Apollo Hospitals Urge Government to Implement Liberal Visa Policy for Boosting Medical Tourism and attracting International Patients

Published on February 22, 2025

Apollo Hospitals urges India to ease visa rules for international patients, boosting medical tourism and strengthening the country’s global healthcare appeal.

India Needs Liberal Visa Policy to Boost Medical Tourism

India must adopt a liberalized visa policy for international patients seeking medical treatment, emphasized Sangita Reddy, Joint Managing Director of Apollo Hospitals Enterprise, on Friday. She highlighted that easing visa regulations would significantly strengthen India’s position as a global medical tourism hub.

Apollo Hospitals is keen to collaborate with the government’s ‘Heal in India’ initiative, which aims to streamline the process for foreign patients and attract a greater inflow of medical travelers.

Comparing India’s policies to other popular medical tourism destinations, Reddy pointed out that countries like Thailand, Turkey, the Philippines, and Singapore offer visa-on-arrival facilities and simplified visa procedures for many international patients. Such measures, she argued, provide a competitive edge and contribute to the high patient footfall in these nations.

To accommodate the rising demand for world-class healthcare, Apollo Hospitals has announced an expansion plan to add around 3,000 beds across its network within the next five years. The group has earmarked an investment of approximately ₹6,000 crore to fund this ambitious growth strategy.

With India emerging as a top destination for advanced medical treatments, industry leaders believe that a streamlined visa framework will play a crucial role in unlocking the full potential of the country’s medical tourism sector.