Medical travel to India from Iraq: applying for a medical visa

Which visa route applies to Iraqi patients?

Iraq does not appear on the official list of countries eligible for the Indian e-Visa. Iraqi patients therefore apply for a regular medical visa. The Embassy says the medical visa is issued to seek treatment in recognised or specialised treatment centres in India. The Government of India counted 30,989 Iraqi arrivals for medical treatment in 2025.

How do you apply?

• Fill in the online form at the Government of India visa website and choose the Indian Mission in Baghdad.
• Print and sign the form.
• Submit it with your documents at VFS Global in Baghdad or Basra on a working day. The Embassy says no appointment is needed and applicants are served in order of arrival.
• Diplomatic and official passport holders apply directly at the Embassy’s consular wing.

Which medical documents does the Embassy ask for?

• An invitation letter from a recognised Indian hospital, with an auto-generated barcode.
• A recommendation letter from your treating doctor in Iraq.
• Proof of financial standing for your stay in India.
• If you travel without an attendant, a certificate saying that no attendant is needed.

The general list adds two signed photographs on a white background. It also asks for your passport with two blank pages and six months’ validity from the planned entry date, and a copy of your Iraqi national ID.

How do attendant visas work?

The Embassy issues attendant visas to family members or attendants of patients granted a medical visa, up to two people. The attendant’s name and passport number must appear in the hospital’s invitation letter. Ask the hospital to add them before it issues the letter.

How long does it take?

The Embassy gives no fixed timeline for medical visas. It notes that accepting an application does not mean a visa will be issued. Apply as soon as you hold the hospital letter.

Is Arabic support available?

IndiaMedica publishes a full Arabic edition. You can read our guides and send your case in Arabic. We pass the hospital’s replies back to you in plain language and can ask the hospital about an Arabic interpreter.

How does IndiaMedica help Iraqi patients?

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 you get a barcoded invitation letter with the correct attendant details, ready for VFS. Partner hospitals pay a disclosed referral fee that never changes your price.