Indian e-Visa for British PatientsHow to Apply Before Your Dental Treatment Visit
- The Indian e-Visa system allows British passport holders to apply for entry authorization entirely online through the official Indian government portal, without visiting a consulate or submitting a physical passport.
For dental treatment travel, the Tourist e-Visa (e-Tourist Visa) is the applicable category.
Do British Patients Need a Visa for Dental Treatment in India?
Do British passport holders need a visa to travel to India for dental treatment?
Yes. British citizens require a visa to enter India. For dental treatment travel, the Indian e-Tourist Visa (eTV) is the correct visa category. It is applied for entirely online, costs approximately £30, is typically processed within 3–5 business days, and permits a stay of up to 90 days per entry. The e-Visa is linked electronically to the passport, so no physical sticker is required. UK patients do not need to visit an embassy or consulate.
The Indian e-Visa system allows British passport holders to apply for entry authorization entirely online through the official Indian government portal, without visiting a consulate or submitting a physical passport. For dental treatment travel, the Tourist e-Visa (e-Tourist Visa) is the applicable category. It permits entry for medical tourism, leisure, and personal purposes including dental and medical treatment at private facilities.
The e-Visa is not stamped into the passport. Upon approval, the applicant receives an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) document by email, which must be printed and carried with the passport at airport check-in and upon arrival in India. Immigration officers at Indian international airports verify the ETA electronically, and no physical visa label is issued.
You should apply for your e-Visa a minimum of 4 business days before your departure date and ideally 2–3 weeks in advance to allow time to address any application errors or resubmission. The e-Visa cannot be applied for at the airport or on arrival. Applications submitted less than 4 days before travel risk not being processed in time.
At Stunning Dentistry, the patient coordinator provides e-Visa guidance as part of the pre-travel preparation briefing. Patients who encounter questions during the application process can request clarification from the coordinator. The Stunning Dentistry facility does not process visa applications on behalf of patients. The application is completed by the patient directly through the Government of India portal, but the coordinator confirms which visa category is appropriate and what documents are needed.
| e-Visa Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Visa category for dental treatment | e-Tourist Visa (eTV) |
| Application method | Online only, indianvisaonline.gov.in |
| Processing time | 3–5 business days (typically) |
| Fee (as of 2025) | USD $40.00 (~£30) |
| Maximum stay per entry | 90 days |
| Number of entries | Double entry (two entries permitted per visa) |
| Validity from issue date | 365 days |
| Physical stamp required | No, Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) only |
Questions about this procedure?
Who Qualifies for the e-Visa
British passport holders are eligible for the Indian e-Tourist Visa. Eligibility applies to British citizens travelling on a valid UK passport, not to permanent residents travelling on a non-British passport. Permanent residents of the UK who are citizens of another country must apply under their country of citizenship's eligibility rules.
The e-Tourist Visa requires a valid passport with at least 6 months remaining validity from the date of arrival in India and at least 2 blank pages available for the entry stamp. A passport expiring within 6 months of the planned arrival date will result in application rejection.
Applicants who have been denied an Indian visa previously, or who hold a Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan, or Afghan passport (in addition to British), face additional scrutiny and should contact the High Commission of India before applying online. Dual citizens travelling on a British passport do not face this restriction.
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How Do I Apply Online?
Apply through the official Government of India portal, indianvisaonline.gov.in, by selecting the e-Tourist Visa category, entering your passport and travel details, uploading a photograph and passport scan, and paying the fee online by card. Third-party websites that charge additional fees for the same application exist and are not official; use the government portal directly.
The application process:
1. Select "Apply e-Visa" and choose "e-Tourist Visa (eTV)"
2. Enter the expected date of arrival (must be within 120 days of application submission)
3. Complete personal information: full name as it appears on passport, date of birth, nationality
4. Enter passport details: number, issue date, expiry date, place of issue
5. Upload a digital photograph (specified format: plain white background, face fills 70–80% of frame, JPEG, 10KB–1MB)
6. Upload a scan of the biographical data page of the passport (JPEG or PDF, under 1MB)
7. Provide travel details: port of entry (the Indian international airport you will arrive at), address in India (the accommodation address)
8. Pay the visa fee online by credit or debit card
9. Submit and receive an application reference number
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Required Documents
No supporting documents for the purpose of travel (medical records, treatment appointment letters) are required for the e-Tourist Visa. The e-Tourist category covers dental treatment at a private facility.
| Document | Specification |
|---|---|
| Valid British passport | Minimum 6 months validity beyond arrival date; 2 blank pages |
| Digital passport photograph | White background, face 70–80% of frame, JPEG, 10KB–1MB |
| Passport biographical page scan | Clear scan, JPEG or PDF, under 1MB |
| Address in India | Full address of accommodation (hotel name, street, city) |
| Port of entry | Name of Indian international airport (e.g., Delhi, Indira Gandhi International; Mumbai, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International) |
| Credit or debit card | For online fee payment (Visa, Mastercard, American Express accepted) |
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How Long Does It Take and What Does It Cost?
