India boosts medical visas
India’s Union Cabinet extended the IVFRT (Immigration, Visa, Foreigners Registration & Tracking) scheme for five years with a Rs 1,800 crore outlay to modernize immigration and speed entry for tourists, including medical patients. (timesofindia.indiatimes.com) The policy underpins India’s medical‑tourism strength — Delhi is listed among top hubs and the tourism body notes roughly 80–100 jobs created per 1,000 medical tourists, reinforcing demand for streamlined visas. (x.com)
IVFRT 3.0 is scheduled to operate from April 1, 2026, through March 31, 2031, according to the Cabinet brief published by the Press Information Bureau. (pib.gov.in ) The project is structured around three pillars — “emerging technology innovations,” “transforming core infrastructure,” and “technology and service optimization” — with explicit plans for IRIS scanning, AI/ML tools, AI‑enabled cameras, mobile‑app services and self‑service kiosks at immigration check posts. (pib.gov.in ) Infrastructure upgrades listed in the Cabinet note include an upgraded data centre and data‑recovery centre, replacement/new hardware at Immigration Check Posts and FRROs, and integrated command‑and‑control centres to centralize operations at key gateways. (pib.gov.in ) The latest package represents roughly a 32% increase over the previous IVFRT allocation of Rs 1,364.88 crore for 2021–26, as recorded in the Home Ministry press release from February 25, 2022. (mha.gov.in ) (pib.gov.in ) The extension lines up with policy moves to expand medical tourism — the 2026 Union Budget proposed five regional medical‑tourism hubs and the government and industry have been promoting a “Heal in India” strategy to integrate clinical and wellness services. (timesofindia.indiatimes.com ) (kpmg.com ) Commentary and sector briefs estimate that every 1,000 inbound medical tourists can generate about 80–100 jobs in associated services such as hospitals, hospitality, transport and post‑care, a figure cited in recent analyses of India’s medical‑tourism opportunity. (academia.edu ) Delhi has been explicitly targeted by city and state officials as a priority medical‑tourism hub, with local plans and budget allocations announced to expand hospital capacity and wellness infrastructure. (thehindu.com )
