India eases norms for visitors seeking medical help

Imran Mojib, Special Correspondent

The Government of India has liberalised the medical visa policy and has exempted the foreigners from getting their primary visa converted into medical visa for obtaining indoor treatment up to 180 days for seeking admission in a hospital owing to illness.

The liberalised medical visa policy allows a foreigner suffering from a minor medical condition which needs only OPD consultation or treatment to take treatment at any hospital or treatment centre on his/her primary visa.

In case of illness which requires indoor medical treatment of less than 180 days or the stay stipulation period, if any, stipulated on his/her primary visa or the duration of his/ her primary visa, whichever is earlier, a foreigner (other than a Pakistani national) is permitted to take such indoor medical treatment.

However, such indoor medical treatment shall be taken by the foreigner in a government recognised hospital or treatment centre.

The new policy requires the hospital or treatment centre authorities concerned to furnish the details of the foreigner in a prescribed format along with the details of the indoor medical treatment to be taken by the foreigner, duly certified by the treating doctor to the Foreigner Regional Registration Office (FRRO) concerned within 24 hours after the admission of the foreigner in the hospital/ treatment centre for such indoor medical treatment. A copy of the confirmation received about submission of the details to FRRO concerned may be given by the hospital authorities to the foreigner for his/ her record. The indoor medical treatment may also cover treatment for diseases, if any, which the foreigner may have been suffering even before his/ her entry into India but which has come to the notice of the treating doctor during the medical diagnosis necessitating indoor medical treatment in the hospital/ treatment centre. Treatment of diseases which require organ transplant shall however be permitted only on a Medical Visa.

Recently, India also extended the Visa-on-Arrival facility to the Emirati citizens. Visa-on-Arrival will be available to UAE nationals for a period of up to 60 days with double entry for business, tourism, conference and medical purposes.