Indian Medical Visa for Canadian Citizens: A 7-Step Guide to Applying Safely

An Indian medical visa for Canadian citizens is a straightforward process when you know the rules, but one wrong document can delay a treatment date. This guide explains, step by step, how the Indian medical visa for Canadian patients works, using only information published by the Government of India, the Indian consulates in Canada and their visa-application partner, BLS International.

Visa rules change, so every fact below comes from an official source listed at the end of the article. Where those sources disagree, or where you must confirm a detail yourself before paying or booking flights, we say so plainly.

The Short Version

Here is the Indian medical visa for Canadian applicants in brief:

Canada is on the Government of India’s list of countries eligible for the e-Visa, and the e-Medical visa is one of its categories.
You need a letter from the hospital in India, on its letterhead, with a tentative admission date.
The official fee table dated 15 April 2026 lists 80 for Canada, plus a bank charge of 3% on card payments.
You can apply from 120 days before travel, and no later than 4 days before arrival.
The only official application site is indianvisaonline.gov.in.

Two Routes to an Indian Medical Visa for Canadian Patients

Canadian patients have two official ways to get permission to enter India for treatment. The first is the electronic e-Medical visa, applied for entirely online. The second is a regular medical visa, submitted in person at a BLS International centre in Canada.

The Consulate General of India in Toronto lists the e-Medical and e-Medical Attendant visas among the e-Visa categories available. It also notes that Canadian passport holders can apply for the e-Tourist visa on the same government portal.

The Consulate General of India in Vancouver published a notice that the e-Visa facility was restored from 22 November 2023 for eligible Canadian citizens holding regular (ordinary) Canadian passports. Holders of any other category of Canadian passport must apply for a regular paper visa instead.

For most patients with a regular passport, the e-Medical route is the faster option, because there is no appointment to book and no passport to post. The regular route remains available, and it is described later in this guide.

Who Qualifies for the Indian Medical Visa for Canadian Passport Holders

The Government of India’s e-Visa portal sets out the conditions. To use the e-Medical visa, the following must all be true:

You hold a valid regular Canadian passport. The portal does not offer e-Visas to diplomatic or official passport holders, or to holders of laissez-passer or other travel documents.
Your sole purpose in visiting is medical treatment. This includes treatment under Indian systems of medicine.
Your passport has at least six months of validity when you apply and at least two blank pages for the immigration officer’s stamp.
You have a return or onward ticket and enough money for your stay.
You have your own passport. Individuals endorsed on a parent’s or spouse’s passport are not eligible.

Several groups cannot use the e-Visa at all. The portal states that people with a Pakistani passport, or of Pakistani origin, must apply for a regular visa at an Indian mission. This also covers foreigners whose parents or grandparents were born in, or permanently resident in, Pakistan.

The portal adds that anyone with a defence, military, security or police background, serving or retired, is not eligible for an e-Visa. It warns that hiding such a background can lead to denied entry and deportation.

Children need their own visa. The portal says a minor travelling with a parent must have a separate e-Visa, and the child’s passport must be valid for at least six months from the date of arrival.

Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) cardholders do not need a visa to enter India, according to the Consulate General of India in Toronto.

Documents Required for an Indian Medical Visa for Canadian Applicants

For the e-Medical Visa

The e-Visa instructions ask for three items. Prepare them before you open the application form.

Passport bio page. A scan of the page showing your photo and personal details, in PDF format, between 10 KB and 300 KB.
Photograph. A JPEG between 10 KB and 1 MB. The height and width must be equal. It must show a full face, front view, eyes open, no spectacles, with a plain light or white background and no shadows or borders.
Hospital letter. A copy of the letter from the hospital in India, on its letterhead, giving the tentative date of admission or treatment. The portal’s FAQ says it should mention your name, nationality and passport number. This is also a PDF between 10 KB and 300 KB.

All documents must be in English, or the application may be rejected. The portal also says an application can be rejected if the uploaded photo or documents are unclear or do not meet the specification.

For the Regular Medical Visa

The BLS International checklist for the Ottawa jurisdiction lists the medical documents needed for a paper application:

A letter with your medical history from a registered doctor or hospital in Canada, advising that specialised treatment be carried out in India.
A letter from a registered hospital in India confirming the dates, places and duration of treatment.
The printed, signed online application form, your passport and the fees.

For a medical attendant, the Indian hospital’s letter must also describe the assistance the patient needs and include the attendant’s name.

