A medical visa India for British citizens almost always means the e-Medical Visa: an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) that you apply for online and receive by email.
This guide is built on the official Government of India e-Visa portal, the High Commission of India in London and Bureau of Immigration guidance. Where something can change, we say so and point you to the place to check.
Medical visa India for British citizens: key facts at a glance
- Visa type: e-Medical Visa, applied for online on the official portal.
- Official fee for UK passport holders: US$129 for the patient and US$129 for each attendant, plus a bank charge. The fee is non-refundable.
- Validity: 60 days from your first arrival in India.
- When to apply: at least 4 days before arrival, and up to 120 days ahead.
- Companions: a maximum of two e-Medical Attendant Visas per patient.
- Visa on arrival: not available to UK passport holders.
- Only official website: indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa
Table of Contents
What the e-Medical Visa is
A medical visa India for British citizens covers travel to India for medical treatment, including treatment under Indian systems of medicine. You apply online, receive the ETA by email, print it and show it at immigration. The visa is stamped on your passport there.
It does not cover everything. The portal states that e-Visas are not allowed for employment, NGO work or journalism. A regular visa is needed for those, and for stays the e-Visa cannot cover.
Regular visa applications in the UK go through the High Commission of India in London, which uses VFS Global as its visa service partner. There are also Indian consulates in Birmingham and Edinburgh.
One point matters for e-Visas. The High Commission notes that e-Visa applications are processed and approved by a central authority in India. The High Commission and the consulates cannot give updates on them.
Who is eligible for a medical visa India for British citizens?
The United Kingdom is on the portal’s list of e-Visa countries. Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man are listed too.
The portal sets these conditions for every medical visa India for British citizens applicant:
- Your passport must have at least six months’ validity when you apply.
- It must have at least two blank pages for the immigration stamp.
- You need a return or onward ticket, and enough money for your stay.
- Each traveller needs a separate passport. Children cannot be endorsed on a parent’s passport.
Some people cannot use the e-Visa and must apply for a regular visa:
- Holders of diplomatic or official passports, or of laissez-passer and other international travel documents.
- Holders of a Pakistani passport, and people of Pakistani origin. This includes anyone whose parent or grandparent was born in, or permanently resident in, Pakistan.
- Anyone with a defence, military, security or police background, serving or retired. The portal warns that hiding this can lead to denied entry and deportation.
If you are unsure whether your passport or background qualifies, ask the High Commission of India before you pay.
Documents for a medical visa India for British citizens
For a medical visa India for British citizens, the portal asks for three things. Everything must be clear, and documents must be in English.
| Item | Format and size | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Passport bio page | PDF, 10–300 KB | The page showing your photo and personal details. |
| Hospital letter | PDF, 10–300 KB | On the hospital’s letterhead (details below). |
| Photograph | JPEG, 10 KB–1 MB | Square, full face, front view, eyes open, no spectacles, plain light or white background, no shadows, no borders. |
The hospital letter
This is the document that depends on someone else, so start with it. The portal says the letter must come from the Indian hospital on its letterhead. It must state the tentative date of admission or treatment.
It must also give your name, nationality and passport number. Without these details, your application may be rejected.
Ticket and funds
The portal requires a return or onward ticket and sufficient money for your stay. It does not set a minimum amount.
How to apply for a medical visa India for British citizens: 7 steps
Step 1: Check you are eligible
Go through the eligibility list above. Check your passport validity and blank pages first. A short passport is the cheapest problem to fix before you pay.
Step 2: Get the hospital letter
Your medical visa India for British citizens application starts with the hospital letter. Ask your chosen hospital’s international patient team for it. Give them your name, nationality and passport number exactly as they appear in your passport.
Step 3: Prepare your files
Scan the passport bio page to PDF and save the hospital letter as a PDF. Prepare the photo as a square JPEG. Check each file against the size limits in the table above.
Step 4: Complete the form on the official portal
Use the official e-Visa site and choose the e-Medical Visa. The portal says the process takes about 10 to 15 minutes. You must fill in the form yourself and take responsibility for its accuracy.
