Medical Visa to India from Nigeria: Step-by-Step

Last checked: 16 September 2026. The official sources for every fact are listed at the end of this guide.

The Indian medical visa is not one single process — it works differently in each country, and the requirements for Nigeria are set by the High Commission of India in Abuja. This guide walks through them step by step. Where a figure or rule appears, it comes from the mission's own page, linked at the end.

Step 1 — Get your Indian hospital's invitation letter

You cannot apply without an invitation letter from the treating Indian hospital. The Abuja mission requires it typed on the hospital's letterhead, stamped and signed, specifying the nature of the treatment and the start and end dates. This is exactly the document a coordinator arranges once a hospital has reviewed your reports.

Step 2 — Get a referral letter from a Nigerian hospital

Abuja also requires a referral letter from a Nigerian hospital — typed, in original, on letterhead with contact details, stamped and signed, from a well-reputed hospital or medical institute. This is unusual among Indian missions and is easy to miss; get it early.

Step 3 — Vaccinations

• Yellow fever — compulsory for all travellers to India except infants under six months.
• Oral polio / IPV — mandatory for residents of Nigeria (a polio-affected country); valid for one year from the date given.

Step 4 — Proof of funds

You need a certified bank statement for the last three months, or a bank guarantee letter, in the applicant's name, showing you can meet the treatment expenses.

Step 5 — Apply and pay the fee

Many nationalities can apply for the e-Medical Visa online at the Government of India e-Visa portal; where the e-visa route is not available for your case, you apply for a Medical Visa through the mission. The Abuja mission quotes a medical-visa fee of US$252 (including a US$2 surcharge). Fees and the exact application route change, so check the official pages below before you apply.

Step 6 — Attendants

Up to two family members can travel with you on Medical Attendant visas, granted co-terminous with your Medical Visa and to close relatives. See our dedicated attendant-visa guide.

How long does it take?

Timelines vary and are set by the mission, not by us, so we do not publish a fixed number of days here — check the current processing time on the official page and apply well ahead of your treatment dates.

*This guide is general information, not legal or medical advice. Confirm visa requirements with the relevant Indian mission and your treatment plan with a qualified doctor.*