Fees for the Indian Medical Visa for Canadian Citizens

The Government of India publishes a country-by-country fee table. The version dated 15 April 2026 lists these amounts for Canada:

Visa type	Fee listed for Canada
e-Medical Visa	80
e-Medical Attendant Visa	80

The table does not name the currency, so check the amount and currency on the payment page before you confirm. The portal adds a bank charge of 3% for card payments and 4% for PayPal, shown on the payment page.

Three fee rules matter for every Indian medical visa for Canadian patients:

The fee is non-refundable, whether the application is granted or rejected.
The fee must be paid at least 4 days before your expected travel date, or the application will not be processed.
The government states that it makes no provision for emergency, express or additional fees. If a website charges extra for “fast” processing, it is not the official site.

Regular paper visas are priced differently. The Consulate General of India in Vancouver published a schedule effective 1 April 2024 listing medical and medical attendant visas at C$108 for up to 6 months and C$162 for 6 to 12 months. A consular surcharge and a BLS service charge are added. Fees can change, so confirm the current amount on the BLS Canada website for your jurisdiction before paying.

How to Apply: 7 Steps

Step 1: Get the Hospital Letter

Contact the hospital in India that will treat you and ask for the admission letter. It is the one document you cannot produce yourself. Check that the details match your passport exactly.

Step 2: Prepare Your Passport and Files

Confirm that your passport meets the six-month and two-blank-page rules. Then create the three files listed above, using the exact formats and sizes the portal requires.

Step 3: Start Your Indian Medical Visa for Canadian Application on the Official Portal

Open the e-Visa registration page on indianvisaonline.gov.in. The government states this is the only official website for e-Visa applications and that no agent or intermediary is needed.

Timing is fixed. You may apply no earlier than 120 days before arrival and no later than 4 days before. The portal’s example: if you apply on 1 September, you can select an arrival date from 5 September to 2 January.

Fill in the form yourself. The portal says applicants must complete it personally and take responsibility for the accuracy of every answer. It estimates 10 to 15 minutes.

Step 4: Pay the Fee Online

Pay with a Visa or MasterCard credit or debit card, or with PayPal, through the portal’s payment gateway. The portal says payment status can take up to two hours to update. Do not pay a second time during that window. Use the “Verify Payment” option instead.

Step 5: Watch Your Email and Check Status

You will receive a submission confirmation by email, then a status of Granted or Rejected. If a document or photo is not suitable, you may be asked to re-upload it, and the portal says this email normally arrives within 24 hours. You can also track your application with the “Check your Visa Status” option.

Step 6: Confirm the Authorisation and Print It

Your approval arrives as an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA). The portal advises you to confirm that its status reads “Granted” before you travel and to carry a copy. Check your name, nationality, passport number and date of birth. The portal says you are responsible for any discrepancy, and it advises contacting the e-Visa support centre at least 24 hours before departure if you find one.

Step 7: Complete the e-Arrival Card

The portal says foreigners can submit the e-Arrival card online within 72 hours before arrival, through the Bureau of Immigration site, the visa portal or the official “Indian Visa Su-Swagatam” mobile app. It describes this as arrival information, not a visa. At the airport, the ETA is presented at the immigration check post, where the visa is stamped in your passport.

Medical Attendant Visas for Family and Companions

Patients often travel with a relative. India provides an e-Medical Attendant visa for this purpose, and the rules are specific.

Only two e-Medical Attendant visas are granted against one e-Medical visa.
Each attendant needs a separate application and their own passport.
The attendant application requires the passport bio page.

The regular paper route has a similar rule. The Consulate General of India in Toronto says a maximum of two attendants or family members may apply, and the visa is co-terminus with the patient’s medical visa. The hospital’s letter must name the attendant.

Validity, Entry Points and Restrictions

Read this section carefully before you plan dates, because the official portal shows two different validity figures for the e-Medical visa.

The visa-category summary on the e-Visa page lists the e-Medical visa as valid for one year (365 days) from the date of arrival, with multiple entries. The portal’s FAQ, however, states that the e-Medical visa is valid for 60 days from first arrival, with multiple entries allowed during that period. Both appear on the same government page.

We cannot tell you which figure will apply to you. Treat the validity printed on your ETA and stamped in your passport as the figure that governs your trip, and plan your treatment schedule around the shorter number until you have confirmed it.

