Medical travel · Companions and families
The person beside the patient needs a plan too.
Companions carry a great deal on a medical journey: paperwork, payments, meals, messages home and simply being there. This part of the guide is for them, and for the family following from afar.
Who can come
Two attendants, and everyone else.
India’s visa rules set how many people can accompany a patient as attendants. Others in the family can still visit, on visas that fit their own reason for travel.
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e-Medical Attendant visas per patient
Each attendant applies separately on the official portal as attendant to the patient’s e-Medical visa, uploading a photo and the passport bio page. No more than two are granted against one e-Medical visa.
How the attendant visa works -
On a regular Medical Attendant visa
Where the e-Visa is not available, missions issue Medical Attendant visas. The Consulate General of India in Dubai (opens in a new tab) describes them as granted to the patient’s spouse, children or blood relatives and valid for as long as the patient’s visa.
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Other relatives visiting
A third family member cannot hold an attendant visa, but the e-Visa scheme also covers short visits to see relatives for eligible nationals. Check which category fits on the official portal.
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Children in the party
Every child needs their own passport and their own visa application, whether they are the patient or travelling with one.
Choosing who comes
Four jobs, often one person.
Choose someone who can stay for the whole journey, recovery included, and who is comfortable speaking up. If two people come, divide these jobs between them on purpose.
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A steady presence
Company through waiting rooms and long evenings, and someone who notices when the patient is tired before they say so.
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Paperwork and payments
Forms at the hospital desk, deposits, receipts and the document folders, so the patient signs only what they must.
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The link to home
Updates to family, sent only with the patient’s permission, and a consent the patient records with the hospital about who may be told what.
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Daily logistics
Meals, laundry, pharmacy runs and following the medicine schedule the doctors set, with the coordinator a call away.
Two companions
A simple rota that prevents burnout.
When two people come, the most common mistake is both of them spending every hour at the hospital. A shared day like this keeps one person rested at all times. Adjust it to the hospital’s visiting rules.
| Part of the day | Companion A | Companion B |
|---|---|---|
| Morning | At the hospital for rounds and appointments | Rests, then groceries, laundry and the pharmacy |
| Afternoon | Back to the stay to sleep and eat properly | Takes over at the bedside, with the day’s notes |
| Evening | A shared meal, or a walk if the patient is resting | One call home together at the agreed time |
Looking after the companion
Care for the carer, planned in.
A companion who is exhausted by the second week helps nobody. These are built into every plan we make.
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Their own health first
A check-up and their own medicines before travel, and their own travel insurance rather than an assumption they are covered.
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Real sleep
A proper bed at the stay. If the hospital lets an attendant stay overnight, take turns rather than sleeping in a chair night after night.
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Time away
A walk, a café, a temple or a park for an hour. We can suggest quiet places near the stay.
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Language support
An interpreter for errands and daily life where one is available in your language, so the companion is never stuck at a counter.
Family at home
Keeping everyone informed, without overwhelming anyone.
What is shared, and with whom, is the patient’s decision. Settle it before you fly, so the companion is never caught between a worried relative and a patient who wants privacy.
- One family contact at home who passes news on, instead of the companion repeating it to everyone.
- A fixed time for calls that works across the time difference, so nobody waits by the phone all day.
- No medical details in big group chats. Messages are forwarded and screenshots outlive the moment.
- Consent recorded with the hospital, naming who the treating team may speak to.
Faith, food and language
Small comforts matter more far from home.
- Stays near a mosque, temple, church or gurdwara on request
- Kitchens and caterers for halal, vegetarian, Jain or other diets
- Interpreters for daily life in your language, where available
- Companion costs shown separately on the travel quote
Companion FAQ
For companions, straight answers.
How many companions can travel with the patient on attendant visas?
Up to two. The official e-Visa portal grants no more than two e-Medical Attendant visas against one e-Medical visa. Other relatives can still travel, but on a visa that fits their own purpose.
Does a companion have to be a relative?
For the regular Medical Attendant visa, the Consulate General of India in Dubai, for example, describes it as granted to the spouse, children or blood relatives of the patient. The e-Visa portal’s instruction pages do not define the relationship for e-Medical Attendants, so confirm on the application form or with the official e-Visa support before you plan around a friend.
Can we swap one attendant for another halfway through?
The portal does not describe a swap. A new companion needs their own visa, and only two attendant e-Visas are granted per patient, so check with the official e-Visa support before planning a handover.
Can a companion leave India and come back during treatment?
The portal lists the e-Medical Attendant visa as multiple-entry within its validity. Check the dates on the companion’s ETA before booking, and remember that the attendant’s stay is tied to the patient’s treatment.
Can a companion stay overnight at the hospital?
That depends on the hospital and the ward. Ask the international patient desk what it allows for attendants, and plan the stay so the companion has a proper bed on the nights they are not needed.
Our child is the patient. Can both parents come?
Yes, two parents can be the two attendants, each with their own passport and their own e-Medical Attendant visa. The child needs their own passport and their own e-Medical visa, with the hospital letter in the child’s name.
Travelling together
Plan for the patient. Plan for the people beside them.
Tell us who is coming. We plan rooms, visas and daily support for each person, not just the patient.