Can I have medical treatment in Turkey with a tourist visa?
I am an Indian citizen, resident in Germany. My wife is also resident here. We are going to Turkey for a tourist visit next month. We obtained e-visas for that purpose.
After getting the visas, I came to know about some plastic surgery in Turkey that is quite expensive in Germany and my wife is keen to have it in Istanbul at the much cheaper price. I inquired about this through the Turkish online visa application system and it turned out that, for medical purposes one needs to apply at the Consulate and an e-visa is valid only for tourism and business purposes.
I would like to know, being a tourist, if my wife wants to undergo the surgery, will it be illegal in Turkish law?
Will the hospital check for her visa before giving her the treatment?
The problem is that if I need to apply via a consulate I don't now have much time.
Update: To clear any confusion, my purpose of visit is Tourism. If the medical treatment is not legal, I am not going to do that, but that's not going to stop me visiting Turkey. So, what I am saying, the sole purpose of my visit is not medical, rather my purpose is Tourism. But if its legal to have a treatment (not Emergency), then I will go for that.
Best Answer
The consulate answer is correct. There is a special visa for medial treatment:
5- OTHER VISAS
...
d) Medical Treatment Purposes
Thus indeed it would be illegal under Turkish law.
Regarding having not much time, you might consider spending more time on a hospital research. Plastic surgery could end up badly, and you usually have no recourse at all. Medical training and conditions of hospitals also vary a lot, so there are things to look at besides the price alone. And good doctors are likely to have a waiting list. Thus you might consider spending some time on this trip visiting some hospitals and inquiring about treatment, schedule an appointment, then fly back and apply for a proper visa.
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Can someone with a tourist visa get medical?
A B-2 visa is likely the one you need. Visiting a U.S. physician to receive medical treatment may not seem like a typical activity of a "tourist for pleasure," but if you want to travel to the U.S. for medical reasons you must apply for a B-2 tourist visa at your local U.S. embassy or consulate.How do I get a Turkish medical visa?
At present, there are two types of medical visas available for your visit to Turkey:Is Turkey safe for medical tourism?
Turkey is one of the world's leading Health Tourism destinations. In addition to the available high-quality facilities, medical tourists have access to thermal spas and health care programs that incorporate five-star hotel accommodation into their package.What is medical tourism visa?
A medical tourist visa would allow a foreigner a maximum of three entries into the country, over a span of one year. The State government or the FRRO may allow another additional entry if an emergency situation demands it so.Turkey Medical Treatment Visa Offer
More answers regarding can I have medical treatment in Turkey with a tourist visa?
Answer 2
There are two very different points here.
If your purpose of travel is strictly for medical treatments (also called medical tourism), then you need a special visa type; and additional documentation - usually from the host hospital that you are arriving for such and such a treatment and are expected to stay for X number of days/week and who is bearing the cost.
If, God forbid, you are in the country as a tourist and face a medical emergency or need to have a procedure done - you will not be denied medical care.
In other words, it is not illegal for you to get medical care while in country as a tourist. In fact, for some countries medical insurance is a requirement to apply for the visit visa.
Now, if your purpose of travel is only to get the cosmetic procedure done - then I suggest you use this visit to research the hospitals (just like anything else that has a large profit margin - medical tourism is also rife with scams and unregulated operators) and let the hospital tell you what the next procedure should be to get the treatment.
Reputable institutions will be able to arrange for you a medical visit visa application which you can then apply for once back.
Keeping in mind you may be entitled to special provisions under the medical tourism visa vs. a tourist visa.
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