Medical tourism at government hospitals in India comes down to five things for a foreign patient: choosing the hospital and department, getting an opinion and a written estimate, securing the right visa, arranging the stay, and planning follow-up. This guide explains each step and what to ask, and links to our hospital-by-hospital guides. It covers government, not-for-profit and private hospitals, because most patients compare all three.
General information, not medical advice. Rules, fees and contact details change, so confirm each one with the hospital and the official visa portal before you travel. Facts below were checked against the sources listed at the end on 3 October 2026.
Medical tourism at government hospitals vs private hospitals: what differs
| Question | Government institutes (e.g. AIIMS, PGIMER, Tata Memorial) | Private hospital groups (e.g. Apollo, Max, Fortis, Medanta, Manipal) |
|---|---|---|
| Dedicated international desk | Varies. Some, like Tata Memorial, publish a process and contact for international patients. For others we did not find a dedicated page, so ask the hospital directly. | Usually yes. Apollo, Max, Medanta and Manipal publish international patient contacts. |
| Prices | Some publish rate lists, and some charge foreign nationals on a different scale from Indian patients. Check which scale applies to you. | Estimates are usually given on request after they review your reports. We found no published price lists. |
| Services around the treatment | Focused on care. Do not assume visa letters, airport pickup or interpreters. | Often include visa support, pickup, interpreters and coordinators. |
| Waiting and rooms | Can be long, and private rooms are limited. | Appointments are usually quicker to arrange. |
CMC Vellore is a not-for-profit mission hospital rather than a government one. We include it because patients compare it directly with the government institutes.
Where India’s medical tourists come from
The Ministry of Tourism’s India Tourism Data Compendium 2025 reports that 6.48% of the 99,51,722 foreign tourist arrivals in 2024 came for medical purposes. That is roughly 645,000 visits. The ministry publishes each country’s total arrivals and the share who came for medical reasons (Table 2.7.1), and the counts below are those two figures multiplied together. They are our calculation, not a table the ministry prints.
| Country | Total arrivals, 2024 | Share for medical purposes | Estimated medical arrivals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bangladesh | 17,50,165 | 27.56% | about 482,000 |
| Iraq | 40,247 | 79.53% | about 32,000 |
| Somalia | 12,320 | 95.11% | about 11,700 |
| Oman | 66,703 | 15.64% | about 10,400 |
| Uzbekistan | 34,247 | 26.05% | about 8,900 |
| Kenya | 52,294 | 15.96% | about 8,300 |
| Turkmenistan | 9,639 | 82.74% | about 8,000 |
| Yemen | 13,085 | 56.68% | about 7,400 |
Bangladesh accounts for about three in four of these visits. By region, the ministry reports that medical travel makes up 20.27% of South Asian arrivals, 19.01% of Sub-Saharan African arrivals and 17.88% of Middle Eastern arrivals.
The ministry’s figures describe 2024, the latest year in this edition of the compendium.
Step 1: Shortlist the hospital and department
Start with the condition, not the brand. Ask which department treats it and how many such cases the unit handles. Our hospital guides help you compare: best hospitals in India, heart hospitals and cancer hospitals in Vellore.
Step 2: Send your reports and get a written opinion
Most hospitals want your medical reports before they advise. At hospitals that publish a process for international patients, the sequence is the same: you email your reports, a consultant reviews them, and the hospital’s international office replies with an opinion, a letter for your visa, or both.
Ask for these in writing:
- the proposed treatment and the department that will treat you,
- an itemised estimate, with what is included and what is not (room type, tests, implants, medicines, follow-up),
- whether foreign nationals are charged on a different scale from Indian patients,
- the advance deposit, whether it is refundable, and which currency it must be paid in,
- how an extended stay or complication would be billed.
Estimates are not final bills. The treatment can change once doctors see you in person, so treat any figure as provisional.
Step 3: The visa
Hospitals generally need foreign patients to be on a Medical visa for admission; some accept other visa types for outpatient care only. India’s e-Medical Visa and e-Medical Attendant Visa are issued through the official portal. According to that portal:
- the e-Medical Visa allows multiple entries. The portal’s visa-type table gives the validity as one year, while its instructions text says 60 days from first arrival. The two statements differ, so check the validity printed on your own granted e-visa;
- an attendant can travel on an e-Medical Attendant Visa, and only two attendant visas are granted for each e-Medical Visa;
- apply online at least four days before you arrive, within a 120-day window;
- you will need your passport details page and a copy of the hospital’s letter on its letterhead, showing the tentative admission date;
- about 175 countries are on the e-Visa eligible list, and Bangladesh is among them. Check the list for your nationality.
Fee. The portal publishes a country-by-country e-Visa fee table (the copy we read is dated 15 April 2026). For the e-Medical Visa and the e-Medical Attendant Visa it lists 80 for most countries, 100 for the United States and 129 for the United Kingdom, and some countries pay nothing; Bangladesh is listed at 0. The table adds a 3% bank charge on applicable fees, and the portal says the fee is non-refundable once submitted. Read the row for your own country, because fees are set per nationality and can change. The portal does not publish a processing time, only that you must apply at least four days before arrival, so apply early.
