Medical travel to India from Bangladesh: visas and planning

Which visa route should a Bangladeshi patient use?

Bangladesh appears on the official list of countries eligible for the Indian e-Visa. That means a patient can apply online for an e-Medical visa and an attendant can apply for an e-Medical Attendant visa. The portal allows only two e-Medical Attendant visas against one e-Medical visa.

The regular route runs through the IVAC network. The IVAC lists the medical visa as category M-1 and the medical attendant visa as M-2. The Bureau of Immigration allows Bangladesh nationals up to three medical attendants on the regular medical visa. Most other nationalities are allowed two. If a third family member needs to stay with the patient, the regular route may suit you better. Ask the IVAC or the High Commission to confirm before you apply.

How does the IVAC application work?

• Apply at the IVAC for the division where you live. The IVAC asks that you have lived at your current address for at least six months.
• IVACs operate in Dhaka (Jamuna Future Park), Khulna, Chattogram, Sylhet and Rajshahi.
• Applications other than tourist visas are taken by appointment date and time.
• You attend in person for biometrics and a photograph.
• Submit the printed form at the IVAC within eight days of completing it online.

The IVAC states that there is no visa fee for Bangladeshi passport holders. A visa processing fee is still payable.

What should you prepare before applying?

• A passport with at least six months’ validity and two blank pages if you use the e-Visa.
• An invitation or admission letter from the Indian hospital that has accepted your case.
• Recent reports, scans and prescriptions from your doctor in Bangladesh, in English where possible.
• Names and passport details of every attendant, so they match the hospital letter.
• A letter from your doctor listing your current medicines, in case you are asked about them.

Is language support available?

IndiaMedica publishes a full Bengali edition. You can read our guides and send your case in Bengali. Our case managers can then share your file with hospitals and pass their replies back to you in plain language.

Where do Bangladeshi patients enter India?

The e-Visa portal lists designated airports and seaports for e-Visa entry. Kolkata, Delhi, Chennai, Bengaluru, Guwahati, Bagdogra and Hyderabad are among the listed airports. If you plan to cross by land, check the current list first. An e-Visa is only usable at an entry point the portal names. A regular visa from the IVAC follows the conditions printed on it.

What happens after you arrive?

The Bureau of Immigration asks foreigners whose medical or attendant visa is valid for more than 180 days to register with the FRRO within 14 days of arrival. The IVAC page says medical visa holders must register within 14 days. Read the endorsement on your own visa and ask the hospital’s international desk if you are unsure. Biometrics are captured at immigration on arrival for e-Visa holders.

How does IndiaMedica help?

We review your reports free of charge and ask suitable hospitals for an opinion. The treating specialist decides whether treatment is right for you. We then help with the hospital letter, attendant names and arrival plans. Partner hospitals pay us a disclosed referral fee. It never changes your price.