Definitive IVF Guide for International Patients in India : Must Read Before Arriving

IVF Guide for International Patients in India is from the series of articles published for infertility treatments in India that includes Average Cost of IVF treatment, Visa Problems with Solutions, Treatment Procedure of IVF and Stay Arrangements in India.

Infertility is increasing all over the world at an alarming rate. There is a constant demand for infertility treatments worldwide, but some countries see an extreme demand for the fertility treatment and some countries do not have the necessary facilities to cater to a large volume of treatments. There are only a few countries where this balance is struck and India is one among them.

With all the necessary facilities present, infertility treatments in India is affordable for all people and unlike a few other countries, there is no longer waiting periods and less stringent regulations by the Indian government for the infertility treatment.

To help such people from other countries to come to India for infertility treatments, here is a practical guide to help you through the process of starting from your country, coming to India for treatment until you return to your home country.

Choosing The Clinic

To start with the process, you will need to choose the right clinic for the infertility treatment and there are several ways to do that.

• Through business partners

Some of the major hospitals have their employees working in other countries to guide international patients in getting to their fertility clinic in India for treatment. For example, some fertility clinics have their employees and tie-ups with business partners who has local offices in Bangladesh, Sudan, Iran, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Zambia, UK, Nepal, Kenya, Utopia, Oman, Zambia, etc and get most of their international patients from Bangladesh due to its close proximity and the language convenience.

• Direct contact with the fertility clinic

Many patients search through the internet for fertility tourism and choose fertility clinics to go for.

Some patients will contact the fertility clinic from their own country and will give their medical history, condition and the treatment they want to go for. So the doctor at the clinic will give them their opinions on the condition will give them a treatment schedule and the number of days it will take for the treatments which will help them to get a visa and this will also help them to coordinate their arrival in India with the clinic.

• Local search

In some cases, patients will directly land in India and then start searching for the fertility clinic, sometimes on their own and sometimes with the help of the agents. But these patients have to make sure that they come on a medical visa.

Medical Visa

All the people who need to go for medical treatments should get a Medical Visa. Though some smaller hospitals treat patients who come on a tourist visa or a business visa, it is illegal to do so and will face serious consequences.

If the patients have already contacted the fertility clinic and confirmed their arrival, some of the clinics will send a medical invitation letter for medical visa to the appropriate country’s embassy stating the patient’s need for medical treatment and in case if the spouse or a family member is joining them, they will also raise the request for medical attendant visa for them too.

What If The Patient Do Not Have Medical Visa?

Some people come to India and start their search for infertility clinics and a common mistake some make is coming for the purpose of treatment in a tourist visa. Since some of these patients are from countries where they do not have the necessary treatment facilities, they are not aware about the process of getting a medical visa and this becomes a major problem for them. As there are strict government regulations, the clinics will not be able to even provide a consultation for such international patients and this gets the patients into a muddle.

But some of these patients from underdeveloped countries would have put in their life savings to come for the treatment and will be very disappointed. Fortunately, there is a way out.

In cases when the patient has already landed in India with a tourist visa or a business visa, but for the purpose of infertility treatment, then the fertility clinics can approach the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO), an Indian government body, and request them to convert the tourist visa or the business visa to a medical visa. FRRO may not always oblige and convert the visa, but there are good chances that they will approve it.

If they do not approve, then the patient has no other way but to return to their own country and come back on a medical visa.

During The Visit To India

When the patients come to the country, some major fertility clinics arrange the stay for them near their clinics itself with all the necessary facilities needed and will have a person with them to coordinate during their visit. If the patient has language barriers and couldn’t understand English, the clinic will hire translators for them, but the patient has to bear the cost for it.

Major clinics have tie-ups with apartments that are fully furnished so that the patients feel safe and secure in these apartments. Moreover, these apartments are cheaper compared to the hotels and will be very near to the respective fertility clinics.

The Treatment Procedure of IVF

In line with the treatment schedule given to the patient beforehand, the clinic will have all the necessary setup made ready. When the patient arrives, the treatment will immediately start without any delay. After the treatment is performed and depending on the advice of the doctor, some patients will leave for their country immediately while some stay and confirm their pregnancy in India before going back.

Average IVF Treatment Cost 

IVF treatment is one of the popular reasons for fertility tourism. In India, the cost of an IVF treatment will be anywhere between Rs. 1,00,000 to Rs. 3,00,000 without including the tests and the medicines depending on the city where you will be taking the treatment. Mumbai is one of the costliest places in India for IVF treatment with an average of Rs. 2,00,000 to Rs. 3,00,000.

Apart from the main treatment, egg freezing will be an additional charge with Rs.30,000 for extracting the egg and an average of Rs. 5,000 per year for egg freezing. The medicinal charges may amount to more than Rs. 50,000.