India becomes hot favourite Plastic & Cosmetic surgery destination
India has rapidly become a hot favourite Plastic & cosmetic surgery destination for medical tourists from worldwide because people get world class facilities at more affordable and economical costs, higher success rates and safety measures.Indian plastic surgeons already have a great reputation when it comes to finest surgical skills for providing a wide range of cosmetic as well as plastic surgery procedures. With increasing popularity and easy availability of such procedures in India, more and more foreigners are flying in to get chiselled looks while experiencing the vast heritage of this ancient country. It sounds amazing to spend the recovery period in visiting historic places, indulging in to cultural activities andauthentic food.
It just takes a short vacation to fix a physical imperfection with the help of cosmetic surgery and travelling to the India also lets foreigners recuperate privately, without anyone at home knowing that they've had cosmetic surgery.
Planning A Medical Visit?
If you're planning to visit India for having some physical imperfections corrected, then this information will be helpful for you -
Step - 1: Do Your Homework
It is very important to learn about the credentials of the doctor before finalising your surgery. Take your time to do some research, for example- go through several websites, read older patients reviews and testimonials, see before & after pictures and watch videos to understand everything carefully.When selecting the international hospital that's right for your needs, you should consider the hospital's accreditation, awards and recognitions, facility and equipments etc.
Step-2: Connect with Your Plastic Surgeon
Todays technology offers you so many ways to connect with people. Email consultations is the easiest way to connect with many doctors in India. And once you've made up your mind, do not hesitate in requesting a video consultation with the doctor you selected. It is very important to clear all your doubts and ask a lot of questions until you get satisfactory information, it helps you to make an informed decision.
Step-3: Arranging Travel
If you are traveling India for medical reasons for the first time, these points will help you to plan your journey better -
Ask your local/family doctor if you are fit to travel overseas with your current medical condition. If possible, do a general fitness workup and send the scan copy of all the reports to your Indian plastic surgeon to confirm your fitness.
Find out about the procedure and compare your expectations with what's achievable by the surgery. Also enquire about follow-up care needed, time required for recovery, physical therapy, etc.
Please note that in most cases the final decisions on your treatment will be made only after the doctor meets you and examines you in person. It is possible that your doctor, upon examining you, may decide you are not fit for surgery, or recommends treatment different from what you planned.
Certain documents must always be with you. Ensure that you carry multiple copies of the same and keep the originals in a safe place when abroad.
Records like X-Rays, MRI's, health histories, photographs, immunization records, prescriptions, and any other health records relevant to the surgery. Remember to carry all these medical reports and any medicines in your carry-on luggage.
Passport and visa: You will need a passport for yourself and your travel companion (if any). You will also need an M-Visa (Medical Visa) or eMedical Visa or a PIO Card only to get medical treatments here. No Cosmetic surgical treatment can be provided to an individual on a normal / traditional Tourist visa or any other type of visa.
Payment: Make sure that the type of payment mode is confirmed by concerned hospital's Finance department and your bank before you plan to travel because in some instances, bank or credit/debit card provider companies reduce the limit of withdrawal once you are out of country (better intimate them beforehand).Bring some local currency (INR), and one or two major credit cards / debit cards.
You then book your flight and send the flight details to your plastic surgeon/his staff so they may organize under the best conditions your surgery and your stay. Many hospitals also provide pick-up service from the airport and a tour to the city etc. so better discuss everything in advance.
Do not get confused by suggestion of touts trying to change your plan to different surgeon or hospital. The Plastic & Cosmetic surgeon listed listed in this site are qualified and certified to do any plastic & cosmetic surgical procedure.
Important Rules for Medical Tourism in India
Medical Visa or eMedical Visa:As per the Indian Government rules, all foreigners visiting India for medical purpose will require a medical visa. There are few countries whose citizens are eligible to apply for a eMedical Visa which a really easy and quick process. If you belong to any of these countries, you can apply for an eMedical Visa.To apply either type of medical visa, you will need a certificate letter from your Indian plastic surgeon which can be issued to you after you provide them your few details as asked in the M-Visa Certificate Form. After you fill those details, you doctor can email you a copy of signed certificate in PDF format and this copy will be needed as a document requirement during application of medical visa. Please note that no medical treatments (except emergency medical situations) are allowed to any foreigner in India on any other type of visa except for a Medical or eMedical visa.
Form-C : It is a general information from the hospital to the concerned government officials (Foreign Regional Registration Office- FRRO) of a foreigner's arrival in their hospital. The required formalities for this procedure will be done by the hospital's staff and all you need to do is to fill a Form-C which will be provided to you once you are in their office.
FRRO Registration : Registration with personal visit at the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) is required within 14-days of arrival if the duration of stay on your Medical Visa exceeds 180 days, even if you don't intend to stay here for that period. Patients from Pakistan and Bangladesh are required to register their arrival within 24-hours with the nearest Police Station / Commissioner's Office. Theconcerned hospital staff will guide you for the same. We advice you to make sure that your visa doesn't exceeds 180 days to avoid this.
