Medical visa India for US citizens is handled through India’s official e-Visa portal. If you qualify, you apply online, pay a fee, and receive an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) by email before you fly.
This guide explains who qualifies, which documents to upload, what the government charges, and how long the visa lasts. It also covers hospital selection, health preparation, insurance and common mistakes. Every figure comes from an official source, and the sources are listed at the end. Last reviewed: October 19, 2026.
Table of Contents
Quick Facts at a Glance
Here is a summary of the medical visa India for US citizens process.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Official website | indianvisaonline.gov.in |
| US e-Medical Visa fee | US$100, plus a 3% bank charge on card payments |
| Key document | Letter from the treating hospital in India |
| Apply window | At least 4 days before arrival, up to 120 days ahead |
| Attendants | Up to two e-Medical Attendant Visas per patient |
| Extension or conversion | Not allowed on an e-Visa |
| Passport | Six months of validity and two blank pages |
Medical Visa India for US Citizens: Which Type Applies?
The USA is on the list of countries and regions eligible for India’s e-Visa. For treatment, the relevant category is the e-Medical Visa.
The portal states that the e-Medical Visa covers medical treatment, including treatment under Indian systems of medicine. The same e-Visa system also offers an e-Medical Attendant Visa for people who travel with the patient.
The portal describes the e-Visa as a completely online process. It says no agent or intermediary is needed, and it names indianvisaonline.gov.in as the only official website.
e-Medical Visa vs Regular Medical Visa
Not every applicant for a medical visa India for US citizens can use the e-Visa, and some patients need a longer stay. India also issues a regular (paper) medical visa through its missions. The comparison below uses the government portal and guidance published by Indian missions.
| Point | e-Medical Visa | Regular medical visa |
|---|---|---|
| How you apply | Fully online on the e-Visa portal | Online form, then a signed printout and documents submitted through an Indian mission or its visa centre |
| Extension | Not extendable or convertible | Indian mission guidance says it can be extended in India with supporting medical documents |
| Stay over 180 days | Not applicable | Registration with the FRRO or FRO within 14 days of arrival, per mission guidance |
| Best for | Planned treatment with a fixed hospital letter | Applicants who are not eligible for the e-Visa, or who may need longer |
The regular-visa details above come from guidance published by the Consulate General of India in Dubai. Local steps differ by mission, so confirm the process with the Indian mission or visa centre that serves your US state.
Some Indian missions also ask hospitals to generate the invitation letter through the government’s Medical and Ayush Visa Portal. The Embassy of India in Argentina publishes this rule, for example. Ask your hospital whether it is registered there.
Who Is Eligible for the e-Medical Visa?
The portal lists these conditions for medical visa India for US citizens and other eligible nationalities:
- Your passport must have at least six months of validity when you apply.
- Your passport needs at least two blank pages for the immigration officer’s stamp.
- You need a return or onward ticket and enough money for your stay.
- Each traveler needs a separate passport. Children cannot be endorsed on a parent’s or spouse’s passport.
The e-Visa is not available to diplomatic or official passport holders, or to holders of laissez-passer or other international travel documents.
It is also not available to anyone with a serving or retired defence, military, security or police background. Those applicants must use the regular visa route.
The portal adds that if you suppress your professional background and enter on an e-Visa, you may be denied entry and deported.
People of Pakistani origin, or with a Pakistani passport, are not eligible either. The same applies to applicants whose parents or grandparents were born in, or permanently resident in, Pakistan. They must apply for a regular visa at an Indian mission.
Documents and File Requirements
For the e-Medical Visa, the portal asks you to upload three items:
- The bio page of your passport, as a PDF between 10 KB and 300 KB.
- A recent photo that meets the portal’s specifications.
- A letter from the hospital in India, as a PDF between 10 KB and 300 KB.
The hospital letter must be on the hospital’s letterhead. It must include the tentative date of admission or treatment. It must also name you as the patient and list your nationality and passport number.
The photo must be a JPEG between 10 KB and 1 MB. It must be square, front-facing, with eyes open, without spectacles, against a plain light or white background and with no shadows or borders.
For a medical visa India for US citizens, all documents must be in English. The portal warns that unclear photos or documents can lead to rejection.
Medical Visa India for US Citizens: Fee Breakdown
The government’s country fee sheet, dated 15 April 2026, lists US$100 for US nationals for both the e-Medical Visa and the e-Medical Attendant Visa.
Card payments carry an extra 3% bank charge. PayPal carries 4%. The portal says the breakup is shown on the payment page before you pay.
Keep these points in mind:
- The fee is non-refundable, even if the application is rejected or you cancel your trip.
- You must pay at least 4 days before your expected travel date, or the application will not be processed.
- There is no fee other than the processing fee, and you pay nothing more at the airport for the e-Visa.
- The Government of India says it makes no provision for emergency or express e-Visa fees.
Fees can change, so confirm the current amount on the official portal before you pay.