The e-Visa fee is USD $40.00 per application (approximately £30 at current exchange rates), charged at submission and non-refundable regardless of outcome. Processing typically takes 3 to 5 business days, though most approvals arrive within 24 to 72 hours.
The approved ETA is sent to the email address provided in the application. Applicants should check their spam folder if no email is received within 5 business days. The application status can also be checked on the government portal using the reference number.
The approved ETA must be printed and carried to the airport. Airlines verify the ETA at check-in before issuing a boarding pass; immigration officers verify it on arrival. A digital copy on a phone screen is typically accepted at check-in and arrival, but a printed copy is the most reliable format.
Questions about this procedure?
Entry and Stay Limits
The e-Tourist Visa issued to British applicants is a double-entry visa valid for 365 days from the date of issue. This means:
- Two entries to India are permitted within the 365-day validity window
- Each stay is limited to a maximum of 90 days
- The visa validity begins from the date the ETA is issued, not the date of entry
For Stunning Dentistry patients who require two visits (the first visit for surgical procedures and a return visit for final restoration delivery at 4–6 months), the double-entry validity of a single e-Visa typically covers both trips, provided the second visit falls within 365 days of the ETA issue date.
Patients planning two visits should confirm the expected interval between their first and second visit with the patient coordinator before applying, to determine whether a single e-Visa covers both trips or whether a second application will be required.
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Common Application Mistakes
The most common causes of e-Visa application delays and rejections for British applicants:
Photograph rejection. The photograph must have a plain white background and the face must occupy 70–80% of the frame. Photographs with coloured backgrounds, shadows, glasses, or caps are rejected. A photograph taken against a white wall with good overhead lighting is sufficient.
Passport expiry. Applications submitted with a passport expiring less than 6 months after the planned arrival date are rejected. Renew the passport before applying if expiry is within 6 months of travel.
Name mismatch. The name entered in the application must exactly match the name as it appears on the passport, including middle names if they appear in the passport. Nicknames or name variations cause processing delays.
Date of arrival. The date of arrival entered in the application must be within 120 days of the application submission date. Applications submitted more than 120 days before planned travel will be rejected.
Accommodation address. A complete address is required. "Hotel in Delhi" is not sufficient; the full name and address of the accommodation must be entered. The patient coordinator confirms the accommodation address when making the booking.
You should verify each detail against your passport and travel confirmation before submitting the application. A rejected application requires resubmission and a new fee payment; there is no appeal or refund process for rejected applications.
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Specialist-only treatment planning
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- Evidence-led treatment checkpoints
No waiting list for eligible cases
- Remote file review before travel
- Evidence-led treatment checkpoints
Trip coordinated with care timeline
- Remote file review before travel
- Evidence-led treatment checkpoints
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Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to get a medical visa or a tourist visa for dental treatment?
The e-Tourist Visa is appropriate for dental treatment travel to a private facility. The Indian Medical Visa is a different category intended for patients travelling for in-patient hospital treatment (surgery, transplants, cancer treatment). Private dental treatment at an outpatient clinic does not require a Medical Visa. If you are uncertain, the patient coordinator can confirm the correct category for your specific treatment.
Can I extend my e-Visa if I need to stay longer than planned?
e-Tourist Visas cannot be extended from within India. If an extension of stay becomes necessary due to a clinical reason, the patient would need to depart India and reapply, or a new regular visa would need to be applied for through the High Commission of India. In practice, Stunning Dentistry treatment visits are scheduled within the 90-day single-entry limit, so this situation is uncommon.
Do I need travel insurance in addition to the e-Visa?
Travel insurance is strongly recommended and separate from the visa. The e-Visa permits entry; travel insurance provides financial protection for medical emergencies, trip cancellation, and medical evacuation, none of which are covered by the e-Visa itself. Most British travel insurance policies extend to India; verify medical coverage limits and check whether your policy covers dental procedures performed abroad.
What is the port of entry field on the e-Visa application?
The port of entry is the name of the Indian international airport you will arrive at, not depart from. For most British patients, this is either Indira Gandhi International Airport (Delhi) or Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (Mumbai). The patient coordinator confirms which airport is the correct arrival point based on the Stunning Dentistry facility location.
I submitted my application and haven't received confirmation after 5 days. What should I do?
Check your spam or junk email folder first. If the approval email is not there, log into the indianvisaonline.gov.in portal with your application reference number to check the status. If the status shows "pending" after 7 business days, contact the High Commission of India in Bristol or the nearest Indian Consulate. Do not resubmit the application while an existing application is pending, as duplicate applications complicate processing.
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