Bangladesh to Kolkata for treatment: what to plan before you travel

Patients from Bangladesh can plan treatment in Kolkata in five steps. Send your reports for a specialist review. Get a hospital letter with an admission date. Apply for the e-Medical visa at least 4 days before you travel. Decide who comes with you. Then plan the stay and the follow-up at home.

Can Bangladeshi patients apply for India’s e-Medical visa?

Yes, at the time of writing. Bangladesh is on the list of eligible countries on India’s official e-Visa portal. You apply online at indianvisaonline.gov.in. You can apply for the e-Medical visa at least 4 days before arrival, within a window of 120 days.

The portal asks for a recent front-facing photo on a white background and a PDF scan of your passport bio page. For a medical visa it also asks for a letter from the hospital in India that shows the suggested admission date. Rules change. Check the portal on the day you apply. If you usually apply through the visa centre in Bangladesh, confirm there which route applies to you.

Can I enter India by road with an e-Medical visa?

Check this carefully before you book. The e-Visa portal lists land ports for entry, among them Haridaspur, Gede, Ghojadanga, Agartala and Dawki. But the portal’s own FAQ also says e-Visa holders can only enter through the designated airports and seaports listed on the site. Kolkata is one of the designated airports.

If you plan to travel by road or rail, confirm your entry point with the official portal or the High Commission of India before you travel. Do not rely on what worked for a relative last year.

What should we do before asking for the hospital letter?

Do the medical work first. Send your reports for a specialist review and wait for an early opinion. Only then ask for the letter. Your name on the letter must match your passport exactly. Useful reports to send:

• A one-page summary of the problem and its history
• Recent blood tests, with dates
• Imaging reports, and the scan files if you can get them
• Any biopsy or pathology report
• A list of current medicines and allergies

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

How do we check a hospital in Kolkata?

NABH is India’s national accreditation board for hospitals. Its website has a directory of accredited organisations that you can filter by state and city. Select West Bengal and then Kolkata. NABH notes that some data may be incomplete for a while during a data migration. So ask the hospital for its current certificate as well.

Accreditation tells you about systems and safety standards. It does not tell you which specialist is right for your case. That is a conversation with the treating team.

Who should travel with the patient?

The e-Visa portal allows up to two e-Medical Attendant visas against one e-Medical visa. Each attendant needs their own visa. Choose someone who can stay for the whole treatment, keep the papers in order and speak for the patient when needed. If two people come, agree before you leave who handles money and who handles the hospital.

What should we settle before leaving home?

• A written treatment plan from the hospital, with the expected hospital stay and how long to remain in Kolkata after discharge. The treating specialist decides this.
• A written cost estimate, and a clear note of what it includes and excludes.
• A place to stay after discharge, close to the hospital.
• Copies of all reports, on paper and on a phone.
• A doctor at home who will continue care after you return.

How do we plan follow-up after returning to Bangladesh?

Ask for a discharge summary in English before you leave. It should list the treatment, the medicines and the follow-up schedule. Share it with your doctor at home. Ask the treating team how follow-up reviews will work from a distance and which warning signs need care at once.

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