Validity and Entries
The portal’s FAQ says the e-Medical Visa is valid for 60 days from your first arrival in India. It allows multiple entries within that period.
However, the visa-category list on the same page shows e-Medical categories with one year of validity from arrival. Because the two descriptions differ, check the validity printed on your ETA. Plan your treatment dates around that, not around a third-party summary.
The e-Visa cannot be extended or converted to another visa type. It is also not valid for protected, restricted or cantonment areas. Visiting those areas requires prior permission from the civil authority.
When to Apply: A Simple Timeline
The portal gives firm timing rules for medical visa India for US citizens. Applicants may apply online at least 4 days before the date of arrival, within a 120-day window.
For example, if you apply on 1 September, you can select an arrival date from 5 September to 2 January.
A practical order of tasks looks like this:
- Several weeks before travel: see a travel medicine provider, as the CDC advises 4 to 6 weeks ahead.
- Before applying: confirm your treatment dates and obtain the hospital letter.
- Well ahead of the 4-day minimum: submit your application and pay the fee.
- After the ETA arrives: check every detail and book flights to a designated airport.
Do not leave the application to the last four days. A rejected photo or an unclear upload needs time to fix.
How to Apply Step by Step
- Get your hospital letter. Ask your treating hospital in India for the letter described above.
- Prepare your files. Scan your passport bio page and photo to the required formats.
- Apply online. Use the official e-Visa portal. The portal says the form and payment take about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Pay the fee. The portal accepts Visa and Mastercard credit and debit cards, and PayPal.
- Wait for your ETA. You will be told by email whether the application is granted or rejected. You can also check status on the portal.
- Confirm and print. Check that the status shows “GRANTED,” that your details are correct, and carry a printed ETA.
At the immigration check post, you present the printed ETA. The portal says the e-Visa is then stamped on your passport.
Medical Attendant Visas
Family members or caregivers travelling with the patient need their own e-Medical Attendant Visa. The portal grants only two attendant visas for each e-Medical Visa.
Each attendant applies with their own passport. If you travel with a minor child, the child needs a separate e-Visa and a passport valid for at least six months from the date of arrival.
The US fee for an attendant visa is also US$100, according to the same fee sheet. The portal’s document list for attendants asks for the passport bio page and photo.
Choosing a Hospital and Getting Your Letter
Your hospital letter is the document that ties your medical visa India for US citizens to your treatment. Choose the hospital before you apply, not after.
The CDC advises medical travelers to research providers and facilities. It also advises getting a written agreement with the facility, or with the group arranging the trip, that defines what treatments, supplies and care the cost covers.
Ask about accreditation. India’s National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH) is a constituent board of the Quality Council of India. Joint Commission International (JCI) is a US-based accreditation body that accredits hospitals worldwide.
NABH accreditation is voluntary, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in a reply to the Lok Sabha. That means a hospital’s lack of accreditation is not proof of poor care, and its presence should be checked rather than assumed. Ask for the certificate details and verify them with the accrediting body.
Questions worth asking before you commit:
- Which doctor will treat me, and who will handle follow-up?
- What does the written estimate include and exclude?
- How will you share my records, and in what language?
- What happens if complications arise after I return to the US?
Arrival Rules to Know
Before you fly on a medical visa India for US citizens, check these entry rules.
- Designated airports. e-Visa holders can enter only through the designated airports and seaports on the portal’s list. Check it before you book flights. You can leave through any authorized immigration check post.
- Biometrics. Your biometric details are captured at immigration on arrival.
- e-Arrival card. The portal says foreigners can submit an e-Arrival card within 72 hours before arrival. It provides arrival information and is not a visa.
- Yellow fever card. If you arrive within 6 days of leaving a yellow fever endemic country, carry the original vaccination certificate.
- Passport on the ETA. You must travel on the passport you applied with. If you get a new passport after the ETA is issued, you can still enter on it, but you must carry the old passport too.
The Bureau of Immigration publishes further travel instructions.
If Your Treatment Runs Longer
If your medical visa India for US citizens is an e-Visa, it cannot be extended. If your doctors expect a long course of treatment, discuss the visa route with your hospital before you apply.
Indian mission guidance describes the regular medical visa as extendable in India with supporting medical documents. It also says a stay of more than 180 days requires registration with the FRRO or FRO within 14 days of arrival.
Choosing the wrong visa type cannot be fixed later, because the e-Visa is non-convertible. Decide early.
Health Preparation Before You Travel
The CDC recommends seeing a travel medicine provider at least 4 to 6 weeks before a medical trip abroad. Use that visit to discuss risks tied to your procedure and to travel before and after it.
The CDC also advises making sure that any current medical conditions are well controlled. Tell your regular health care provider about your travel and treatment plans.
For India in general, the CDC’s travel pages say to be up to date on routine vaccines, including measles protection through the MMR vaccine. They recommend hepatitis A for unvaccinated travelers younger than 60, and older travelers may choose to get it. They also list other vaccines that depend on your itinerary and health, such as typhoid.
