Treatment in India from Nigeria: the visa, flights and costs

Planning treatment in India from Nigeria is very doable, but one step is different from most countries: the visa. Nigerian passports aren’t on India’s e-Visa list at the moment, so the medical visa comes through the High Commission of India in Abuja (or its visa application centre) instead of online.

This guide covers that route, the flights, what a trip costs and how to choose a hospital.

Step 1: Get opinions and prices before anything else

Start with your medical reports: scans, test results and any letters from your doctors. Send them to us, or directly to hospitals. Accredited hospitals in Delhi review them and send:

• a written opinion from a specialist, saying what they recommend
• a fixed or estimated price for the hospital package
• the number of days in hospital and days in India they expect

Compare more than one. Look at what’s included, not just the total. A cheaper package that leaves out the implant or the ICU days isn’t cheaper.

Step 2: The medical visa, without the e-Visa

Once you’ve chosen a hospital, it sends an invitation letter: on its letterhead, naming you, the treatment and the date you’re expected. That letter is the document your visa application depends on.

Then:

1. Apply for a medical visa through the High Commission of India in Abuja or its visa application centre.
2. Up to two family members can apply for medical attendant visas at the same time.
3. Ask about current processing times when you apply, and allow extra time. A regular visa usually takes longer than an e-Visa.
4. Book a flexible ticket only once the visa is granted. Nobody can guarantee a visa decision.

The list of e-Visa countries changes from time to time. Check the official site before you apply, in case Nigeria has been added.

Step 3: Flights

There’s no regular non-stop flight between Nigeria and Delhi. Most patients fly from Lagos or Abuja with one stop, usually in:

• Addis Ababa (Ethiopian Airlines flies non-stop from Addis to Delhi, about 6.5 hours)
• Doha or Dubai (both have several daily flights to Delhi)

The whole journey usually takes 12–16 hours, and economy returns are roughly $800–$1,400. After major surgery, ask your surgeon about the long journey home; they may want you to break it, travel with someone, or book wheelchair help at each airport.

What a trip costs

As an example, here’s a heart bypass trip, which is one of the most common reasons Nigerians travel to India:

• Hospital package: about $3,500–$9,000, including around ten days in hospital (three to four in heart intensive care)
• Return flights: about $800–$1,400
• Stay and food: about 28 days in total in Delhi, roughly $1,500–$2,900 for a serviced apartment and food after discharge
• Tests, visa, insurance, transfers: about $490–$1,760
• Our fee: fixed, from $500

That’s a planning range, not a quote. The real price depends on your heart, your other health conditions and the hospital, and it comes in writing after a surgeon has reviewed your reports.

Choosing a hospital

Look for:

• Accreditation: JCI (international) or NABH (India’s national standard). You can check both yourself on their websites.
• A named surgeon, with their registration, training and how many of your operation they do each year.
• A written plan: days in hospital, days in India, what’s included, what isn’t.
• An international patient desk that handles admission, payments and records.

Paying

Hospitals quote in US dollars. You pay the hospital directly, usually by international bank transfer, and many ask for a deposit on admission. Your written quote says how much and when. Our fee is paid to us separately. Some Nigerian employers and insurers will pay for treatment abroad if you get approval first; we can send them the hospital’s estimate and treatment plan.

Bringing records home

Before you fly home, make sure you have your discharge summary, scans, the operation notes and your medicine plan, in English, for your doctor in Nigeria. Your surgeon in India can follow up by video.

Next steps

See our page for patients from Nigeria for the facts at a glance, or our Africa page to compare countries. When you’re ready, send your reports for a free quote.