Paying for treatment in India from Nigeria: dollars, transfers and deposits

For most families, paying for treatment in India from Nigeria raises more questions than the treatment itself. Which currency? Who do I pay? How much up front? Can I send money through someone I know in Delhi? This guide answers those questions plainly.

One thing first: rules on moving foreign currency out of Nigeria are set by the Central Bank of Nigeria and applied by your bank, and they change. We don’t give advice on them. Ask your bank what it needs before you commit to dates.

Paying for treatment in India from Nigeria: the short version

• The hospital quotes you in US dollars, in writing.
• You pay the hospital directly, into the account on its own invoice.
• Many hospitals ask for a deposit on admission. Your quote says how much and when.
• Our fee is separate, fixed and agreed before you book.
• Keep every receipt, and never hand cash to an intermediary.

Step 1: Get the quote in writing

Everything starts with a written quote from the hospital’s international patient desk. Send your reports, and accredited hospitals in Delhi reply with a specialist’s opinion and a price for the hospital package.

A good quote, on the hospital’s letterhead, shows:

• the currency (usually US dollars)
• the package price, or an estimate if a fixed price isn’t possible yet
• what’s included (surgeon, room, days in hospital, implants, medicines) and what isn’t
• the deposit and when the balance is due
• how the hospital accepts payment and its bank details

If any of that is missing, ask before you travel. A quote isn’t a final bill. If your treatment changes once a surgeon has examined you, the hospital should give you a revised estimate before going ahead.

For a sense of scale, a heart bypass package at an accredited hospital in Delhi is typically about $3,500–$9,000, and a knee replacement about $2,400–$8,000. Those are typical package ranges; your price is confirmed in writing by the hospital after a surgeon has reviewed your reports.

Step 2: Talk to your bank early

Before you book flights, take the hospital’s quote and invitation letter to your bank and ask:

• Can I send US dollars to a hospital in India, and how much?
• What documents do you need? Banks often ask for the invoice and supporting letters for medical payments abroad.
• How long does a transfer take to arrive?
• What will it cost, including the exchange rate and any charges at each end?
• Can I use my card abroad, and is there a limit?

Write the answers down. If your bank can’t send the full amount, you need to know that before you’re in Delhi, not after. A family member abroad paying part of the bill directly to the hospital, in their own name, is another option some patients use. The payment should still go straight to the hospital’s account, with your name and hospital ID as the reference.

Step 3: Pay the hospital directly

Hospitals usually accept:

• International bank transfer to the account on the hospital’s invoice. Allow a few working days for it to arrive.
• Card, at the international desk or the billing counter. Check your card limit first.

Use only the bank details on the hospital’s own invoice or official email. If you ever receive “new” bank details by WhatsApp or from a personal email address, call the hospital’s international desk on the number from its official website before you pay. Changed bank details are a common trick in payment fraud.

Put your full name, passport number and hospital patient ID in the payment reference, and send the hospital a copy of the transfer slip.

Deposits and the final bill

Many hospitals ask for a deposit on admission. It’s set against your final bill. The amount depends on the hospital and the treatment, and your written quote should say exactly how much.

During your stay, the hospital keeps a running bill. Ask to see it every few days. At discharge, you get a final itemised bill. If it’s higher than the quote, ask what changed and why. If it’s lower, ask how any balance from your deposit will be refunded, and to which account.

On our Assisted plan, your case manager checks the hospital bill against your quote every day, so surprises are caught early.

Our fee is separate

Our fee is a fixed amount, from $500, paid to us. It’s agreed in writing before you book anything and covers our non-clinical services: getting quotes, your case manager, the visa letter, airport pickup and your stay.

• We never add anything to the hospital’s bill.
• We never collect treatment money on a hospital’s behalf.
• Some hospitals pay facilitators a fee. If a hospital pays us anything for your case, we tell you the amount in writing before you choose that hospital. It never changes the price the hospital charges you.

Our page on how we’re paid sets this out in full.

Never send cash through an intermediary

This is the most important part of this guide. Don’t hand cash, or send money, to anyone who offers to “pay the hospital for you”: an agent, a hotel contact, a driver, or someone you met online. Even if they’re honest, you lose your proof of payment. If they aren’t, the money is gone.

Carrying large amounts of cash is also risky, and rules on declaring cash apply when you leave and enter countries. A bank transfer or card payment to the hospital leaves a clear record. Cash doesn’t.

Keep every receipt

Make a folder, on paper and on your phone, with:

• the hospital’s written quote and any revised estimates
• every transfer slip and card receipt
• the hospital’s receipts for each payment
• the final itemised bill and discharge summary
• our invoice, if you used us

You may need these for your bank, your employer or insurer if they’re reimbursing you, or a refund.

Employers and insurers

Some Nigerian employers and insurers pay for treatment abroad if you get approval first. Ask before you travel, not after. We can send them the hospital’s written estimate and treatment plan, and they may be able to pay the hospital directly.

Next steps

See our page for patients from Nigeria for the visa route and flights, or our Africa page for other countries. When you’re ready, send your reports for a free quote and you’ll get the hospital’s price, in writing, before you pay anything.