Your own doctor decides what you need. The CDC says vaccine advice depends on your health and travel plans.
Two further CDC points matter for patients:
- Health care facilities abroad may not have adequate infection control practices, and medical tourists could be at risk of a drug-resistant infection.
- Follow-up care for complications can be expensive and might not be covered by your insurance.
The CDC advises keeping your health records. It also suggests requesting copies of your overseas medical records in English and giving them to any provider you see afterwards.
Insurance and Medicare
A medical visa India for US citizens does not pay for treatment, so check your coverage before you commit to care abroad. According to Medicare.gov, Medicare usually does not cover health care while you travel outside the United States. Medicare drug plans do not cover prescriptions bought abroad.
Medicare’s page notes that Medigap policies may cover emergency care abroad. It also warns that travel insurance does not necessarily include health insurance.
The CDC recommends international travel health insurance that covers medical evacuation back to the United States. It adds that most medical tourists pay for their care at the time of service.
Ask your insurer in writing what it covers for planned treatment in India. Then ask the hospital for a written estimate before you travel.
Travel Advisory and Safety
The US Department of State publishes a travel advisory for India. When this guide was reviewed, the page showed Level 2, “Exercise increased caution,” with higher levels for specific regions.
Advisories change. Read the current State Department advisory for India before you book, and check which regions your itinerary touches.
The State Department also points travelers to its international travel checklist and to the CDC’s page for current travel health information.
Mistakes That Cause Delays
These errors most often slow down a medical visa India for US citizens application.
- Using a third-party site. The government says the e-Visa is fully online and needs no agent. It warns against anyone demanding extra payment for “express” service.
- Paying twice. If your card is charged but no success page appears, wait for the payment status to update before retrying. The portal says updates can take up to 2 hours.
- Mismatched details. You are responsible for errors in your name, passport number or date of birth. If you find a discrepancy on the ETA, contact the e-Visa support centre at least 24 hours before your journey.
- Poor uploads. Blurry scans or wrong file sizes can lead to rejection. The portal may email you to re-upload, usually within 24 hours.
- Wrong entry point. The e-Visa works only through the listed airports and seaports.
- Skipping the written estimate. The CDC advises a written agreement on what the cost covers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the medical visa India for US citizens called?
It is the e-Medical Visa, applied for on the government’s e-Visa portal. Attendants apply for the e-Medical Attendant Visa.
How much does the visa cost?
The government fee sheet dated 15 April 2026 lists US$100 for US nationals, plus a 3% bank charge on card payments. Confirm the current figure on the portal.
Can a medical visa India for US citizens be extended while I am in India?
No. The portal states that the e-Visa is non-extendable and non-convertible.
Is the visa fee refunded if I am rejected?
No. The fee covers processing and is not refunded whether the application is granted or rejected.
Can I get a visa on arrival as a US citizen?
No. According to the portal, visa on arrival is only for nationals of Japan, South Korea and the UAE (the latter with conditions). Other e-Visa nationalities must wait for the ETA before travelling.
How many people can travel with me?
Two attendants can receive e-Medical Attendant Visas for each patient.
Do I need a separate visa for my child?
Yes. The portal says each traveler, including a minor, needs a separate e-Visa and passport.
Does Medicare pay for treatment in India?
Medicare usually does not cover health care outside the United States, according to Medicare.gov. Check your plan and any Medigap policy.
Final Thoughts
Getting a medical visa India for US citizens is mostly a matter of preparation: a complete hospital letter, correct passport details, the right file formats and the official portal. Confirm the fee and validity on the day you apply, because rules can change.
Plan the medical side with the same care. A written estimate, a travel medicine visit, the right insurance and a follow-up plan matter as much as the visa itself.
If you need help choosing a hospital or arranging your hospital letter, contact our patient team. You can also see our medical treatment in India.
This article is general information, not legal, immigration or medical advice. Check current requirements on the official portal and with your doctor before you act.
Sources
- Government of India, e-Visa portal (eligibility, documents, validity, FAQs): indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html
- Government of India, country-wise e-Visa fee sheet (15 April 2026): indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/images/eTV_revised_fee_final.pdf
- Consulate General of India, Dubai, medical attendant visa guidance: cgidubai.gov.in/page/medical-attendant-visa
- Embassy of India, Argentina, medical visa and the Medical and Ayush Visa Portal: indembarg.gov.in medical visa document
- Medicare.gov, travel outside the U.S.: medicare.gov/coverage/travel-outside-the-u.s.
- CDC, Medical Tourism: wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/medical-tourism
- CDC Yellow Book, Medical Tourism: cdc.gov/yellow-book/hcp/health-care-abroad/medical-tourism.html
- CDC Travelers’ Health, India: wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/clinician/extended_student/india
- US Department of State, India travel advisory: travel.state.gov India advisory
- Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Lok Sabha Unstarred Question 1250 on NABH accreditation (28 June 2019): eparlib.nic.in
- National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers: nabh.co
- Bureau of Immigration, India: boi.gov.in