Iraq to India for treatment: visa, travel and language

Iraqi patients cannot use India’s e-Medical visa at the time of writing. Iraq is not on the e-Visa list. Instead you apply online for a regular Medical visa and submit it at VFS Global in Baghdad or Basra. Start with a specialist review of your reports. The hospital letter, the visa and the flights follow from that.

Can Iraqi citizens apply for India’s e-Medical visa?

Not at the time of writing. India’s official e-Visa portal lists the countries whose citizens can apply online. Iraq is not on that list. Some neighbouring countries are, such as Jordan and Kuwait. So advice from a friend there may not apply to you. Check the portal yourself before you plan.

Iraqi citizens apply for a regular Medical visa through the Embassy of India in Baghdad. It takes more paperwork than the e-Visa, so allow time for it.

How do I apply for a Medical visa from Iraq?

The Embassy’s visa page sets out the steps. You fill in the form online at indianvisaonline.gov.in and choose the Indian Mission in Baghdad. You print it, sign it on the first and last page, and submit it with your papers at VFS Global in Baghdad or Basra. The Embassy says no prior appointment is needed. Applications are handled in order of arrival.

You give your biometrics at VFS, unless they were captured in the last five years. Keep your original documents with you. They are checked and returned.

Which documents does the Medical visa need?

• The printed and signed online form, with two 2 x 2 inch photos on a white background
• Your original passport and a copy, valid for at least six months from the date you plan to enter India, with at least two blank pages
• A copy of your Iraqi national ID
• An invitation letter from a recognised hospital in India, with its auto-generated barcode
• A recommendation letter from your treating doctor in Iraq
• Proof that you have funds for your stay in India
• If no attendant is travelling, a certificate that says so

The Embassy does not accept incomplete applications. Check its page on the day you apply. Requirements can change.

Who can travel with the patient?

The Embassy issues Medical Attendant visas to family members or attendants of a patient who has a Medical visa. Up to two people can go. Their names and passport numbers must appear in the hospital’s invitation letter. So decide who is travelling before you ask for the letter. Choose people who can stay for the whole treatment and keep the papers in order.

When should we ask the hospital for the letter?

After the medical review, not before. Send your reports to the hospital and wait for an early opinion from the specialist. The letter then reflects a real plan. Check every name and passport number in it against the passports, letter by letter.

A review of reports from abroad is an early opinion. It does not replace an examination in person. The treating specialist decides the plan and what else is needed.

What about reports in Arabic and language at the hospital?

Ask the hospital in writing whether your reports in Arabic can be read as they are, or need an English translation. If translation is needed, do it early. Keep the original and the translation together for each report.

Ask also whether an Arabic interpreter is available for consultations and consent discussions, and at what times. If not, plan for a family member who speaks English to join the key meetings. Consent is too important for a phone translation app.

When should we book flights?

Book after the visa is granted. The Embassy notes that its visas are valid from the date of issue, not from the date you arrive in India. So time your application to your admission date. Keep the return ticket flexible. The treating team decides when it is safe for the patient to fly home.

If you are planning treatment in India from Iraq, you can start with a free case review. Send your reports and we will help you prepare the next step.