The official portal also states that there is no emergency or express fee, so treat any agent who charges one with caution. Our medical and wellness visa guide explains the categories in more detail.
Patients from Bangladesh
Bangladesh is the largest source of medical visitors to India, and its process has differed from the general e-Visa route. Since July 2024, India restricted routine visa services for Bangladeshi nationals, while medical visas continued through limited appointment slots at the Indian Visa Application Centres (IVAC) for urgent cases. Slots and rules have changed since, so check current availability before you plan travel. Official contacts: the High Commission of India, Dhaka visa helpline is +880-2-55067345 (09:00 to 17:30 Bangladesh time, working days), and applications are made through IVAC. Bring the hospital’s appointment letter, which should show the names and passport details of the patient and any attendant.
Step 4: Plan the stay
- Registration on arrival. Some hospitals register foreign patients and attendants at an international office every visit. One of the hospitals we checked also requires police verification within 24 hours and, for ward stays, a female attendant. Ask what applies to your hospital.
- Foreigners’ registration. At least one institute asks patients to register with the foreigners’ regional registration office within 14 days of arrival. Ask the hospital’s international office whether it handles this.
- Deposits. Some hospitals take refundable deposits in Indian rupees at registration and at admission, so plan how you will pay.
- Accommodation and local contact. Choose somewhere near the hospital for outpatient visits, and keep a local number for emergencies.
Step 5: Plan follow-up before you leave
Ask for a discharge summary, the medicines and doses in writing, and a plan for follow-up with your doctor at home. Ask the hospital whether it offers tele-consultation for follow-up.
Working with a medical tourism facilitator
Facilitators arrange hospitals, visas and travel for a fee. Some hospitals also work with them. In India, the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH) runs an empanelment programme for Medical Value Travel Facilitators, and the government’s Heal in India portal lists facilitators. A facilitator is optional. If you use one, ask whether they are empanelled, how they are paid, and get the hospital’s own estimate in writing so you can compare.
Hospital guides on this site
- AIIMS Delhi: OPD guide, doctor list, online appointment, FAQs.
- PGIMER Chandigarh: registration, fees and services, online OPD appointment, doctor list, test rate list.
- CMC Vellore: appointment guide, doctor list, neurosurgeons, FAQs.
- For the wider market, including private hospitals and facilitators, see medical tourism in India.
Frequently asked questions
What is medical tourism at government hospitals?
It means travelling to India for treatment at a government or not-for-profit teaching hospital rather than a private one. The process is similar, but government institutes publish fewer services for international patients, so you do more of the arranging yourself.
Can a foreign national be treated at a government hospital?
Yes, at many institutes, but the registration process and charges can differ from those for Indian citizens. Contact the hospital’s international or foreign registration office first.
Do I need a medical visa?
For admission, hospitals generally need a Medical visa. Some other visa types only allow outpatient care. Confirm with the hospital and the visa portal.
Can I bring family?
Attendants can travel on an e-Medical Attendant Visa, and only two are granted for each e-Medical Visa.
Is the estimate the final price?
No. It is provisional until doctors examine you. Ask for an itemised estimate and what happens if the plan changes.
How much does the e-Medical Visa cost?
It depends on your nationality. The official fee table lists 80 for most countries, with higher and lower exceptions, and a 3% bank charge on top. Check your country’s row in the table linked in Step 3.
How long does the visa take?
The portal does not publish a processing time. It asks you to apply at least four days before you arrive, within a 120-day window, so apply as soon as you have the hospital’s letter.
What documents should I carry?
Your passport, the visa approval, the hospital’s appointment or invitation letter, your medical reports, scans and prescriptions, and a list of your current medicines. Keep digital copies as well.
Can I get a second opinion without travelling?
Often yes. Several hospitals review reports by email or offer tele-consultations for international patients, and some charge for it. Ask whether the fee is credited if you then decide to be treated there.
Are government hospitals cheaper than private ones?
Not automatically. Charges for the same service can differ widely, and foreign nationals may be charged on a different scale at some institutes. Compare itemised written estimates, and compare what each includes.
Do I need to pay in advance?
Many hospitals ask for a deposit before admission, and some accept it only in Indian rupees. Ask for the amount, whether it is refundable, and how it will be adjusted against the final bill.
Is Ayurveda or yoga treatment covered by the same visa?
India has a separate Ayush visa category for Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy. Our medical and wellness visa guide explains it.
Will my travel insurance pay for treatment in India?
Most standard travel policies exclude planned treatment. Check your policy wording, or ask your insurer whether it covers planned care abroad.
Can the hospital arrange my stay and airport pickup?
Private hospital groups often do. At government institutes you usually arrange your own stay, so ask before you book anything.
Sources checked (3 October 2026)
- Tata Memorial Centre: international patients and schedule of charges.
- CMC Vellore FAQs and NIMHANS: international patients.
- International patient pages: Apollo, Medanta, Manipal, Max, Fortis.
- Ministry of Tourism: India Tourism Data Compendium 2025 (2024 arrivals by country and purpose of visit, Table 2.7.1).
- NABH Medical Value Travel Facilitator programme.