Check your name, nationality, passport number and date of birth carefully. The portal states that you are responsible for any discrepancy, whether the visa is granted or rejected.
Step 5: Pay the fee
Pay online by Visa or Mastercard, or by PayPal. Payment must be made at least 4 days before your expected travel date, or the application will not be processed.
If money leaves your account but the portal shows no confirmation, do not pay again straight away. Status updates can take up to two hours.
Step 6: Track your application
You will get a confirmation email when you submit and pay. If a document or photo is unsuitable, the portal emails you to upload it again. The portal says applicants normally receive this email within 24 hours.
Your final status, Granted or Rejected, is sent by email. You can also use the portal’s “Check your Visa Status” option.
Step 7: Print the ETA and travel
Confirm that your status reads “Granted” before you travel. Carry a copy of the ETA and travel on the same passport you applied with. Your biometrics will be captured at immigration on arrival.
Fees and payment
The official fee schedule lists these amounts for a medical visa India for British citizens:
| Visa | Government fee (UK passport) |
|---|---|
| e-Medical Visa (patient) | US$129 |
| e-Medical Attendant Visa (each) | US$129 |
The fee is set in US dollars, so the pound amount moves with the exchange rate.
The portal adds a 3% bank transaction charge on card payments. The payment provider’s guidance gives 4% for PayPal. Any charges are shown on the payment page before you confirm.
The fee is non-refundable. It pays for processing, whether the visa is granted or rejected, and whether or not you travel.
The portal says there is no other fee and no provision for “emergency” or “express” charges. Websites that charge extra for speed are not run by the government. You may see lower figures on older websites, so check the current schedule on the official portal.
When to apply and how long it takes
You can apply from 120 days before your arrival date, up to a minimum of 4 days before it. The portal gives an example: apply on 1 September and you can choose an arrival date from 5 September to 2 January.
The portal does not publish a guaranteed processing time for a medical visa India for British citizens. Because decisions come from a central authority in India, you should not plan around the minimum.
Our suggestion is to apply as soon as your hospital letter is ready. That leaves room to re-upload a document if one is flagged.
There is no visa on arrival for a medical visa India for British citizens applicant. The portal says that facility is only for nationals of Japan, South Korea and the UAE, and with conditions. Everyone else must wait for the ETA to be granted before travelling.
Medical Attendant Visa: bringing a companion
A maximum of two e-Medical Attendant Visas are granted against one e-Medical Visa. Each attendant needs their own passport and their own application.
The attendant fee for UK passport holders is US$129 each. The attendant visa has the same 60-day validity from first arrival.
A child needs their own e-Visa, and their passport must have at least six months’ validity. For major treatment, we suggest bringing a companion who can help with practical matters, but that is advice, not a visa requirement.
Validity, entries and arrival rules
- Validity: 60 days from your first arrival in India, per the portal’s FAQ and the High Commission of India in London.
- Entries: the High Commission lists triple entry for e-Medical visas. The portal describes multiple entry within the validity period. Check the entries shown on your ETA.
- Frequency: the High Commission says an e-Visa can be used a maximum of three times in a calendar year.
- Where you can enter: only designated airports and seaports on the portal’s list. This includes Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Cochin.
- Restricted areas: an e-Visa is not valid for Protected, Restricted or Cantonment areas. These need prior permission from the civil authority.
- e-Arrival card: the portal says travellers can submit one online within 72 hours before arrival. It is arrival information, not a visa.
- Yellow fever: a vaccination card is needed if you arrive within six days of leaving a yellow fever endemic country.
For general travel and health advice, see the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office’s India travel advice.
If treatment takes longer than 60 days
For a medical visa India for British citizens, the portal states that an e-Visa is non-extendable and non-convertible. So do not assume you can extend an e-Medical Visa once you are in India.
If your treatment plan is likely to run past 60 days, speak to the hospital before you apply. A regular medical visa through the High Commission may suit you better.
The High Commission’s visa service partner lists these items for a regular medical visa application:
- A passport valid for at least 180 days with two blank pages.
- Two recent photographs.
- Signed and stamped hospital letters.
- A Medical Visa Undertaking form.
Requirements and processing times differ from the e-Visa, so check the current checklist before applying.
