Dubai visas: Hospitals offer all-inclusive packages that include entry, treatment and stay

Dubai visas: Hospitals offer all-inclusive packages that include entry, treatment and stay

Several hospitals in Dubai can facilitate the issuance of medical visas to tourists seeking treatment in the city, a top Dubai Health Authority (DHA) official has said.

“We have the facility for medical tourism visas that is provided by hospitals and it's only exclusive to them,” Mohamed Al Mheiri, director of Health Tourism Department at the DHA, told Khaleej Times in an exclusive interview.

Those wishing to stay in Dubai for treatments can approach hospitals directly for these medical visas. According to Al Mheiri, the facilities can determine the length of stay required by the patient and a bystander depending on the treatment they are undergoing. “No limit has been placed on the (duration) … of the visa, and the hospitals can determine that based on the medical conditions and treatment required,” he said.

Dubai saw remarkable growth in medical tourism in 2022, with 674,000 medical tourists spending Dh992 million — an increase of Dh262 million from 2021.

Al Mheiri said several hospitals offer an all-in-one package that includes treatment, stay and visas. “Some of the facilities have different packages, whether they want to focus on cosmetics, dental, dermatology, orthopedics or wellness,” he said. “All of these packages are available. As a promoting arm