Indian medical visa guide for patients from Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and the UK

India offers patients two routes. Your nationality decides which ones are open to you.

"Indian embassy" or "High Commission"? Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and the UK are all Commonwealth countries, like India. Between Commonwealth countries the main diplomatic office is called a High Commission rather than an embassy. It does the same job, including visas. So the "Indian embassy in Ghana" is the High Commission of India in Accra.

1. Get a letter from the Indian hospital on its letterhead, giving the date, or likely date, of your admission.
2. Check your passport. It needs at least six months' validity when you apply.
3. Get your yellow fever vaccine at least 10 days before you fly if you are travelling from Ghana or Kenya (see the yellow fever section below).
4. Apply online at indianvisaonline.gov.in, between 120 days and 4 days before you arrive. Use only this official government site.
5. Upload your documents: a scan of your passport's photo page, the hospital letter and your photo. A family member applying for the e-Medical Attendant visa uploads their passport page and photo.
6. Pay the fee online. It depends on your nationality, a 3% bank charge is added, and it is not refundable. Check the official fee table rather than figures on other websites.
7. Travel with a printout of your e-Visa approval, and arrive through one of the airports or seaports listed on the e-Visa website.

Photo rules: a JPEG file between 10 KB and 1 MB, square, showing your full face from the front with eyes open, no glasses, on a plain white or light background.

The High Commission of India in Abuja says there is no e-Visa for Nigerian nationals at present, so Nigerian patients apply for a regular Medical visa.

1. Fill in the online form at indianvisaonline.gov.in and print it. Your appointment date is printed on the form.
2. Find your office. The Consulate in Lagos covers Lagos, Abia, Akwa Ibom, Ogun, Anambra, Bayelsa, Ondo, Ebonyi, Cross River, Osun, Enugu, Delta, Oyo, Imo, Edo and Rivers states. The High Commission in Abuja covers the rest of Nigeria.
3. Abuja: email your supporting documents in advance to the High Commission's consular addresses and bring proof that you sent them. Applications are taken on your appointment date. If your medical travel is urgent and you could not get an early appointment, the High Commission says you can come on any working day between 9am and 11am. You may be interviewed.
4. Lagos: hand in your application from 9am to 11am, Monday to Friday, and collect it between 3pm and 4pm. The Indian hospital emails its invitation to the Consulate, and your Nigerian hospital's referral letter must come from the hospital's own email address.
5. Pay the fee in naira. The visa costs US$585 plus US$3, paid only as the naira equivalent (₦819,200 on the missions' fee charts from 1 July 2026).

Documents for a Medical visa (Abuja checklist)

• an invitation letter from the Indian hospital, including an FRRO-registered invitation with its file reference
• a recent referral or medical report from a Nigerian government hospital
• your medical history, and your previous discharge report if this is follow-up treatment
• a signed sponsorship letter, with the sponsor's national ID card, passport copy if available, and three months of bank statements
• proof of relationship between the patient and attendant
• a compatibility report, if the trip is for an organ transplant with a donor

The mission may ask for more. Nigerian travellers also need a valid polio vaccination certificate, with the dose taken at least 4 weeks before you arrive in India, as well as the yellow fever certificate.

How long does it take? Abuja says processing times vary and are at its discretion. Lagos says some visas can take up to six weeks, so apply early.

Ghanaian citizens can use the e-Medical visa (steps above). If you prefer a regular Medical visa, apply online first, then hand in the printed form in person at the High Commission in Accra. For a Medical visa it asks for:

• your passport, with photocopies of the photo page and yellow fever page
• two photos that meet international (ICAO) photo rules
• a flight booking
• confirmation from the treating hospital in India, emailed directly to the High Commission
• a reference from your doctor or hospital in Ghana
• proof of funds, such as a bank statement
• your original yellow fever certificate

The visa covers the treatment period or up to one year, whichever is shorter. The fee, paid in cash at the High Commission, is GH₵907 for up to 6 months or GH₵1,345 for 6 to 12 months (from 1 April 2026). The High Commission's pages say visas for Ghanaian nationals usually take 2 to 3 working days.

Kenyan citizens can use the e-Medical visa (steps above). The High Commission in Nairobi does not handle e-Visas; those are done online. For a regular Medical visa, book an appointment and hand in your papers at the High Commission. Its list includes:

• the signed online form for the patient and any attendant
• two 51mm x 51mm photos with a white background
• an invitation letter from a recognised hospital or doctor in India, giving the condition, length of treatment and estimated cost
• a referral from your doctor in Kenya
• proof of funds and proof of relationship with the attendant
• a signed Medical Visa Undertaking

The invitation and medical documents are also emailed to the High Commission. It says paper visas are normally processed in 3 to 5 working days.

UK nationals can use the e-Medical and e-Medical Attendant visas, and the e-Visa steps above apply. The UK is not on India's yellow fever list. But if you have been in a yellow fever country within six days before arriving in India, the yellow fever rules below apply to you too.

Your doctor at home can advise whether a vaccine is safe for you, especially if you are unwell.

• Before you fly: fill in India's online e-Arrival card in the 72 hours before you land, on the official e-Visa website or the "Indian Visa Su-Swagatam" app.
• At immigration: your fingerprints and photo are taken. Keep your original yellow fever certificate, hospital letter and visa papers in your hand luggage.
• Registration: if your Medical or Medical Attendant visa is valid for more than 180 days, you must register with the foreigners registration office (FRRO) within 14 days of arrival. It is done once per visa, online at indianfrro.gov.in. The Bureau of Immigration says children under 12 do not need to register.
• Needing more time: an e-Visa cannot be extended. A regular visa can be extended online through the FRRO, but you must apply before your current visa runs out. If your treatment takes longer than planned, ask the hospital's international patient team to help you early.