These rules are stated consistently across the portal:

No extension or conversion. The e-Visa is non-extendable and non-convertible.
Designated entry points. You can enter only through the airports and seaports listed on the portal. The list includes Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Kochi. You may leave through any Indian immigration check post.
Biometrics on arrival. Your biometric details are captured at immigration.
Restricted areas. The e-Visa is not valid for protected, restricted or cantonment areas, which need prior permission.
Same passport. You must travel on the passport you used to apply. If you get a new passport after approval, carry both.
Yellow fever certificate. Travellers arriving within six days of leaving a yellow fever endemic country must carry a valid vaccination certificate.

The portal also states that Visa on Arrival is available only to nationals of Japan, South Korea and the UAE. Canadians must wait for the ETA to be granted before travelling.

Applying for a Regular Medical Visa Through BLS

If you hold a non-regular passport, or prefer a paper visa, the process runs through BLS International on behalf of the Indian consulates.

The Consulate General of India in Toronto says all applications must be submitted in person at a BLS centre, because biometrics are required for every category of visa. The steps it describes are to complete the online application on the government visa site, print it, and submit it with supporting documents and the fee.

The BLS Toronto page gives an estimated processing time of 7 working days for Canadian nationals. It stresses that this is an estimate from the Indian mission and that BLS cannot influence it.

The BLS Ottawa checklist says a medical visa may be approved for up to 6 months from the date of issue. The Toronto page states that validity and number of entries are at the sole discretion of the consulate or High Commission. The consulate may also call any applicant for an in-person interview.

Two warnings from the consulate apply here. Acceptance of an application does not guarantee a visa. And applicants are advised not to buy travel tickets before the visa is issued.

Mistakes That Delay an Indian Medical Visa for Canadian Patients

The official instructions point to a short list of avoidable errors.

Unclear or non-compliant uploads. The portal says applications are liable to be rejected when the photo or documents are unclear or do not meet specification.
Applying too late. Applications and fee payments are required at least 4 days before arrival.
Using an unofficial website. The government warns against intermediaries claiming speedy or express grants, and says personal data shared with unauthorised sites may be leaked.
Mismatched details. Names, passport numbers and dates of birth must match your passport. The applicant is responsible for errors.
Assuming you can extend. The e-Visa cannot be extended or converted. If treatment may run long, ask your hospital about the correct visa type before you apply.
Booking flights too early on the paper route. The consulate advises regular-visa applicants not to buy tickets before the visa is issued.

Choosing a Hospital and Preparing to Travel

Because the visa depends on a hospital letter, your choice of hospital comes first. Ask each hospital whether it holds accreditation from the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers (NABH) or from Joint Commission International, and verify the answer on the accreditor’s own website rather than relying on the hospital’s marketing.

Before you travel, read the Government of Canada’s travel advice for India, which is updated as conditions change. Also ask your provincial or territorial health plan and any private insurer what they cover for treatment outside Canada. Do not assume coverage.

If you are still comparing options, read our guide on canadian wait times or contact our patient coordination team with your medical reports.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Canadians apply for an Indian e-Medical visa?

Yes. Canada appears on the Government of India’s list of e-Visa-eligible countries, and the e-Medical visa is among the available categories. Regular Canadian passport holders can apply online.

How long does the Indian medical visa for Canadian applicants take?

The official portal does not promise a processing time for the e-Visa. It tells applicants to apply at least 4 days before arrival and says status is sent by email. For paper visas, BLS Toronto cites an estimate of 7 working days for Canadian nationals.

Do I need a letter from my Canadian doctor?

The e-Visa instructions require only the Indian hospital’s letter. The BLS checklist for paper visas also asks for a letter from a registered doctor or hospital in Canada advising treatment in India.

Can I extend my e-Medical visa?

No. The portal states that the e-Visa is non-extendable and non-convertible.

Do OCI cardholders need a medical visa?

No. According to the Consulate General of India in Toronto, OCI cardholders do not require a visa to enter India.

Is the visa fee refundable if I am rejected?

No. The fee covers processing and is not refunded whether the authorisation is granted or rejected.

Final Thoughts on the Indian Medical Visa for Canadian Patients

The Indian medical visa for Canadian citizens comes down to three things: a hospital letter, correctly formatted files and an application filed on the official portal with time to spare. Confirm the validity period on your ETA, keep copies of every document, and never pay a third party for something the government provides directly.

Official Sources

This article is general information, not legal or immigration advice. Rules and fees can change without notice, so confirm every detail on the official sources below before you apply.