Medical Visa to India: A Complete Guide for Tanzanian Patients
Tanzania's e-medical visa for India is one of the fastest processing times in East Africa — approvals typically come through in 24 to 72 hours, often within 24 hours for straightforward applications. For Tanzanian patients from Dar es Salaam, Arusha, Zanzibar, and Mwanza who need to get to India quickly, this speed is a genuine practical advantage.
The application is fully online. There is no need to travel to Dar es Salaam for patients from Arusha, Mwanza, or Zanzibar. No physical document submission to the High Commission. Everything goes through the portal at indianvisaonline.gov.in.
This guide covers exactly what Tanzanian patients need to apply successfully on the first attempt.
The Correct Visa Category
Apply for the e-Medical Visa (eMedV) — specifically designed for patients travelling to India for treatment. Do not apply for a tourist visa. The e-Medical Visa allows:
- Triple entry into India
- 60 days from the date of first arrival
- One accompanying companion on an e-Medical Attendant Visa (separate application, submitted simultaneously)
Documents Required
For the patient:
- Valid Tanzanian passport — at least six months validity beyond the travel date
- Passport photograph (specific requirements below — read carefully)
- Hospital appointment letter from the Indian hospital — Prime Medical provides this
- Payment card (approximately USD 25 fee)
For the companion (if applicable):
- Valid Tanzanian passport
- Passport photograph
- Attendant letter confirming role — Prime Medical provides this
The hospital appointment letter is what makes the application go through. It must confirm the patient's name, the hospital, and the planned treatment. Prime Medical obtains this from the partner hospital within 48 hours of treatment confirmation — so the process is: share reports with Prime Medical → receive specialist opinion → confirm hospital → appointment letter issued → visa applied.
Photograph Requirements
Photograph errors are the most common cause of rejection. Get these specifications exactly right:
- Plain white or very light background — no grey, no patterns, nothing behind you
- Full face visible, looking directly at the camera
- No spectacles — glasses are no longer permitted in Indian visa photographs
- No headgear except for religious purposes
- Size: 2 inches × 2 inches (51mm × 51mm)
- Taken within the last six months
Take a fresh photograph specifically for this application. Do not reuse a passport photo with glasses or a coloured background.
Applying from Dar es Salaam, Arusha, Zanzibar, and Mwanza
All applications go through indianvisaonline.gov.in regardless of where in Tanzania you are. There is no regional variation. Zanzibar residents apply through the same portal as Dar es Salaam residents.
For patients who prefer to deal with the High Commission in person
High Commission of India, Dar es Salaam
Plot No. 1000, Ali Hassan Mwinyi Road
Upanga, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Tel: +255 22 211 5042
For e-Medical Visa applications, in-person visits are typically not needed. Online processing is faster.
Processing Time for Tanzanian Applicants
Standard: 24 to 72 hours. Many Tanzanian applicants receive approval within 24 hours. This is faster than most other East African nationalities and means that patients who need to travel quickly can complete the visa process in a day or two after receiving the appointment letter from Prime Medical.
Visa for Patients from Zanzibar
Zanzibar residents hold Tanzanian passports and apply through the same e-visa portal as mainland Tanzanian citizens. There is no separate process. The port of entry listed on the application should be Mumbai CSIA (for the direct Dar es Salaam–Mumbai route) or Delhi IGI (for Delhi-bound patients).
For patients travelling via Dar es Salaam, domestic flight from Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (Zanzibar) to Julius Nyerere International Airport (Dar es Salaam) is the usual first leg. Prime Medical assists with planning the full route from Zanzibar to the Indian hospital.
For Transplant Patients — Both Patient and Donor Need Visas
Kidney or liver transplant patients bring a living donor — a family member. Both need separate e-Medical Visa applications. Both need separate appointment letters. Prime Medical provides documentation for both simultaneously so neither application is delayed waiting for the other.
After Approval — What to Carry
Print the visa approval document. At immigration in India — whether Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, or another port of entry — the officer scans the document. Have the hospital appointment letter accessible in hand luggage, not in checked baggage. Standard questions about purpose and hospital. Prime Medical's coordinator meets you on arrival and transfers you directly.
What Happens if the Application Is Rejected
Rejection reasons are communicated with the rejection notice. Common fixable issues: photograph with glasses, incomplete form, missing reference information. The application can be resubmitted immediately after correcting the issue. Prime Medical reviews applications before submission to catch obvious errors — reducing rejection risk significantly.
Starting the Process
The appointment letter — the document that unlocks the visa — comes from Prime Medical after the hospital is confirmed. The hospital is confirmed after the specialist opinion is provided. The specialist opinion comes within 48 hours of sharing medical reports.
Share your reports with Prime Medical Solutions. To book a consultation, call the number on our website. For Tanzanian patients, the visa can often be processed within 24 hours of receiving the appointment letter — making the total process from first contact to visa in hand potentially as short as three to four days.
