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Medical tourism in India

Medical tourism in India for U.S. patients

India's large private hospitals treat international patients for complex, non-cosmetic care. xcuro's partner hospitals in India are Medanta in Gurgaon, Fortis Hospital Mohali, Venkateshwar Hospital in Delhi, Aster Medcity in Kochi and Altrus Healthcare in Dehradun.

What patients travel to India for

  • Heart surgery
  • Hip and knee replacement, spine surgery
  • Cancer treatment
  • Organ transplants
  • Ayurveda and integrative care

Checking a hospital in India

India's national hospital accreditation is NABH (National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers); some hospitals also hold Joint Commission International accreditation. Ask the hospital for its accreditation certificates and for the treating doctor's qualifications.

Getting there and how long to stay

U.S. passport holders need a visa. India issues an e-Medical Visa online for treatment at recognized hospitals, and a Medical Attendant visa for family members traveling with you. English is widely used in private hospitals. Plan on about two weeks for heart or joint surgery and much longer for transplants. The State Department rates India Level 2, “Exercise Increased Caution”, with higher levels in some regions.

Whatever the destination, the CDC recommends seeing a travel-medicine provider before you go, bringing copies of your medical records, arranging follow-up care at home before surgery, and waiting 10 to 14 days before flying after major surgery. Complications treated after you return may not be covered by U.S. insurance.

Capital · New Delhi6 clinics2 popular procedures

Traveling from the United States

Entry rules for a U.S. passport

U.S. passport holders need a visa. India issues an e-Visa online, including a dedicated e-Medical Visa for treatment at recognized hospitals and a Medical Attendant visa for accompanying family members, which requires a letter from the treating hospital.

Check current rules with the issuing authorityChecked September 10, 2026

Getting there

Nonstop service to Delhi and Mumbai from New York, Newark, Chicago, San Francisco and Washington, roughly 14 to 16 hours.

Entry rules change without much notice. Confirm them with the authority above before you book anything.

Top clinics in India

Altrus Healthcare
⭐ 4.8
Altrus Healthcare
xcuro partner
Dehradun

Hospital in Dehradun, India. Details have not been confirmed from an official hospital website.

Aster Medcity
⭐ 4.7
Aster Medcity
xcuro partner
Kochi

800-bed quaternary care multispecialty hospital in Kochi, Kerala, run by Aster DM Healthcare since 2013, with JCI and NABH accreditation and Centres of Excellence in neuro, cardiac, oncology and transplant care.

Fortis Hospital Mohali
⭐ 4.7
Fortis Hospital Mohali
xcuro partner
Mohali

375-bed tertiary care hospital in Mohali, Punjab, established in 2001 by Fortis Healthcare, with JCI and NABH accreditation and programs in cardiac, orthopedic, oncology and transplant care.

⭐ 4.7
Apollo Hospitals, Greams Road
Chennai

Flagship hospital of the Apollo group in Chennai, established in 1983, with more than 60 departments including heart, transplant and cancer programs and JCI accreditation, per Apollo.

Venkateshwar Hospital
⭐ 4.6
Venkateshwar Hospital
xcuro partner
Delhi

500-bed multispecialty hospital in Dwarka, New Delhi, 10 minutes from the international airport, with cardiac, orthopedic, oncology, transplant and neuro programs and international patient services.

Medanta Hospital
⭐ 4.2
Medanta Hospital
xcuro partner
Gurgaon

1,440-bed multi-super-specialty hospital in Gurugram near New Delhi, established in 2009, with JCI, NABH and NABL accreditation and more than 30 super specialties.

Compare all 6 hospitals and clinics in India: ratings, accreditation and prices →

Popular procedures

Compare clinics and written quotes in India.

Knee Replacement Hip Replacement

India for U.S. patients: common questions

Is it safe to get surgery in India?
The U.S. State Department says medical care in India varies greatly: major cities may offer care that meets Western standards, while rural areas often lack adequate services. It also warns that counterfeit drugs are common in India, so buy medicine only from reputable sources on a doctor's advice. Choose an accredited hospital in a major city; our guide What is JCI accreditation? explains what accreditation does and doesn't tell you.
Do I need a medical visa for India?
Yes. The State Department says a medical visa is required for treatment in India. On India's official e-Visa site, the e-Medical Visa needs a letter from the Indian hospital on its letterhead with the planned admission date, and you can apply from 120 days up to 4 days before arrival. Up to two family members can travel with you on e-Medical Attendant visas linked to your e-Medical Visa.
Does Medicare cover medical care in India?
Generally no. Medicare.gov says Medicare usually doesn't cover health care outside the U.S., and the State Department says most hospitals in India want advance payment or insurance confirmation before treatment. It adds that credit cards are not commonly accepted and most providers take only cash, so plan how you will pay large bills. The CDC suggests looking for travel health insurance that pays hospitals directly.
How do I check if a doctor is licensed in India?
India's National Medical Commission runs the Indian Medical Register, which you can search by doctor's name, registration number, year or State Medical Council; the NMC notes the data is still being updated. For hospitals, NABH, India's national hospital accreditation board, offers a “Find a Hospital” search and a certificate check. You can start from our list of hospitals in India.
Is India safe for Americans?
The State Department rates India Level 2, “Exercise increased caution,” because of crime and terrorism, but says do not travel to Jammu and Kashmir (except eastern Ladakh and Leh), the India–Pakistan border area, or parts of central and east India. It also warns that road travel is dangerous and that India leads the world in traffic deaths, which matters when you move between the airport, hotel and hospital after surgery. Ask the hospital to arrange your transfers.
How long after surgery can I fly home from India?
Ask your surgeon for a written fit-to-fly date: flights from India to the U.S. are long, and the CDC lists recent surgery as a risk factor for blood clots during travel. It recommends an aisle seat so you can walk every 2 to 3 hours, calf exercises while seated, and asking your doctor about compression stockings or medicine if you have extra risk factors. Our article How long after surgery can you fly? covers typical waits by procedure.
Sources · checked October 30, 2026:U.S. State DepartmentGovernment of India, Bureau of ImmigrationMedicare.govCDCNational Medical CommissionNABHCDC

If something goes wrong after treatment in India

Emergency? In the U.S., call 911; in India, call 112 from a cell phone; ambulance 102, or 108 in parts of South India. Then tell the clinic in writing.

Where to complain in India

  • State Medical Council where the doctor is registered (overseen by the National Medical Commission): Complaints of medical negligence or professional misconduct against doctors.Written complaint to the State Medical Council. Whether a patient can appeal a council decision to the National Medical Commission's Ethics and Medical Registration Board was still unresolved in June 2026. We could not confirm online or foreign-patient routes for individual councils.
  • Consumer commissions (District, State, National) via e-Jagriti: Consumer complaints about deficient services. Doctors remain covered by the Consumer Protection Act: the Supreme Court declined to reconsider this in November 2024, and a new petition was pending in 2026.File online on e-Jagriti, which replaced e-Daakhil on January 1, 2025. Reports say Indians living abroad have registered; we could not confirm the process for a U.S. citizen with no Indian address.

The U.S. embassy keeps a list of local doctors and hospitals.

What to do if something goes wrong: the full guide for U.S. patients →

Major cities

Chennai
1 clinic
Dehradun
1 clinic
Delhi
1 clinic
Gurgaon
1 clinic
Kochi
1 clinic
Mohali
1 clinic