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Considering fistula surgery in India? This page takes you through the travel process, from navigating flights and visas to arriving comfortably in Pune, all to ensure a smooth and stress-free journey towards your healing.
The starting point in your journey to India is that you do need a valid Passport with at least 6 months remaining before it expires. The 6 months is calculated based on your arrival date in India.
India does require a visa for anyone visiting or coming to India for medical treatment. There are many different types of visas. To learn more about visiting India, visa types and requirements the following website is very helpful.
To apply for your visa, we recommend that, if possible, you apply for an e-visa. You can check on the website to see if your country is eligible to apply for a visa using the online system. The link below will take you to the official E-visa website. E-visa applications are done online and processed very quickly.
There are numerous types of visas and we highly recommend that the patient apply for a medical visa. As the patient you will need a letter from Healing Hands Clinic on letterhead that includes your date of admission to the clinic. Ask the doctor you are in contact with at HHC to send you this letter. You will need a copy for Immigration when you arrive in India, but It is advisable to also make an extra copy of your visa to carry with you, along with the copy of your passport.
If you have family members or friends who are travelling with you there are two main options, tourist visa or medical attendant. We recommend the tourist visa, particularly the 1-year tourist visa, because it allows for multiple entries during the year.
Traveling to India can be a long journey with multiple flights, depending on your starting point. There are two airports to choose from for your final destination, Pune (airport code: PNQ) or Mumbai (airport code: BOM). Flying into Pune usually involves 1 more flight, while flying into Mumbai leaves you with a 4 hour ride in a shuttle, taxi, or private car. If you fly into Mumbai see our section on Ground Transportation for recommended shuttle service between Mumbai and Pune. Flying into Pune is more convenient, but Mumbai is still a reasonable option, with more flights available from international destinations.
Using a booking site to search for flights is a wise option as many of the flights may involve multiple flights and airline carriers. Two that are highly recommended are: Skyscanner and Hopper. There are many other reputable booking sites and you can check directly with the airlines as well. A tip to make your journey less stressful: Make sure you allow adequate time for connections. We recommend a minimum of 2 hours for connecting flights to give you time if a flight is delayed or you need to travel to a distant terminal for the connecting flight.
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