Cancer Treatment in India — A Guide for NRI and International Patients

Duration depends on your treatment type. Surgery with recovery can mean two to four weeks on the ground. Chemotherapy given in cycles, or immunotherapy, typically means repeated visits or an extended stay of several months, with cycles scheduled every few weeks. Before travelling, ask your oncologist to outline the full treatment schedule — how many cycles, how many weeks apart, and what monitoring is needed between them — so you can plan your time realistically rather than guessing.

Indian citizens, including those holding OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) cards, do not need a visa to enter India. Foreign nationals who are not of Indian origin need a valid visa. India offers a Medical Visa (MED visa) specifically for patients travelling for treatment, which also allows accompanying family members to apply for a Medical Attendant Visa. Confirm current visa requirements with the Indian consulate or embassy in your country well before travelling, as rules can change.

Most oncology centres in India are set up to accommodate accompanying family members, particularly given that Indian families are closely involved in a patient's daily care. Practical arrangements — who can attend consultations, whether a family member can stay overnight, and where to find accommodation close to the centre — are worth discussing with the hospital's patient services team before you arrive. CION's patient services team can advise international and NRI patients on local accommodation and logistics.

This is one of the most important questions to resolve before you start treatment, not after. Ask your Indian oncologist whether they will provide a written summary of treatment, an ongoing medication plan, and a surveillance schedule that your home oncologist can work from. Ask your home doctor whether they are willing to take over follow-up based on that handoff. Gaps in follow-up — particularly for side effects that emerge weeks after treatment ends — are where patients can fall through. A clear, agreed handoff plan is what prevents that.

Policies vary significantly. Some international health insurance plans cover planned oncology treatment in India, particularly if the insurer has a network arrangement with the hospital. Some require prior authorisation before treatment begins. Others exclude India or cover only emergency treatment. Contact your insurer before travelling, ask specifically whether planned oncology treatment in India is covered, and request confirmation in writing. If your policy does not cover it, ask the hospital's billing team about indicative package costs so you can plan finances separately.

Yes. CION's oncologists can assess your records remotely based on your pathology reports, imaging, and treatment history before you travel. This review helps establish whether the treatment you need is available at CION, whether your diagnosis requires any additional testing, and what a realistic plan looks like. It avoids the situation where a patient travels and then discovers that a procedure or capability requires referral elsewhere. Contact CION's international patient services team to arrange a remote records review.