India is known for a lot of things, including delicious cuisines, tragic history, and unbelievable hospitality. Due to their skilled manpower and relatively lower cost of treatment, the country is rapidly developing its medical tourism industry. However, the real question is, how can you enter India for medical purposes?
Well, all foreigners are required to have a travel document to visit India - even if they want medical treatment. Keep on reading to find out everything you need to know about an Indian medical visa.
Visa Requirements for Medical Treatment in India
After the pandemic, India finally opened its border to foreign citizens. Now, you can safely enter the country for tourism, business, and medical purposes. For different purposes, India offers different travel documents. For instance, if you want to see the beauty of this country, you can apply for a tourist visa. Alternatively, if you have professional or commercial needs, you can get an Indian business visa.
The same goes for medical treatment. If nationals of foreign countries want to visit India for medical purposes, they are required to apply for an India medical visa. India offers two types of medical visas, including:
India Medical e-Visa
If you are looking for convenience, an Indian medical e-visa service is the best approach for you. Keep in mind that India does not provide visa-on-arrival services. You must obtain a travel document prior to visiting the country. The best thing about an e-visa is that you don’t have to visit the Indian embassy. You can apply for this document on your own, from the comfort of your home.
Foreign nationals with ordinary passports can apply for a medical e-visa. This one is a triple-entry visa that allows you to stay in the country for 60 days. It comes with a validity period of 60 days as well. Afterward, you'll need to renew your visa or apply for a traditional one.
India Medical Visa
If you are not eligible for an e-visa, you can always apply for a traditional medical treatment visa. Unfortunately, you cannot apply for a traditional visa online. You'll need to visit the Indian mission or embassy. Moreover, you might have to schedule a visa interview to get your traditional visa.
How to Apply for an Indian Medical e-Visa?
For medical treatment, we always recommend getting an Indian electronic visa. This is because getting an e-visa is fast, convenient, and straightforward. All a medical patient needs to do is follow three simple steps:
Fill out the e-visa application form
Pay the visa processing fee
Submit your application online
That's it! No need to visit the Indian embassy, follow complicated steps, or even schedule an appointment with the Indian consulate general.
Required Documents
To get an Indian medical e-visa, you need some important documents, also known as the visa requirements. Some of the must-have documents required for an Indian medical treatment e-visa include:
A valid passport
Passport-type photograph
Appointment letter from hospital
An email address
You might need to submit some additional documents, depending on your nationality. It is recommended to get a COVID-19 vaccination certificate beforehand to avoid self-isolation. In addition, to fill out the visa application form, you'll need to provide personal information, contact details, and travel information. To pay the visa fee, you can use a debit or credit card.
Processing Time
Once you submit your application, you'll get your e-visa via email. On average, foreigners will be able to get their e-visa within 3-5 business days. However, due to the high demand and secondary checks, you might have to wait a little longer.
Indian e-Visa Eligibility
Unfortunately, not everyone is eligible for an Indian e-visa. International travel document holders, Laissez-Passer travel document holders, and official/diplomatic passport holders are not eligible for an e-visa. Furthermore, if you visit the Republic of China after January 15, 2020, you also need to get a traditional visa from the Indian embassy.
Here are some conditions and requirements of the Indian medical treatment e-visa:
Only ordinary passport holders can apply for an e-visa
Travelers must have at least 2 blank pages
You must have a valid passport that stays valid for at least 6 months
You can only enter India 3 times using the e-visa
An e-visa cannot be extended
An e-medical visa cannot be converted into an e-business visa or an e-medical attendant visa.
You cannot use an e-visa to enter restricted or protected areas
From the date of landing, the validity period of an e-medical visa will be up to 60 days.