India Rolls Out e-Ayush Visa for Traditional Medicine Travel
India introduces the e-Ayush Visa to attract global travelers seeking authentic Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy treatments—simplifying medical travel with a 60-day stay permit.
India has launched a new type of electronic visa, the e-Ayush Visa, designed specifically for foreign travelers seeking India’s traditional medicine systems. The initiative is part of a broader effort to boost medical tourism and elevate the global profile of India’s centuries-old healthcare traditions.
Ayush Visa: A Boost for India’s Medical Tourism Sector
Ayurveda: one of the world’s oldest holistic healing systems focused on restoring energy balance and wellness.
Yoga & Naturopathy: ancient practices emphasizing natural healing and spiritual well-being.
Unani: a Greco-Arabic medical system integrating Greek and Islamic medical philosophies.
Siddha: a traditional South Indian medical practice using earthly elements and minerals.
Homeopathy: a diluted remedy-based therapeutic system developed in Germany and widely adopted in India.
Travelers can now choose this visa category to access care within these traditional systems upon arrival in India.
Promoting India’s Time-Honored Healing Traditions
In 2023, India introduced an Ayush Visa in passports for foreign nationals seeking the benefits of traditional Indian medicine. Initially offered in two subcategories, it has since moved to a fully digital process with the introduction of the e-Ayush Visa for patients and the e-Ayush Attendant Visa for accompanying caregivers.
How to Apply for the e-Ayush Visa
The new online visa can be requested via the official Indian government portal—already used by millions of tourists since 2015: https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html
To obtain an e-Ayush Visa, applicants must submit an online copy of their passport, a passport-sized photograph, and a letter from a recognized Ayush-accredited hospital or institution. The medical facility’s letter should include the applicant’s name, health concern, recommended treatment plan, and expected duration. The cost of an e-Ayush Visa is $80 USD, equivalent to €68.91.
Mirroring India’s existing e-Medical Visa, the e-Ayush Visa allows stays of up to 60 days in the country, with a maximum of three entries, valid for both patients and accompanying individuals.
Heal in India: One-Stop Platform for Medical Travelers
In 2022, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the Ayush Visa initiative as part of the government’s Heal in India program. The ministries of Ayush and Health & Family Welfare subsequently collaborated to develop a unified Heal in India portal, positioning the country as a premier global destination for wellness and medical travel.
To further enrich the Ayurveda and traditional medicine segments of the sector, a recent memorandum of understanding has been signed between the India Tourism Development Corporation and the Ministry of Tourism, enhancing coordination and tourism offerings nationwide.
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