a recognised Indian hospital confirming your planned treatment. This is the piece patients cannot obtain alone — and the reason to have your treatment plan agreed before applying.

Once you approve a treatment plan with us, the hospital issues your invitation letter the same day, addressed exactly as the visa portal requires.

Step 2: Apply online

The e-Medical visa application is a single online form. You upload a passport scan, a recent photograph and the hospital letter, and pay the government fee, which varies by nationality. Most approvals arrive by email within 72 hours; we recommend applying at least two weeks before travel to leave room for any query.

Answer the 'purpose of visit' and hospital-detail fields exactly as they appear on your invitation letter — mismatched hospital names are the single most common reason applications get queried.

• Passport valid for 6+ months with 2 blank pages
• Recent white-background photograph (digital)
• Hospital invitation letter (we provide)
• Proof of funds is occasionally requested — a recent bank statement suffices

Step 3: Companions and arrival

Up to two family members can apply for Medical Attendant visas linked to yours — same portal, same documents, plus a note of their relationship to you. We prepare their applications alongside yours so the whole family is approved together.

The e-Medical visa allows triple entry and stays of up to 60 days per visit, extendable in India on medical grounds — your care manager handles any extension paperwork if your treatment plan changes.

On arrival, carry printed copies of your visa approval, invitation letter and medical reports. Your care manager meets you just past customs — from that moment, the paperwork is our job.