Medical Treatment in India for Iranian Patients

Iran has a broad healthcare infrastructure, yet certain advanced treatments — among them complex oncological procedures, intricate cardiac surgery, organ transplants, and specialist fertility interventions — can face limited availability or constrained capacity in specific regions of the country. Patients in cities outside major centres, or those requiring highly specialised care, may find that the procedure they need is simply not offered locally, or that access depends on a short list of facilities concentrated in Tehran or a handful of other cities. The driver for most Iranian patients travelling abroad is access to that specific treatment, not queue length.

India has emerged as a natural destination to meet these needs. World-class hospitals in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Bangalore combine internationally trained specialists with technology that matches leading global centres — and do so at treatment costs that are often a fraction of comparable care in Europe or North America. The geographical proximity, a large number of direct and one-stop flight connections, and the presence of Persian-speaking patient coordinators at many major hospitals make the practical side of the journey considerably more manageable than travelling to the West. For Iranian patients, India offers not just clinical capability but a genuinely supported path to getting treatment done.

India and Iran share one of the region's most enduring friendships — one that has extended clearly into healthcare. Under the Vaccine Maitri programme, India gifted 1 million doses of the indigenously made Covaxin (Bharat Biotech) to Iran in October 2021, part of a broader Indian humanitarian initiative that delivered COVID-19 vaccines to nearly 100 countries. The Ministry of External Affairs also separately confirmed that India supplied medical assistance to Iran as part of its ongoing humanitarian assistance (February 2022). Diplomatically, the two countries hold regular high-level health and bilateral consultations, with Foreign Ministers meeting as recently as May 2025 to co-chair the 20th Joint Commission Meeting.

People-to-people ties deepen this connection: approximately 8,000 Iranian students are currently enrolled at Indian universities, and India provides 67 scholarships annually to Iranian nationals under the ITEC, ICCR, Colombo Plan and IOR-ARC schemes. Around 40,000 Iranians visit India each year. For an Iranian patient considering treatment in India, this means arriving in a country already familiar with Iranian nationals — one that has demonstrated concrete solidarity in healthcare, has an active diplomatic presence in Tehran, and whose universities and hospitals have long welcomed Iranian students and visitors.

Sources: India–Iran Relations Overview, Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India (January 2025), mea.gov.in; MEA Press Release, "India supplies medical assistance to Iran as part of our ongoing humanitarian assistance" (February 2022), mea.gov.in; Embassy of India, Tehran — official Twitter/X (@India_in_Iran, October 9 2021), as reported by Republic World (October 10 2021); India–Iran Relations, Wikipedia (citing MEA/GoI bilateral data).

Iranian citizens are not eligible for India's online e-Visa. Iran does not appear on the official list of e-Visa eligible countries, so you apply for a Medical Visa through the Indian Mission serving your city.

Begin the application form at indianvisaonline.gov.in, then follow the submission instructions published by the Indian Mission — these normally require attending in person with the printed form, the fee and your documents.

You will normally be asked for a recommendation letter from your doctor, an invitation letter from the treating hospital in India (we arrange this free of charge), proof that you can meet the cost of treatment, and a passport valid well beyond your intended stay.

This route takes longer than an online visa. Tell us your timeline early and we will get the hospital letter to you as soon as the doctor has reviewed your reports.

Visa position verified on 28 July 2026 against the official source. Requirements can change — we re-confirm yours before you apply.

Most patients from Iran depart from Tehran Imam Khomeini International Airport (IKA), which offers the widest choice of connections to India. Travellers from Mashhad, Isfahan, and Shiraz typically connect through Tehran or fly via Gulf hubs such as Dubai or Doha, with total journey times varying by route. Mahan Air operates non-stop flights from Tehran Imam Khomeini International Airport (IKA) directly to Delhi (Indira Gandhi International Airport), currently running approximately twice a week; no direct IKA services to Mumbai, Chennai, or Bangalore are currently scheduled, so patients travelling to those cities connect via Gulf hubs such as Dubai or Doha. The primary arrival gateways in India for medical travellers are Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Bangalore, each home to clusters of internationally recognised hospitals. Ginger Healthcare's team can arrange airport reception, transfer to your hospital or pre-admission accommodation, and a patient coordinator who remains your single point of contact throughout your stay — so you are never navigating an unfamiliar city alone.