Medical travel to India from Sri Lanka: e-Medical visa guide

Which visa does a Sri Lankan patient need?

A patient travelling for treatment uses a medical visa. Sri Lanka appears on the official e-Visa eligible list, so the simplest route is the e-Medical visa. The person who comes with you applies for an e-Medical Attendant visa. The Bureau of Immigration says that foreigners seeking treatment at recognised or specialised hospitals must arrive on a medical visa, and that people accompanying them should hold a medical attendant visa.

What are the timing rules?

• Apply online at least four days before your arrival date.
• The application window is 120 days, so do not apply too early.
• The e-Visa cannot be extended or converted to another visa type.
• Only two e-Medical Attendant visas are granted against one e-Medical visa.

Because the e-Visa cannot be extended, ask the hospital how long the specialist expects you to stay. Build some spare time into your plans.

Where can you enter India?

The portal lists designated airports and seaports for e-Visa entry. Airports include Chennai, Tiruchirappalli (Trichy), Madurai, Coimbatore, Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Delhi and Mumbai. Listed seaports include Chennai, Cochin, Tuticorin, Nagapattinam and Kamarajar. Check that your arrival point is on the current list before you book.

What should you prepare?

• A passport with at least six months’ validity and two blank pages.
• A recent photograph and a scan of your passport page for the online form.
• Your reports, scans and prescriptions, with a summary from your doctor in Sri Lanka.
• The hospital’s acceptance or invitation letter once a specialist has reviewed your case.
• A list of medicines you take, to show if asked when you travel.

What happens at immigration?

The portal says biometric details are captured at immigration on arrival. The Bureau of Immigration also asks travellers to fill in an e-Arrival card online within 72 hours before arriving. Keep your hospital letter in your hand luggage.

Is language support available?

IndiaMedica works in English for Sri Lankan patients. If you would prefer a Tamil- or Sinhala-speaking coordinator at the hospital, tell us. We will ask the hospital whether it can arrange one.

How does IndiaMedica help?

We review your reports free of charge and ask suitable hospitals for an opinion. The treating specialist decides on the plan and the length of stay. We then help with the hospital letter for your e-Medical application, your arrival and your follow-up at home. The referral fee hospitals pay us is disclosed and never changes your price.