Germany has one of the best medical healthcare systems in the world. It is because of Germany's up-to-date and exceptional medical facilities. Their government keeps a strict check on the maintenance of hospitals, including hygiene, quality of treatment, safety standards and prices.

Due to their top-of-the-line medical treatment and services, many patients visit Germany from all over the world every year. Thus, Germany offers medical visas for international patients. A Germany Medical Treatment Visa is granted to its holder for medical treatment.

Two types of visas are offered according to the condition of the patient, one for short-term visits and another for long-term. A Schengen Medical Visa is required if you want to remain for less than three months. However, many third-world nations are exempt from this requirement. A National Visa for medical treatment is required for more than three months.

Note
Suppose you are merely visiting Germany for a health assessment and do not have any diagnosis. In that case, you are not eligible for this sort of visa. Depending on your situation, you will need to apply for a different type of visa.

Exempted Countries From Germany Medical Visa Requirement

Only a few countries are exempted from visa requirements. It means you only need a passport to visit medical treatment in Germany. Exempted countries from Medical visas include the following countries.

• United States of America
• Canada
• Australia
• European Union
• New Zealand
• Liechtenstein
• Switzerland
• Iceland
• Norway
• Israel
• Japan
• South Korea

Procedure Before Applying For A German Medical Visa

You cannot directly apply for a medical visa. You need to take specific steps before applying for a visa. Read the instructions below to know what you need to do.

• Firstly, find a hospital in Germany where you want to get treatment.
• After that, send the medical diagnosis reports to the hospital you selected in Germany. Note that the medical team at the german hospital may ask you to provide additional documents and medical information.
• Suppose your selected hospital agrees to treat the patient. In that case, they will provide you with the treatment plan and its estimated cost.
• After deciding on a payment method, the hospital will send you an invitation letter. When you receive this letter, then you can apply for a visa.

Documents Required

You need to collect all the essential documents to apply for a visa. Required documents for long term stay are as below.

• Cover letter mentioning travel plan.
• A leave letter from the company (in case you are on the job)
• Certificate from a medical doctor of your home country, noting the need for medical treatment.
• Certificate from German medical doctor, mentioning confirmation of medical appointment. 
• Proof of advance payment to the german medical doctor
• Medical correspondence between the sending and receiving medical doctors.

How To Apply For A German Medical Visa

You can apply for German Medical Visa online or in person. Apply at least three weeks before the scheduled trip to Germany to allow for adequate processing time. To apply, you need to go through the following steps.

• Fill out the application form.
• Gather all required documents.
• Schedule an appointment with a German consulate, county or embassy. If your country does not have one, you might send your application to an outsourced German visa submission centre. 
• Give an interview on the scheduled date.
• Pay visa fee

Can A Patient Bring a Companion?

Yes, companions are allowed with the patient. A person along with a patients who apply for a medical visa must show a document verifying their link to the applicant.

Germany Medical Treatment Visa Fee

The cost of a German health treatment visa varies based on the length of your stay and the patient's age. Note that there is a reduced fee for patients under 12. If your visa is denied, you will not be compensated for this charge.

Germany Medical Treatment Visa Processing Time & Extension 

It may take two weeks for visa processing time after the interview. A medical visa can be extended if the patient's health worsens or does not respond to therapy.

To Conclude

It is essential to apply for German Medical Treatment Visa and make arrangements well before the patient's health condition does not allow him to travel. Also, searching hospitals in another country, contacting them and then applying for a visa consumes a lot of time. Thus, it might not be suitable for patients to wait that long in some instances.

It is suggested to make the right choice of taking guidance from some experienced professional visa experts.