Separately, Indian rules require foreign nationals on a medical visa valid for more than 180 days to register with the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) within 14 days of arrival. Anyone whose stay will go beyond 180 days also needs to register. A standard 60-day e-Medical Visa does not fall in the first group.
Check the Bureau of Immigration’s registration requirements and the e-FRRO portal for your situation.
Common mistakes that delay a medical visa India for British citizens
- An incomplete hospital letter. It needs the letterhead, the tentative admission date, and your name, nationality and passport number.
- Files outside the limits. The portal can reject unclear documents or photos that do not match its specification.
- Passport validity checked at the wrong time. The six months are counted from the date you apply, and you need two blank pages.
- Typing errors. A wrong name, nationality, passport number or date of birth is your responsibility.
- Leaving it too late. Applications and payment must be completed at least 4 days before travel.
- Using an unofficial website. The only official site is indianvisaonline.gov.in. Extra “express” fees do not exist.
- Treating attendants as automatic. Each companion needs a separate passport and application.
Choosing a hospital and requesting the letter
Your medical visa India for British citizens depends on the hospital letter, so settle the hospital and treatment plan first. Ask the international patient team whether your expected treatment and recovery fit within 60 days. Ask them to confirm that the letter will include every detail the portal requires.
If you are still comparing options, our guides on choosing the best hospital in India for British patients, knee replacement in India instead of the NHS waiting list and cardiac surgery in India for UK patients may help. You can also browse the MedicHorizon hospital directory.
What you can do yourself, and where we can help
You do not need an agent to get a medical visa India for British citizens. The portal says the e-Visa service is fully online and needs no intermediary or travel agent.
MedicHorizon is a health hospitality consultancy, not a medical provider. We can help you coordinate the hospital letter, check your documents against the list above before you submit, and explain the process. We do not apply on your behalf, and we do not give medical advice.
Hospital bills are paid directly to the hospital. Our charges cover coordination only. Email contactmedichorizon@gmail.com if you would like help or Contact Us.
Frequently asked questions
Do British citizens need a visa for medical treatment in India?
Yes. There is no visa on arrival for UK passport holders, so you must hold a granted medical visa India for British citizens before you travel.
How much does a medical visa India for British citizens cost?
The official fee for UK passport holders is US$129 for the patient and US$129 per attendant, plus a bank charge. It is non-refundable. Always check the current schedule on the portal.
How long is the e-Medical Visa valid?
The portal’s FAQ gives 60 days from your first arrival in India. Check the validity shown on your granted ETA.
How early should I apply for a medical visa India for British citizens?
No earlier than 120 days and no later than 4 days before arrival. The portal gives no guaranteed processing time, so apply as soon as your documents are ready.
Can I bring family with me?
Yes. A medical visa India for British citizens can be accompanied by a maximum of two e-Medical Attendant Visas per patient. Each attendant needs a separate passport and application.
Can I extend an e-Medical Visa?
The portal states that e-Visas are non-extendable and non-convertible. If you may need longer, discuss a regular medical visa with the hospital and the High Commission.
Do I need to register with the FRRO?
Registration within 14 days of arrival applies to medical visas valid for more than 180 days, and to anyone staying beyond 180 days. A 60-day e-Medical Visa does not normally fall in the first group.
Can I enter India without a visa in an emergency?
The portal gives no emergency exception for UK passport holders. Contact the High Commission of India in London for urgent cases.
Official sources
- Government of India e-Visa portal: eligibility, documents, validity, FAQs
- Official country-wise e-Visa fee schedule (e-Medical and e-Medical Attendant)
- High Commission of India, London: e-Visa advisory
- VFS Global UK: regular Medical Visa checklist
- Bureau of Immigration, India
- e-FRRO portal
Disclaimer
This guide to the medical visa India for British citizens is general information, not legal, immigration or medical advice. Visa rules and fees are set by the Government of India and can change. Verify current requirements on the official portal before you apply. All medical decisions are between you and your doctors.
Last checked against official sources: 19 October 2026. Fees and rules are set by the Indian government and can change without notice, so confirm everything on the official portal before you pay.